Britain’s Labour Party won parliamentary elections on Friday, ending 14 years of Conservative-led government that saw the country go through one of the most turbulent periods in its post-World War II political history.
Here are some of the defining moments from the Conservative Party’s four terms in power – under five prime ministers – since 2010:
2010 election results in instability in parliament
The Conservative Party, led by David Cameron, won the most seats in Parliament but did not get an overall majority, ousting the Labour Party, which had been in power since 1997. After Cameron agreed to work with the centrist Liberal Democrats, Britain’s first coalition government since 1945 was formed.
2014 Scottish referendum
In a referendum that threatened to break up the United Kingdom, Scotland voted 55%–45% against independence, giving Cameron and the main national political parties a victory over the Scottish National Party.
The Conservative Party’s surprise victory in 2015
With polls showing the election to be too close, Cameron wins an unexpected majority and a second term as prime minister. He follows through on a 2013 promise to hold a referendum on leaving the EU. Cameron wants Britain to remain in the EU.
2016: Britain votes in favour of Brexit, Cameron resigns
Britons voted 52%-48% to leave the EU, ending more than 40 years of union and plunging the country into its biggest political crisis since World War II. Cameron resigned and the party chose Theresa May as his successor.
The 2017 snap election gamble backfired
Leading in opinion polls and seeking a larger parliamentary majority to pass the Brexit bill, May called a snap election. The Conservative Party lost its majority and formed a government in a compromise with Northern Ireland’s pro-UK Democratic Unionist Party.
May 2019: Brexit deadlock, May resigns, Johnson takes office
May stepped down after failing to break a parliamentary deadlock over how Britain should leave the EU. Boris Johnson, one of the main faces of the pro-Brexit campaign, won the internal Conservative Party contest to succeed her.
December 2019: Johnson leads the Conservative Party to a sweeping victory
Johnson called a snap election after parliament collapsed over Brexit. Campaigning under the slogan “Get Brexit done”, he led the Conservative Party to its biggest election victory since Margaret Thatcher’s landslide victory in 1987.
2020 Brexit is done
Johnson used his mandate to push the Brexit deal through Parliament and Brussels, and Britain left the EU on January 31, 2020, becoming the first country to leave the EU.
July 2022: Johnson removed
Johnson has led Britain through the Covid-19 pandemic – at one point he was hospitalised with the disease himself – but has been beset by a long list of scandals and missteps and was forced to step down after a ministerial revolt.
September 2022: Truss’ chaotic premiere
Liz Truss beat Rishi Sunak to replace Johnson. Her “mini-budget” included financed tax cuts that frightened financial markets, sharply raising borrowing costs and further damaging Britain’s reputation for political and financial stability. She lasted only 44 days in office before announcing her resignation.
October 2022: Sunak will become Prime Minister
Sunak, who took office as Britain’s third prime minister in as many months, has pledged to restore stability to government. He has made five major pledges focused on the economy, curbing illegal immigration and improving the health system. In February 2023, Sunak reached a deal with the EU on trade rules for Northern Ireland, improving relations with the EU.
May 2024 – Sunak announces election
After trailing Labour by around 20 points in polls, Sunak called an election for July 4. Labour, led by Keir Starmer, won the election.
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