UK General Election 2024: Labour Landslide Ends 14 Years of Conservative Rule

On the morning of 5 July 2024, Keir Starmer walked through the door of 10 Downing Street as Britain's new Prime Minister, ending 14 years of Conservative rule. Labour had won a landslide victory, securing 412 seats and a 174-seat majority, while the Conservatives suffered their worst defeat in over a century, falling to just 121 seats. It was a stunning reversal of fortune, driven by voter anger over the cost of living, crumbling public services, and a sense that Britain had been badly governed for too long. Here is how the 2024 general election unfolded, what the results mean, and what comes next.

The Campaign

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called the election on 22 May 2024, catching many by surprise. The Conservatives had been trailing Labour by 15–20 points in the polls for over a year, and most observers expected Sunak to wait until autumn 2024 or even early 2025, hoping the economy would improve.

But Sunak gambled on an early election, arguing that inflation had fallen (from 11.1% in October 2022 to 2.3% in May 2024) and that the economy was recovering. He framed the election as a choice between Conservative "stability" and Labour "chaos."

The campaign was dominated by three issues:

1. The cost of living

Despite falling inflation, many voters felt poorer. Real wages had stagnated, energy bills remained high, and mortgage rates had soared after Liz Truss's disastrous mini-Budget in September 2022. Labour promised to "make work pay" by raising the minimum wage, banning zero-hours contracts, and investing in green jobs.

2. The NHS

NHS waiting lists had reached a record 7.6 million in early 2024, and voters blamed the Conservatives for underfunding and mismanagement. Labour promised to cut waiting times by hiring 8,500 more GPs and 10,000 more nurses, funded by closing tax loopholes.

3. Immigration

Net migration had reached a record 745,000 in 2022, far above the Conservatives' 2019 manifesto pledge to reduce it. Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage, made immigration its central issue, arguing that the Conservatives had "betrayed" voters. The Conservatives promised to cut migration by tightening visa rules, but many right-wing voters had lost faith.

Labour largely avoided the immigration debate, focusing instead on the economy and public services.

The Results

The election was held on 4 July 2024, and the results were declared overnight. Labour won a landslide, but the details revealed a more complex picture.

The headline numbers

Total seats: 650 | Turnout: 59.9%

Labour's landslide

Labour won 412 seats, the party's best result since Tony Blair's 1997 landslide (418 seats). The party gained seats across England and Wales, winning back traditional "Red Wall" seats lost in 2019 (such as Blyth Valley, Redcar, and Wrexham) and making gains in affluent southern constituencies that had never voted Labour before (such as Henley, Wokingham, and Chichester).

But Labour's vote share was only 33.7%, lower than Jeremy Corbyn's 40% in 2017. Labour won because the Conservative vote collapsed and was split between the Conservatives, Reform UK, and the Liberal Democrats. First-past-the-post rewarded Labour's efficient vote distribution, giving them a 174-seat majority on a third of the vote.

Conservative collapse

The Conservatives won just 121 seats, their worst result since 1906. The party lost seats across the country, including formerly safe constituencies like Cheltenham, Guildford, and Wimbledon (to the Lib Dems) and Basildon, Thurrock, and Great Yarmouth (to Labour).

Several high-profile Conservatives lost their seats, including:

• Penny Mordaunt (Leader of the House of Commons) — lost Portsmouth North to Labour
• Grant Shapps (Defence Secretary) — lost Welwyn Hatfield to Labour
• Jacob Rees-Mogg — lost North East Somerset to Labour
• Liz Truss (former Prime Minister) — lost South West Norfolk to Labour by 630 votes

Rishi Sunak held his seat in Richmond, North Yorkshire, but resigned as Conservative leader on 5 July. The party's vote share fell to 23.7%, down from 43.6% in 2019.

Liberal Democrat surge

The Liberal Democrats won 72 seats, their best result in a century. The party targeted Conservative-held seats in southern England and the Home Counties, winning constituencies like Cheltenham, Guildford, Wimbledon, and Esher and Walton (formerly held by Dominic Raab).

The Lib Dems' vote share rose only slightly (to 12.2%), but their vote was highly concentrated in winnable seats, making them the third-largest party in Parliament.

Reform UK breakthrough

Reform UK, the successor to the Brexit Party, won 5 seats on 14.3% of the vote. The party's vote was spread thinly across the country, meaning it won far fewer seats than its vote share suggested. But Reform's success came at the Conservatives' expense, splitting the right-wing vote and handing seats to Labour.

Nigel Farage won Clacton, becoming an MP for the first time after seven failed attempts. Reform also won Boston and Skegness, Great Yarmouth, Ashfield, and Barnsley East.

SNP collapse

The Scottish National Party (SNP) fell from 48 seats to just 9, losing seats across Scotland to Labour, the Conservatives, and the Lib Dems. The SNP's vote share fell to 30% in Scotland (down from 45% in 2019), as voters punished the party for scandals, internal divisions, and a perceived lack of progress on independence.

Labour won 37 seats in Scotland, regaining dominance north of the border for the first time since 2010.

Turnout

Turnout was 59.9%, the second-lowest since 1918 (after 2001's 59.4%). The low turnout reflected voter apathy and disillusionment with both main parties. Many voters felt Labour had won by default, rather than because of enthusiasm for Keir Starmer's vision.

Why the Conservatives Lost

The Conservative defeat was driven by multiple factors:

1. 14 years in power — Voters blamed the Conservatives for the state of the economy, the NHS, and public services after 14 years in government.
2. Five Prime Ministers in eight years — The party had cycled through David Cameron, Theresa May, Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, and Rishi Sunak, creating an impression of chaos and instability.
3. The cost of living crisis — Real wages had stagnated, and many voters felt poorer despite falling inflation.
4. NHS waiting lists — Record waiting times and staff shortages made the NHS a top issue, and voters trusted Labour more to fix it.
5. Partygate and scandals — Boris Johnson's lockdown parties, Liz Truss's mini-Budget, and a series of smaller scandals had eroded trust in the Conservatives.
6. The Reform UK split — Reform's 14.3% vote share came almost entirely from former Conservative voters, costing the Conservatives dozens of seats.

Keir Starmer's Victory

Keir Starmer became Prime Minister on 5 July 2024, promising to "rebuild Britain" after years of economic stagnation and political chaos. In his first speech as PM, he said:

"The work of change begins immediately. We will restore trust in politics, grow the economy, cut NHS waiting times, and make Britain a country that works for working people again."

Starmer's Cabinet included Rachel Reeves as Chancellor (the first woman to hold the role), David Lammy as Foreign Secretary, and Yvette Cooper as Home Secretary. The new government promised to focus on five "missions": economic growth, NHS recovery, clean energy, education, and crime reduction.

What Comes Next

Labour's landslide gives Starmer a strong mandate, but the challenges are immense:

• The economy — Growth is sluggish, public debt is high, and taxes are at a 70-year high. Labour has promised not to raise income tax, National Insurance, or VAT, limiting its options.
• The NHS — Waiting lists are at record levels, and the NHS needs billions in extra funding. Labour has promised to cut waiting times, but it is unclear where the money will come from.
• Immigration — Net migration remains high, and voters expect Labour to reduce it. But Labour has ruled out leaving the European Convention on Human Rights, limiting its options.
• Scotland — The SNP's collapse has weakened the independence movement, but the issue is not going away. Labour must decide whether to offer Scotland more devolution or hold firm.

The Conservatives, meanwhile, face an existential crisis. The party must decide whether to move to the right (to win back Reform voters) or to the centre (to win back Lib Dem voters). The leadership contest will shape the party's future.

The Bottom Line

Labour won 412 seats in the July 2024 general election, securing a 174-seat majority and ending 14 years of Conservative rule. The Conservatives fell to 121 seats, their worst result since 1906, on 23.7% of the vote. The Liberal Democrats won 72 seats, their best performance in a century, while Reform UK won 5 seats on 14.3% of the vote. The SNP collapsed in Scotland, falling from 48 seats to 9, as Labour regained dominance. Turnout was 59.9%, the second-lowest since 1918, reflecting voter apathy. Keir Starmer became Prime Minister, promising to rebuild Britain after years of economic stagnation and political chaos. The Conservatives lost because of 14 years in power, five Prime Ministers in eight years, the cost of living crisis, NHS waiting lists, and the Reform UK split. Labour won with only 33.7% of the vote, benefiting from first-past-the-post and the collapse of the Conservative vote. The challenges ahead are immense, and Labour's honeymoon period may be short.