People in Merseyside hug and cheer as exit poll predicts huge Labour landslide

People in Merseyside reacted with elation as the general election exit poll predicted Labour will take power.

As voting closed on July 4, the exit poll predicted a historic Labour landslide, with Sir Keir Starmer's party forecast to win 410 seats, to the Conservative Party's 131. It suggests that 14 years of Tory rule will come to an end in a humiliating result for Rishi Sunak.

That would mean a Labour prime minister in No 10 for the first time in 2010 and the Conservatives facing a possible civil war as the fight for the future direction of the party and the battle to potentially replace Mr Sunak gets under way.

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At the count at Bidston Tennis Centre, Wirral, Labour members hugged and cheered as the exit poll was released. Labour are predicted to win all of Wirral's seats - as well as taking Southport in what would be its first clean sweep of Merseyside.

Wirral's Labour Council leader Paul Stuart told the ECHO: "It just demonstrates that the country is crying out for change and they've now voted in that change. The sooner that change comes now, the better."

As polls closed, Sir Keir said: "To everyone who has campaigned for Labour in this election, to everyone who voted for us and put their trust in our changed Labour Party - thank you."

Labour’s national campaign chief Pat McFadden said: “Keir Starmer’s transformation of the Labour Party has been remarkable.

“He has put country before party and has transformed Labour from a party focused on itself to one back in the service of the British public. We have campaigned as a changed Labour Party, ready to change Britain.”

But despite the exit poll indicating a landslide win, he added: “It’s going to be a long night, and it will be several hours until we know the full picture of results.

“Labour will need a swing bigger than Tony Blair achieved in 1997 to achieve a majority of just one seat.”

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