Britain's Labour Party headed for a landslide victory Friday in a parliamentary election, an exit poll suggested, as voters punished the governing Conservatives after 14 years of economic and political upheaval.
The poll released moments after voting closed indicated that center-left Labour's leader Keir Starmer will be the country's next prime minister. He will face a jaded electorate impatient for change against a gloomy backdrop of economic malaise, mounting distrust in institutions and a fraying social fabric.
As thousands of electoral staff tallied millions of ballot papers at counting centers across the country, the Conservatives absorbed the shock of a historic defeat that would leave the depleted party in disarray and likely spark a contest to replace Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as leader.
"Nothing has gone well in the last 14 years," said London voter James Erskine, who was optimistic for change in the hours before polls closed. "I just see this as the potential for a seismic shift, and that's what I'm hoping for."
While the suggested result appears to buck recent rightward electoral shifts in Europe, including in France and Italy, many of those same populist undercurrents flow in Britain. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has roiled the race with his party's anti-immigrant "take our country back" sentiment and undercut support for the Conservatives, who already faced dismal prospects.
Labour is on course to win about 410 seats in the 650-seat House of Commons and the Conservatives 131, according to the exit poll. That would be the fewest seats for the Tories in their nearly two-century history and would leave the party in disarray.
In a sign of the volatile public mood and anger at the system, some smaller parties appeared to have done well, including the centrist Liberal Democrats and Reform UK. A key unknown was whether Farage's hard-right party could convert its success in grabbing attention into more than a handful of seats in Parliament.
Former Conservative leader William Hague said the poll indicated "a catastrophic result in historic terms for the Conservative Party."
Still, Labour politicians, inured to years of disappointment, were cautious.
"The exit poll is encouraging, but obviously we don't have any of the results yet," deputy leader Angela Rayner told Sky News.
The poll is conducted by pollster Ipsos and asks people at scores of polling stations to fill out a replica ballot showing how they have voted. It usually provides a reliable though not exact projection of the outcome.
Britons vote on paper ballots, marking their choice in pencil, that are then counted by hand. Final results are expected by Friday morning.
Britain's Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty leave a polling station after voting near Richmond, North Yorkshire, England, Thursday, July 4, 2024. (Scott Heppell / AP Photo)
Britain has experienced a run of turbulent years鈥攕ome of it of the Conservatives' own making and some of it not鈥攖hat has left many voters pessimistic about their country's future. The U.K.'s exit from the European Union, followed by the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, battered the economy, while lockdown-breaching parties held by then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his staff caused widespread anger.
Johnson's successor, Liz Truss, rocked the economy further with a package of drastic tax cuts and lasted just 49 days in office. Rising poverty and cuts to state services have led to gripes about "Broken Britain."
Hundreds of communities were locked in tight contests in which traditional party loyalties come second to more immediate concerns about the economy, crumbling infrastructure and the National Health Service.
In Henley-on-Thames, about 40 miles (65 kilometres) west of London, voters like Patricia Mulcahy, who is retired, sensed the nation was looking for something different. The community, which normally votes Conservative, may change its stripes this time.
"The younger generation are far more interested in change," Mulcahy said. "So, I think whatever happens in Henley, in the country, there will be a big shift. But whoever gets in, they've got a heck of a job ahead of them. It's not going to be easy."
Anand Menon, professor of European Politics and Foreign Affairs at King's College London, said British voters were about to see a marked change in political atmosphere from the tumultuous "politics as pantomime" of the last few years.
"I think we're going to have to get used again to relatively stable government, with ministers staying in power for quite a long time, and with government being able to think beyond the very short term to medium-term objectives," he said.
In the first hour polls were open, Sunak made the short journey from his home to vote at Kirby Sigston Village Hall in northern England. He arrived with his wife, Akshata Murty, and walked hand-in-hand into the village hall, which is surrounded by rolling fields.
Labour leader Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria arrive to cast their votes in the 2024 General Election at Willingham Close TRA Hall in London, Thursday July 4, 2024. (James Manning / PA via AP)
Hours later, Starmer walked with his wife, Victoria, into a polling place in north London to cast his vote.
Labour has not set pulses racing with its pledges to get the sluggish economy growing, invest in infrastructure and make Britain a "clean energy superpower."
But nothing really went wrong in its campaign, either. The party has won the support of large chunks of the business community and endorsements from traditionally conservative newspapers, including the Rupert Murdoch-owned Sun tabloid, which praised Starmer for "dragging his party back to the center ground of British politics."
The Conservatives, meanwhile, have been plagued by gaffes. The campaign got off to an inauspicious start when rain drenched Sunak as he made the announcement outside 10 Downing St. Then, Sunak went home early from commemorations in France marking the 80th anniversary of the D-Day invasion.
Several Conservatives close to Sunak are being investigated over suspicions they used inside information to place bets on the date of the election before it was announced.
Sunak has struggled to shake off the taint of political chaos and mismanagement that's gathered around the Conservatives.
But for many voters, the lack of trust applies not just to the governing party, but to politicians in general.
"I don't know who's for me as a working person," said Michelle Bird, a port worker in Southampton on England's south coast who was undecided about whether to vote Labour or Conservative in the days before the elections. "I don't know whether it's the devil you know or the devil you don't."
The Roman Catholic Church has been ordered to pay settlements totalling $104 million to 292 survivors of historical abuse in Newfoundland and Labrador, including those at the now infamous Mount Cashel orphanage in St. John's.
An eight-year-old boy from Los Angeles had his vacation to Montreal include a dramatic moment when a creature swimming underwater bit him causing a bloody scene at Jean Dore beach.
Deep inside Earth is a solid metal ball that rotates independently of our spinning planet, like a top whirling around inside a bigger top, shrouded in mystery.
Amid the ongoing fallout from U.S. President Joe Biden鈥檚 debate performance, talk in many top Democratic circles has already moved to who Kamala Harris鈥 running mate would be.
An Ottawa woman, who has survived cancer and has overcome addiction, has won $70 million with Lotto Max.
Liberal MP Anthony Housefather says he is 'looking forward to making a real difference' as the government's new special adviser on Jewish community relations and antisemitism.
History is at stake for both Venezuela and Canada when they meet on Friday in Arlington, Texas, in the second Copa America quarter-final.
Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo started for a fifth straight match at the European Championship in the quarterfinals against France, for which Randal Kolo Muani and Eduardo Camavinga were promoted from the bench.
John Tzannis says he is lucky he wasn鈥檛 more seriously injured after a 14-year-old driver rear-ended him on Highway 401 in Mississauga, sending his work van spinning into a concrete barrier early Friday morning.
Opposition parties in Newfoundland and Labrador say they鈥檙e growing frustrated at the decision by health officials to move freezers of unclaimed human remains into an underground hospital parking garage.
The Roman Catholic Church has been ordered to pay settlements totalling $104 million to 292 survivors of historical abuse in Newfoundland and Labrador, including those at the now infamous Mount Cashel orphanage in St. John's.
An eight-year-old boy from Los Angeles had his vacation to Montreal include a dramatic moment when a creature swimming underwater bit him causing a bloody scene at Jean Dore beach.
Adam finds out how a giant tortoise walking along a sidewalk is inspiring a woman visiting from Australia.
An Ottawa woman, who has survived cancer and has overcome addiction, has won $70 million with Lotto Max.
After 10-plus years as a loyal WestJet traveller, Jennifer Hewitt says she is swearing off the Canadian airline after a series of unforeseen flight cancellations left her and her husband still stranded in Jamaica.
Iranians voted on Friday for a run-off presidential election that will test the clerical rulers' popularity amid voter apathy at a time of regional tensions and a standoff with the West over Tehran's nuclear program.
For the first time ever, Tesla cars have been placed on a Chinese government purchase list, according a to state-owned media outlet.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he would lead a 'government of service' on a mission of national renewal in his first official remarks Friday after his Labour Party swept to power in a landslide victory after more than a decade in opposition.
Donald Trump asked a federal judge Friday to freeze the classified documents case against him in light of a U.S. Supreme Court ruling this week that said former presidents have broad immunity from prosecution.
Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban visited Moscow on Friday for a rare meeting by a European leader with Russian President Vladimir Putin and discussed peace proposals for Ukraine, which triggered condemnation from Kyiv and some European leaders and officials.
Air travel got more miserable last year, if the number of consumer complaints filed with the U.S. government is any measure.
Former foreign affairs minister Marc Garneau says Canada has lost its standing in the world under the tenure of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, whom he criticizes as an ill-prepared leader who prioritizes politics and makes big pronouncements without any follow-through.
Liberal MP Anthony Housefather says he is 'looking forward to making a real difference' as the government's new special adviser on Jewish community relations and antisemitism.
The Government of Saskatchewan has filed an injunction in light of the federal government sending the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) after the province鈥檚 bank account, Premier Scott Moe said on Thursday.
Plague, one of the deadliest bacterial infections in human history, caused an estimated 50 million deaths in Europe during the Middle Ages when it was known as the Black Death.
On two separate occasions and without prompting, Tracy Polewczuk says she was informed that she would be eligible for medical assistance in dying (MAID) even though she didn't ask for it.
A brand of instant noodles sold in B.C., Alberta and Ontario has been recalled due to undeclared peanut in the ingredients 鈥 posing a potential allergy risk to consumers.
Discovering your phone was lost or stolen can be a stressful experience. Here are steps to help recover your device and protect your data.
Deep inside Earth is a solid metal ball that rotates independently of our spinning planet, like a top whirling around inside a bigger top, shrouded in mystery.
Bulgarian archeologists stumbled upon unexpected treasure this week during a dig in an ancient Roman sewer - a well-preserved, marble statue depicting the Greek god Hermes.
Film critic Richard Crouse made a list to help make movie night enjoyable for all members of the family, no matter what age.
Kendrick Lamar turned the visual of his Drake diss track into a family affair. The song is part of what has become a very public feud between Lamar and Drake.
The British power couple got hitched in 1999, fusing the worlds of fashion and football forever. While their marriage has endured 25 years later, the pair have come to regret some of the minor details of their big day.
An Ontario judge has authorized a sale process which could see The Body Shop Canada land new owners.
In the first few weeks of summer, the real estate sector is experiencing an upturn marked by more housing inventory, a Canadian realtor says
Several North American department stores are joining forces under a deal that will see Hudson's Bay Co. buy Neiman Marcus and spin it out into a larger business along with some of its other prestige retailers.
A Toronto woman who had been searching for her biological parents since she was a child finally has the answers she longed for at the age of 77.
Whether it鈥檚 from dangerous currents, seemingly placid lakes or swimming pools, the drowning statistics from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are shocking.
Billionaire heir Anant Ambani is set to marry his longtime girlfriend Radhika Merchant later this month, in a lavish ceremony widely described as the country's wedding of the year.
History is at stake for both Venezuela and Canada when they meet on Friday in Arlington, Texas, in the second Copa America quarter-final.
Substitute Mikel Merino headed Spain into the semifinals of the European Championship as they snatched a 2-1 win over Germany in extra time on Friday.
Jessica Campbell is making history in the National Hockey League (NHL) by recently being hired as the first female full-time coach for the Seattle Krakens.
For the first time ever, Tesla cars have been placed on a Chinese government purchase list, according a to state-owned media outlet.
CDK Global said 'substantially all' of the nearly 15,000 car dealerships that use its software across North America are back online to its core management system, almost two weeks since a cyber incident caused a software blackout.
Transport Canada recalled various vehicles over the last week, including Kia, Toyota, Volkswagen and Porsche cars.
Adam finds out how a giant tortoise walking along a sidewalk is inspiring a woman visiting from Australia.
A wrestling fan from Guelph, Ont. thought he was down for the count after winning tickets to a 鈥渙nce-in-a-lifetime鈥 WWE event in Toronto.
Lacey may look like just another pet chicken on Emily Carrington鈥檚 B.C. property. But she has a title her coop mates don鈥檛: Guinness World Record holder.
Philip Kim, who competes as "B-Boy Phil Wizard," is set to make Canadian sports history this summer as the country's first-ever Olympic breaking athlete.
A new documentary filmed in Nova Scotia by marine biologist and veterinarian Dr. Chris Harvey Clark explores the increased number of white shark observations in Canadian waters.
A never-before-lived-in mansion in Whistler is on the market for $17.9 million 鈥 with the listing describing it as a 'steal for the international buyer' due to the current exchange rate, which puts the price in U.S. dollars at $13.1 million.
Irish singer Niall Horan had to ditch his car and walk to Scotiabank Arena where his concert was being held last weekend because the traffic was 'too bad' downtown.
A rave at the Ontario Science Centre was the place where Greg LeBlanc says his relationship first began with his husband Mark in 1997.
Travellers flying with WestJet continue to watch as the airline cancels more flights due to a sudden strike by its mechanics union.
Homicide investigators have released a video showing a man who police say is a person of interest in the murder of an 18-year-old in Maple Ridge, B.C.
As a heat wave brings sweltering temperatures to many parts of British Columbia, employers are being reminded of their duty to protect workers from potentially hazardous conditions.
A heat wave is settling over parts of British Columbia with Environment Canada warning of very high temperatures stretching into next week.
John Tzannis says he is lucky he wasn鈥檛 more seriously injured after a 14-year-old driver rear-ended him on Highway 401 in Mississauga, sending his work van spinning into a concrete barrier early Friday morning.
Peel police have made five arrests in connection with a series of 鈥渧iolent extortion incidents鈥 that led to the formation of a dedicated task force this winter.
An Ontario judge has authorized a sale process which could see The Body Shop Canada land new owners.
Calgary police are investigating a fatal collision involving a CTrain and a pedestrian in northeast Calgary on Friday morning.
Paladin security workers at the Calgary International Airport are rallying against their employer after they say the company refused to provide them with mandated bathroom breaks and access to water.
Music, laughter and hearty "yahoos" echoed through Calgary鈥檚 downtown core Friday, as hundreds of thousands of people enjoyed the 112th Calgary Stampede parade.
An Ottawa woman, who has survived cancer and has overcome addiction, has won $70 million with Lotto Max.
Residents in the Carlington neighbourhood are sounding the alarm over a continued spike in crime and drug use that they are blaming on nearby supportive housing residences operated by Shepherds of Good Hope.
The Public Service Alliance of Canada (PSAC) says the charges against its national executive vice president have been dropped.
A police operation is currently underway at the pro-Palestinian encampment at Square Victoria in downtown Montreal.
An eight-year-old boy from Los Angeles had his vacation to Montreal include a dramatic moment when a creature swimming underwater bit him causing a bloody scene at Jean Dore beach.
The Quebec government and the Association des polici猫res et policiers provinciaux du Qu茅bec (APPQ) have announced a new agreement in principle to renew the employment contract of police officers with the S没ret茅 du Qu茅bec (SQ).
A St. Albert man was arrested for allegedly approaching two minors and asking for them for sex.
A convict who escaped an Edmonton correctional service more than a month ago has been caught.
Some Albertans will be waiting longer for elective knee, hip and shoulder surgeries after changes to the University of Alberta's residency program.
A suspected shark sighting caused a popular Nova Scotia beach to close temporarily Thursday.
The price of gas increased overnight in all three Maritime provinces.
In the first few weeks of summer, the real estate sector is experiencing an upturn marked by more housing inventory, a Canadian realtor says
One person was taken to hospital in critical condition after a serious collision on Friday.
There are growing calls in and around Portage la Prairie, Man to include an MRI machine at the city鈥檚 new health-care facility.
Rail cars carrying hazardous material derailed and burst into flames Friday in a remote area of North Dakota, but officials said no one was hurt and the threat to those living nearby appeared to be minimal.
It has been 20 years since the disappearance of Tamra Keepness but the community continues to keep hope alive.
Jessica Campbell is making history in the National Hockey League (NHL) by recently being hired as the first female full-time coach for the Seattle Krakens.
Those in Regina can expect traffic closures over the next several weeks as the City of Regina makes progress on two major construction projects.
A Kitchener man is charged with second-degree murder for a fatal stabbing at a Toronto subway station.
All LCBO stores are closed on Friday as thousands of workers hit the picket lines after their union and employer failed to reach an agreement.
A wrestling fan from Guelph, Ont. thought he was down for the count after winning tickets to a 鈥渙nce-in-a-lifetime鈥 WWE event in Toronto.
Greg Fertuck will spend life behind bars with no chance of parole until he is 90 years old, a judge ruled on Thursday at Saskatoon's Court of King's Bench.
Saskatoon police say the man accused of causing a crash that killed one woman and injured three others last month, did not have a valid driver鈥檚 license.
A Saskatoon man is recovering in hospital after falling three storeys off the roof of a downtown building on Canada Day.
Ontario Provincial Police are investigating after a pile of dead lobster was found on the shoulder of Highway 17 this week in northern Ontario.
An eight-year-old boy from Los Angeles had his vacation to Montreal include a dramatic moment when a creature swimming underwater bit him causing a bloody scene at Jean Dore beach.
Greg Fertuck will spend life behind bars with no chance of parole until he is 90 years old, a judge ruled on Thursday at Saskatoon's Court of King's Bench.
One person has died and another is injured after police in Woodstock, Ont. responded to multiple calls of "gunshots in the area." Around 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, police responded to Champlain Avenue between Athlone Avenue and Frontenac Crescent.
London Police Services is using the assistance of a drone to help investigate a collision involving a cyclist this afternoon.
A Woodstock car dealership has been fined $125,000 after a worker died on the job two years ago.
A 40-year-old man involved in a collision in Newmarket last month has died.
A Simcoe County organization that provides care and support for adults living with physical and intellectual disabilities is closing two of its locations, citing a lack of provincial funding.
Four men from Barrie will have to pay thousands in fines and hang up their reels after being caught illegally fishing in Bowmanville.
LaSalle鈥檚 Kylie Masse has been named one of four team captains for Swimming Canada鈥檚 2024 Paris Olympic Games team.
AM800 News is reporting Melanie Coulter has been let go, as voted on by the board.
Three beaches in the Windsor-Essex region are under a warning due to levels of E.coli in the water.
Homicide investigators have released a video showing a man who police say is a person of interest in the murder of an 18-year-old in Maple Ridge, B.C.
The union representing workers at B.C.'s Harrison Hot Springs Resort & Spa says members are on strike, and they are "fed up" with low wages and high workloads.
Adam finds out how a giant tortoise walking along a sidewalk is inspiring a woman visiting from Australia.
Mounties are urging the public to be vigilant following a suspected gang shooting in B.C.'s southern Interior that left a 40-year-old man injured this week.
British Columbia residents are being told to brace for a coming heat wave that could send temperatures into the high 30s and beyond, with the government reminding people to check in on their neighbours.
A swath of B.C.鈥檚 southern Interior is being told to brace for potential severe thunderstorms Tuesday.
Nearly 2,000 athletes will compete in 20 events over four days during the 2024 Southern Alberta Sumer Games. After months of planning, organizers are thrilled to welcome families from all over southern Alberta to Coaldale, Alta.
One of two men accused of conspiring to kill Mounties at the border blockade at Coutts, Alta., characterized the protest as a last stand and told his mother there 鈥渨ill be a war鈥 if police moved in.
With the recent moisture and cooler temperatures, fire bans and restrictions in the Lethbridge area are no longer in effect.
A 78-year-old from Elliot Lake, Ont., has been charged following an incident July 2 second at a local hardware store.
One person has been killed in a single-vehicle crash on Highway 17 near the northwestern Ontario community of Rossport.
A yearly vigil for those impacted by AIDS is taking place in Sault Ste. Marie, Ont., this weekend.
The Roman Catholic Church has been ordered to pay settlements totalling $104 million to 292 survivors of historical abuse in Newfoundland and Labrador, including those at the now infamous Mount Cashel orphanage in St. John's.
Opposition parties in Newfoundland and Labrador say they鈥檙e growing frustrated at the decision by health officials to move freezers of unclaimed human remains into an underground hospital parking garage.
Newfoundland and Labrador's Liberal premier is once again opposing a decision made by the federal Liberals 鈥 this time about the reopening of the province's commercial northern cod fishery.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop.聽Read about us.
