UK General Election Vote Counting: Exit Polls Predict Labour Party's Overwhelming Victory

On July 4th, the voting day for the UK House of Commons election took place, and the results began to emerge early on the 5th in Hong Kong time. Exit polls indicate that the Labour Party secured 410 out of 650 seats, reminiscent of Tony Blair's landslide victory in 1997. On the other hand, the Conservative Party only managed to secure 131 seats, marking its worst performance since its establishment in 1834.

Simultaneously, the Liberal Democrats are projected to win 62 seats, one of their best results in history. The Scottish National Party (SNP) obtained only 10 seats, experiencing a significant drop of 80% in their seats, thereby diminishing their prospects for independence. Of concern is that if the exit polls are accurate, the far-right populist and anti-immigration party, Reform UK, is set to gain 13 seats. There are even voices within the Conservative Party speculating that this politically charged extremist party might gain significant influence within the Conservative Party.

Following the anticipated resignation of current Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, party leader Keir Starmer is expected to be granted authority by the British monarch to form a government and become the new Prime Minister, officially ending the Conservative Party's 14-year rule.