In the United Kingdom, 50 million Britons are called to the polls on Thursday, July 4, to elect their new Parliament. After 14 years in power, the Conservatives could suffer a historic defeat and give way to the Labour Party, the big favorites in the polls. But who is Keir Starmer, the leader of the Labour Party who could thus become the next Prime Minister?
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By Friday 5 July, Keir Starmer will certainly have to start packing his bags. The latest polls confirm that this former lawyer should move into 10 Downing Street. He is ready to become Prime Minister of United Kingdom and he said it in front of the SkyNews cameras, reports our special correspondent in London, Julien Chavanne : ” I will wait until 10pm on Thursday night, but we have prepared this party to govern. If we have the privilege of serving our country, I am ready to set out to meet the needs of the people who are in deep need of change.. »
Too centrist for some, or simply pragmatic for others, this 61-year-old lawyer took the reins of Labour at the start of 2020, in the midst of an electoral rout. And he led a campaign unremarkable. A former human rights lawyer, he has previously defended several death row inmates in the Caribbean as well as environmentalists accused of defamation by McDonald’s.
A style that contrasts with that of its predecessor
Keir Starmerthe son of a toolmaker and a nurse mother, is known for being a competent worker with a severe style, without much charisma, presented as a candidate too smooth. The one who could settle down at 10 Downing Street is a Europhile and wants to rebuild the health system, as well as relaunch growth while protecting precarious workers and developing the production of renewable energies by 2030.
The Labour candidate sought to move away from the far-left policies of his predecessor Jeremy Corbyn. A choice denounced by his opponents. As an example, Keir Starmer refused to cancel the cap on child benefits from the second child. He also went back on the initial promise of 28 billion pounds per year to achieve the objectives of fighting climate change.
For centrists and moderate voters, he is therefore not a bogeyman. Even the financial markets are calling for a vote for him, as is the very influential tabloid The Sunyet historically conservative.
Rishi Sunak could lose his seat as MP, unprecedented move for an outgoing PM
In front, Rishi Sunak still finds it hard to believe. According to the Guardianthe outgoing Prime Minister confided to his close friends that he feared losing his seat as an MP: this would be unprecedented. Nor is the catastrophic score announced for the Conservatives on Thursday, according to the polls, unprecedented.
Desperate, the Tories even pulled Boris Johnson out of the closet on Tuesday evening to come and support Rishi Sunak. This is despite the fact that the two men hate each other and the former Prime Minister has a disastrous image after numerous scandals. Whatever our differences, they are nothing compared to the disaster we are about to face. “, said former Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
Rishi Sunak had planned a final rally on Wednesday evening, July 3, certainly the last in his role as head of government. The Conservatives, in power for 14 years, are therefore preparing to give way to Labour.
United Kingdom: End of campaign before the legislative elections and a probable victory for Labour
In public opinion, the die seems to have been cast
With the vote and the results just hours away, Liam is a young dad on parental leave and has been voting left since he was old enough to vote. He hopes to wake up to a Labour Prime Minister on Friday, he told our correspondent in London, Emeline Vin : ” I believe in fairness. After 14 years in power, the Conservatives have divided the country and ruined the public finances. It is time for a Labour government to start rebuilding. I have hope and enthusiasm ».
Not everyone who ticks the Labour box this Thursday is a committed campaigner. Lucy will be voting wisely, even if this teacher leans more towards the Greens and does not subscribe to the rather bland personality of the Labour boss: ” I don’t think Keir Starmer is a great leader, but he’s the least bad. It’s mostly a vote for the party, and what it stands for: and for everyone in this country to prosper, not just the richest. “.
His colleague Anthony simply hopes that the polls, which are ultra-favourable to Labour, will not encourage abstention: ” In recent years, we have seen what happened with Hillary Clinton, with Brexit. Nothing is done until it is done. I will stay up late to follow the results. “.
The first estimates will be available on Thursday at 9 p.m. UTC.
“After 14 years in power, the Tories have divided the country and ruined the public finances. It is time for a Labour government to start rebuilding.”
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