Labour has won a thumping landslide victory in the General Election – toppling a succession of top Tories and winning back seats in Scotland.
The Conservatives suffered an almost total collapse – losing hundreds of seats to Labour and the Lib Dems – and being forced into third place in more.
Reform failed to live up to the 13-seat prediction in the exit poll – securing just a handful of seats for key party figures. And independent candidates caused upsets and unexpected results across the country.
Here’s all the important things you missed while you were asleep.
1. Keir Starmer is the new Prime Minister – and says country is ‘ready for change’
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Keir Starmer is the new Prime Minister – with a Labour government taking power in a thumping victory.
The party was projected to secure 410 seats and a majority of 170 – pummelling the Tories down to 131 seats in the Commons, their worst defeat ever.
The Prime Minister said voters had delivered a “sobering verdict” on his party after 14 years in power.
In one of the most stunning victories of the night, Labour snatched Bury St Edmunds and Stowmarket where the Tories were defending a 22,085 majority. It also overturned a 19,879 majority in Cannock Chase.
Speaking at his count in Camden, Mr Starmer said: “Tonight, people here and around the country have spoken and they’re ready for change, to end the politics of performance, a return to politics as public service. The change begins right here… You have voted. It is now time for us to deliver.”
Rachel Reeves said Labour’s victory represented “a page turned, a new chapter started” as she won her seat in Leeds West and Pudsey. The would-be Chancellor said it was a “chance to look ahead to a brighter future that seemed so remote for so long”.
She added: “We have campaigned as we mean to go on as a government of unity, not of division, a government of wealth creation and a government in the national interest… That is our promise to Britain… We will not let you down. I will not let you down.”
The result marks an extraordinary comeback for Labour just five years after it suffered its worst result in living memory.
2. Rishi Sunak admitted defeat as a string of top Tories were ousted
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Rishi Sunak held onto his seat – but admitted the Labour Party had won the election.
He said: “The Labour Party has won this General Election and I have called Keir Starmer to congratulate him on his victory.”
The Prime Minister said voters had delivered a “sobering verdict” on his party after 14 years in power.
The Conservatives are on course for their worst result in history with scores of the party’s MPs losing their seats, including Cabinet ministers Penny Mordaunt, Grant Shapps, and Gillian Keegan.
Veterans Minister Johnny Mercer and former Chief Secretary to the Treasury Simon Clarke – who famously predicted the Tories were headed towards an “iceberg” on Rishi Sunak’s watch – both also lost their seats.
And high profile figures including Jonathan Gullis, Michael Fabricant, Jacob Rees-Mogg and Andrea Leadsom also lost their seats.
Chancellor Jeremy Hunt bucked the trend, narrowly winning his seat. And Richard Holden, the party’s chairman, avoided abject humiliation, winning in Basildon by just 20 seats.
3. Reform failed to live up to expectations
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Early predictions of a Reform UK surge, with Nigel Farage’s party picking up 13 seats appeared premature, as they failed to win in a string of predicted seats.
Exit polls had predicted the right-wing party would defy expectations, picking up a staggering 13 seats – despite most opinion polls suggesting they would win fewer than five.
And as of 5am, the party had won just 4 seats – and lost a string that the exit poll had put in their column.
Nigel Farage, Richard Tice, Lee Anderson and Great Yarmouth’s Rupert Lowe are likely to be the only Reform MPs in parliament, putting them on the same total seats as Plaid Cymru.
Reform’s biggest contribution was to push the Tories into third place in a string of constituencies – particularly in the North East of England.
4. Independent candidates caused mayhem
One of the big surprises of the night was the defeat of Labour’s paymaster general Jonathan Ashworth in Leicester South. Mr Ashworth, one of the party’s most prominent media performers, had been expected to play a prominent role in a Labour Government.
But he was defeated by pro-Gaza independent candidate Shockat Adam by fewer than 1,000 votes in Leicester South. Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting narrowly held on in Ilford North by 500 votes after a challenge from another pro-Gaza candidate, Leanne Mohamad.
The most prominent independent candidate – former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn – held onto his seat in Islington North with a majority of more than 7,000 votes.
5. George Galloway lost his seat and didn’t even turn up to the count
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George Galloway has lost his seat to Labour – and didn’t even turn up to hear the result.
The Worker’s Party politician, most famous for impersonating a cat on Celebrity Big Brother, was ousted from his Rochdale seat less than five months after winning a by-election in February. He was not on stage as the result was read out, and sources said he didn’t turn up to the count at all.
Former journalist Paul Waugh won the seat for Labour – winning 13,027 votes – 32.82% of the total, and 1,000 more than Mr Galloway won in February’s by-election. He beat Mr Galloway, who gained 11,587 votes.
6. Suella Braverman sparks (another) blue-on-blue row
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Tory leadership hopeful Suella Braverman came under fire from her own side after a shameless leadership pitch. In her speech after winning the Fareham and Waterlooville seat, the former Home Secretary apologised for Conservatives’ failings. I’m sorry that my party didn’t listen to you. The Conservative Party has let you down.
“You, the great British people, voted for us over 14 years and we did not keep our promises.”
Ms Braverman, a likely leadership contender if Rishi Sunak quits following the election, said: “I will do everything in my power to rebuild trust. We need to listen to you, you have spoken to us very clearly.”
Ex-Tory MP Sir Charles Walker fumed at Ms Braverman’s opportunism. The outgoing MP said: “Absolutely disgraceful speech. On a really difficult night for the Conservative party that was just the bottom.”
7. Defeated Tory’s extraordinary takedown live on BBC
The first senior Tory to lose their seat has said he is “fed up” of his own party in a brutal takedown live on the BBC.
Sir Robert Buckland slammed Conservative colleagues for saying “stupid” and “inflammatory” things and said he was sick of their “personal agendas”. The former Justice Secretary lost to Labour’s Heidi Alexander, who won a majority of 9,606 and wiped out Sir Robert’s majority of more than 6,000 in Swindon South.
Speaking to the BBC after his loss, Sir Robert said: “I’m fed up of personal agendas, and jockeying for position. The truth is now with the Conservatives facing this electoral Armageddon, it will be like a group of bald men arguing over a comb. I came into politics to actually do Government and to responsibly exercise power in order to make change in this country. I did that in office for many years and I’m proud of my legacy.”
In a stark intervention, he said: “I’m fed up of performance art politics. I’ve watched colleagues in the Conservative Party strike poses, write inflammatory op-eds and say stupid things they have no evidence for, instead of concentrating on doing the job they were elected to do. I’ve had enough of it.
8. Tory chairman holds ‘safe’ seat by 20 votes
Tory chairman Richard Holden will be back in Parliament after being parachuted to a ‘safe’ seat – despite whittering away a massive majority and holding it by just 20 seats.
Mr Holden took the Basildon and Billericay seat in Essex by the skin of his teeth. The former North West Durham MP – who previously claimed to be “bloody loyal to the North East” sparked anger when he became the candidate for the seat.
After Mr Holden was unveiled as the candidate in Essex, a candidate who was standing said: “I speak for an awful lot of people who are outraged. There are several cabinet ministers who are fighting marginal seats and know they are going down. Not only has Richard given himself a safe seat, but he’s used a ridiculous process no one has ever heard of before. It’s mind-blowing.”