Pakistan on Friday congratulated British Prime Minister-elect Keir Starmer after his party’s victory in the British general election, seeking to develop ties between the two countries.
Starmer’s centre-left Labor won a majority in the 650-seat assembly. Conservative Rishi Sunak suffered the worst result in the party’s long history as voters were punished by the housing crisis, failing public services and several scandals.
Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar Kh.
He said that Pakistan and the UK have a deep and broad relationship based on shared history and people-to-people relations.
“I believe that under his leadership, our relationship will be further strengthened and we can work together for global peace, prosperity and development,” he said.
The results of the election upended British politics. Labor won more than 410 seats, an increase of more than 210, while the Conservatives, the most successful party in the western world, lost almost 250 members of parliament, including senior minister and former prime minister Liz Truss.
The White House conceded defeat and will meet with King Charles to formally abdicate before Starmer is appointed.
“Power will now change hands in a peaceful and orderly manner with courtesy on all sides,” Sunak said. “There’s a lot to learn and a lot to think about, and I’m responsible for losing a hard-working Conservative candidate … I’m sorry.”
In his victory speech, Starmer said: “We did it. Change begins now […] We said we would end the chaos, we said we would turn the page, and here we are. Today we begin the next chapter, begin the work of transformation, national renewal mission and start rebuilding our country.
The election victory is a dramatic turnaround for Starmer and Labour, which critics and supporters say have been facing a crisis for the past three years after a thrashing 2019 that seems to have lost its way.
