Readers on Labour victory: ‘Watch out, Starmer - Farage is coming for you’

Sir Keir Starmer will become the next prime minister in a landslide victory after officially having secured more than the 326 seats required to command a majority in the House of Commons.

The Labour leader told party activists: “We did it. You campaigned for it, you fought for it, you voted for it and now it has arrived: Change begins now. And it feels good, I have to be honest.”

Telegraph readers have, in turn, been weighing in. From a resurgence of hope for change to demands for electoral reform, here’s what you have had to say on the election results.

‘Keir Starmer hasn’t won anything, it’s Rishi Sunak who has lost’

Although dreading the prospect of a Labour government, most readers welcome the Tory wipeout, thinking it necessary to bring about change.

As reader John Downes writes: “I hate the Labour Party with every atom of my being, but I’m happy tonight. The fake Tories have been annihilated, and a rebuilding of British politics can now start.”

Barry Guevara shares a similar sentiment: “It might feel like a massive step back for those on the centre-Right today, but it’s actually a step forward, because many of the Tory imposters are being dealt with. This was a necessary step. For the first time in a long time, there now genuinely seems a path forward.

“Over the next few weeks, I feel that alliances will be made between Nigel Farage and the surviving, genuine Conservatives. It won’t be long after that until Labour implodes and the fickle electorate change allegiances. It’s now all about 2029.”

Many highlight how it wasn’t so much a Labour win as a Tory loss. One anonymous reader, for example, asserts: “Keir Starmer hasn’t won anything, it is Rishi Sunak who has lost. The voting system dictates this and the popular vote underlines that the majority don’t want Starmer.”

Similarly, Mick Ferrie argued that a Labour victory would not be “a consequence of Sir Keir’s charm or his manifesto. Everyone simply despises the Tories – and they brought that on themselves.”

Stewart Richards also weighed in: “Labour are trying to say they have won this election on a switch by voters to the Labour Party. Their vote share is down from the last two elections under Jeremy Corbyn so it’s not a switch to them, it’s a fall for Labour and the Tories to Reform.

“When Labour, as they always do, destroy businesses, enterprise, lives and create high unemployment and bankrupt us through high taxation. The opposition in a position to capitalise is Reform.”

Despite winning a majority, other readers, including Jonathan S., also pointed out the reality of Labour’s performance, having won a lower share of the vote than Jeremy Corbyn: “Rachel Reeves saying Keir Starmer has changed the Labour party so people have voted for them - the problem with that is Labour got fewer votes than they did in 2019.”

Likewise, reader Stephen Jones calls into question how Labour received “fewer votes than under Corbyn, but suddenly a massive majority”, which prompted him to criticise our electoral system: “Surely this is a ridiculous system that can give results like this,” he said.

‘Archaic voting system not fit for purpose’

Many Telegraph readers echoed this sentiment, making their case for a voting system that is more representative.

Peter Zelenyj criticises the UK’s first-past-the-post system asserting that it “gives us a government that about a quarter of the population voted for”.

He adds: “No wonder most of the population detests the Government no matter which party forms it. A more representative electoral system would offer something for everyone.”

Reader Steve F. also calls for proportional representation, arguing, “we’d be free to vote how we want”.

He continues: “Under our two-party first-past-the-post there’s widespread disillusion with the system and ultimately our representation.”

Another anonymous reader hopes that “finally” it is recognised that “the archaic system in this country is not fit for purpose”.

The Telegraph reader goes on to argue: “It is simply not fair nor even democratic to hand such a huge majority to a party with only 40 per cent of the popular vote. That is not a majority of people. And then ‘just’ 13 seats (actually a triumph within the first-past-the-post system for a new party) to a party with 20 per cent. The same argument the other way around for the Lib Dems to win 60 seats with a lower percentage than Reform.”

They, too, call for electoral reform: “It must be reformed to a proportional representation based system. That reflects 2024 in a country with 65 million people and more than two to three political parties.”

‘Looks like Reform have done what they aimed to do’

Readers expressed their delight at Reform’s success in decimating the Conservative vote and how it signals a hopeful future for the young party - and for the future of conservatism.

Evlyn Macfarlane commented: “Looks like Reform have done what they aimed to do and built the bridgehead. Proportional representation next. Well done Nigel Farage et al.”

Readers were delighted to see Nigel Farage win Clacton. Russelle Gardiner views the accomplishment as “the start of the restoration of truly Right-of-centre values and eventually a proper Tory party”.

“Richard Tice wins, Lee Anderson wins, Farage wins. The good people have voted and sent the signal. The battle is on.”

Jonathan Switch looks forward to watching the Reform leader in the House of Commons. “He is going to cut through the establishment narrative and enclosed group think and ask some hard questions with full media exposure giving him greater reach to the general public!

“His election as MP might be a real game changer in politics.”

Similarly, reader C. Lawrence comments: “Oh this is going to be fun in Parliament! Watch out Keir Starmer, he’s coming for you – fireworks ahead. Now let’s get Labour out at the next general election and put Reform in.”

Others share how Reform’s rise under Mr Farage signals success for the party’s future. Reader Bob George said: “A brilliant achievement for a new political party. In a year’s time Reform will be polling 30 per cent and Farage will be odds on to be our next PM. The failed establishment consensus won’t hold next time around.”

‘You are a divided party and divided parties don’t win’

Where there are winners, there are losers. Readers’ disenchantment with the Conservative Party is undeniable. Many believe their decimation is wholly deserved.

Reader Malcolm Edward shared his view on where it all went wrong: “The Conservative party has been infiltrated and taken over by non-conservatives who are in the majority and will prevent any return to conservatism in their party.”

Liz Mayee also agrees their deathblow was their shift to the Left: “The story of the night is that the Tories have tacked Left and committed suicide.”

Meanwhile, Jeff Moggs holds the division within the party responsible: “You are a divided party and divided parties don’t win.”

And reader Lou Bath didn’t hold back: “A majority of over 80 and they did absolutely nothing with it. They did not even do the most basic thing to help hard working lower middle class people by increasing the frozen inheritance tax threshold once in their entire 14 years in power - and dragged ordinary home owners into the inheritance tax snare that was never designed for them. Good riddance to the lot of them.”

Some, such as Cori Celesti, directed their anger at Rishi Sunak specifically: “If you wanted to stop the Labour supermajority, Mr Sunak, you should have charted a very different course when you had the chance.

“Ultimately, this comes back to your exceedingly poor decision-making, foolish advisers and morally bankrupt ‘One Nation Tory’ MPs. It’s not us, it’s you.”

Others considered the future of the Tory party. For Chris Standing, they’re finished: “The Tories probably gone forever now, they won’t be coming back like they used to because they don’t understand what they need to do to regain power.”

Susan Kennedy thinks “the Tory brand is now toxic” and suggests the “best thing to do is start from scratch. The first job being to sweep away the Lib Dems who have infiltrated the party. Until that happens, you won’t be getting my vote again.”

Whereas Malcom Edward has other ideas: ”The rebuilding job has to take place between Reform and the few actual conservative MPs, leaving the CINOs (Conservatives in name only) to face oblivion.”