Prime Minister Boris Johnson was set to return to power with a thumping majority after the Conservative Party wrested a large number of seats from Labour on Friday, winning what he called a “powerful new mandate to get Brexit done” in the third election in five years.
Heading to one of the worst tallies of around 200 in the 650-member House of Commons, a Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn announced that he would not lead the party into the next election, but will stay on for a ‘period of reflection’ before another leader is elected.
The Conservative Party passed the majority mark of 326 with over 40 more seats yet to be declared. It won in several Labour strongholds after its clear message of ‘Get Brexit done’ resonated more with voters than Labour’s promise to hold another referendum.
Home secretary Priti Patel indicated that the Brexit process halted by paralysis in the last House of Commons will now be fast-tracked so that the United Kingdom leaves the European Union on the revised date of January 31.
Blame-game began in Labour soon after an exit poll indicated a big win for the Conservatives on Thursday night. Corbyn insisted the party’s policies were popular with the electorate and attacked the media’s portrayal of him and his party.
“I will not lead the party in any future general election campaign. I will discuss with our party to ensure there is a process now of reflection on this result and on the policies that the party will take going forward. And I will lead the party during that period to ensure that discussion takes place and we move on into the future,” he said.
Several party leaders blamed the defeat squarely on Corbyn and the hard-left turn under his leadership since 2015. Labour was last in power in 2010 at the height of New Labour under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.
Former Prime Minister Theresa May, who retained her seat in maidenhead, said was “very pleased at the majority” Johnson secured. She led a minority government after David Cameron stepped down in the wake of the 2016 referendum, but resigned due to Brexit-related politics within the party earlier this year.
She said: “At this election people were faced with a very clear choice on whether they wanted to ensure Brexit was delivered and knew if a Conservative majority government got in they would deliver Brexit. This election was about ensuring we could get over this deadlock in Parliament, get Brexit done and move on.”
