Starmer is facing a daunting to-do list.
Britain's tax burden is set to hit its highest since just after World War II, net debt is almost equivalent to annual economic output and living standards have fallen.
Public services are creaking, especially the much cherished National Health Service which has been dogged by strikes.
Starmer has already had to scale back some of Labour's more ambitious plans such as its flagship green spending pledges, while promising not to raise taxes for "working people".
He has also promised a return of political integrity, after a chaotic period of five Tory prime ministers, including three in four months, scandal and sleaze.
Much of the heavy damage to the Conservative support was inflicted by the right-wing populist Reform UK party, headed by Brexit campaigner Nigel Farage, who had campaigned strongly on curbing immigration.
"There is a massive gap on the centre-right of British politics and my job is to fill it, and that's exactly what I'm going to do," a triumphant Farage said after finally being elected to parliament at his eighth attempt.
"Believe me, folks, this is just the first step of something that is going to stun all of you."
POPULIST ALTERNATIVE
The rise in support for a populist alternative echoed recent similar results in Europe, where the far right has been surging.
But, unlike France where Marine Le Pen's far-right National Rally party made historic gains in an election last Sunday, overall the British public has plumped for a centre-left party to bring about change.
Starmer has promised to improve relations with the European Union to resolve issues created by Brexit, just as far-right politicians are enjoying success. However, despite opposing Brexit, rejoining the European Union is not on the table.
He may also have to work with Donald Trump in the United States if he wins November's presidential election, but he has vowed to continue London's unequivocal support for Ukraine.
Sunak stunned Westminster and many in his own party by calling the election earlier than he needed to in May with the Conservatives trailing Labour by some 20 points in opinion polls, and his campaign then proved a disaster.
"We deserved to lose. The Conservative Party just appears exhausted and out of ideas," Ed Costello, the chairman of the Grassroots Conservatives organisation, which represents rank-and-file members, told Reuters.
"But it is not all Rishi Sunak’s fault. It is Boris Johnson and Liz Truss that have led the party to disaster. Rishi Sunak is just the fall guy."
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2024-07-05 08:15:00Z
CBMiZGh0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmNoYW5uZWxuZXdzYXNpYS5jb20vd29ybGQvdWstZWxlY3Rpb24tbGFib3VyLXBhcnR5LXdpbnMta2Vpci1zdGFybWVyLXJpc2hpLXN1bmFrLTQ0NTg5OTbSAQA
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