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Jumat, 05 Juli 2024

PM Wong congratulates Keir Starmer, Labour Party on UK general election victory - CNA

"Our steadfast partnership is built on a mutual commitment to economic progress, and a shared respect for international norms and a rules-based multilateral order," said Mr Wong to Mr Starmer.

In his letter, Mr Wong also talked about the launch of the Singapore-UK "strategic partnership" in September 2023, calling it a "key milestone" in bilateral relations.

As part of the partnership, Singapore is seeking to strengthen cooperation in areas like artificial intelligence (AI), digital technology, renewable energy and sustainability.

"These initiatives will create new opportunities for our businesses and peoples," said Mr Wong.

"We can work together to advance our countries’ shared interests and address common challenges."

"I look forward to working with Mr Starmer and his team to strengthen our strategic partnership," Mr Wong also wrote on Facebook.

He added that Singapore values the UK’s continued engagement of the region, including as a dialogue partner of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and as fellow members of the Five Power Defence Arrangements.

The UK was accorded the status of ASEAN dialogue partner in August 2021.

Mr Wong wished Mr Starmer good health and success, adding that he looked forward to meeting him soon.

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2024-07-05 13:02:00Z
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'Change begins now': Keir Starmer officially appointed UK PM after Labour's landslide election win - CNA

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 12:25:42Z
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Palau's diplomatic ties with Taiwan to be tested in election year as tourism falters - CNA

WHAT DO LOCALS WANT?

While Mr Polycarp said he does not think Palau should switch ties to Beijing just for tourism income, he hopes his country would establish closer economic ties with China.

“I support both China and Taiwan… I hope in the future both can work their differences out, and the US (as well),” he added.

“(China) is a huge market and I think Palau can tap into it. But having these differences really limit us from moving forward (in) developing our country.”

His sentiment is shared by other business owners, including 29-year-old Iked, another local who also runs a diving centre.

“From a tourism perspective, we’re open to the Chinese market, but we’re also open to the Taiwan market,” he said.

“Palau has strong ties with Taiwan, and that’s a good thing. But I don’t think we should discriminate on what kind of tourism we bring into Palau, because Palau is a very international country.”

“WEAPONISING” TOURISM

China considers countries that still maintain official relations with Taiwan as interfering in its internal affairs.

Beijing has dangled promises of economic and development aid in efforts to entice Taiwan's remaining diplomatic allies to switch sides.

Palau President Surangel Whipps Jr has accused China of economic coercion and “weaponising” tourism to force his country to cut ties with Taiwan.

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2024-07-05 09:08:49Z
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'Change begins now': Keir Starmer to be new UK PM after Labour's landslide election win - CNA

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.

"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.

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.

"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
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Kamis, 04 Juli 2024

Keir Starmer's Labour sweeps to UK election win as PM Sunak concedes defeat - The Straits Times

Britain's Labour Party leader Keir Starmer delivers a speech during a victory rally at the Tate Modern in London early on July 5, 2024. PHOTO: AFP

Labour Party members celebrate as the counting of votes continues, during the UK election in Glasgow, Scotland, on July 5. PHOTO: REUTERS

Britain's PM and Conservative Party leader Rishi Sunak waits for the declaration of results for Richmond and Northallerton in Northallerton, north of England, early on July 5, 2024. PHOTO: AFP

Mr Keir Starmer hugs his wife Victoria as he attends a reception to celebrate his win, at Tate Modern, London, on July 5. PHOTO: REUTERS

Labour Party leader Keir Starmer reacts as the counting of votes continues on July 5, 2024. PHOTO: REUTERS

People reacting to the first exit polls predicting election results at a watch party in London on July 4. PHOTO: NYTIMES

LONDON - Sir Keir Starmer will become Britain’s new prime minister, as his centre-left opposition Labour Party swept to a landslide general election victory on July 5, ending 14 years of right-wing Conservative rule.

At a triumphant party rally in central London, Mr Starmer, 61, told cheering activists that “change begins here” and promised a “decade of national renewal”, putting “country first, party second”.

But he cautioned that change would not come overnight, even as Labour snatched a swathe of Tory seats around the country, including from at least eight Cabinet members.

“The Labour Party has won this general election, and I have called Sir Keir Starmer to congratulate him on his victory,” a sombre-looking Rishi Sunak said after he was re-elected to his seat.

“Today, power will change hands in a peaceful and orderly manner with goodwill on all sides,” the Tory leader added, calling the results “sobering” and saying he took responsibility for the defeat.

Defence Secretary Grant Shapps was the highest-profile scalp of the night so far, with other big names, including senior minister Penny Mordaunt and leading Brexiteer Jacob Rees-Mogg also defeated.

Finance minister Jeremy Hunt hung on to remain an MP, but only by 891 votes.

‘Keir we go’

Labour raced past the 326 seats needed to secure an overall majority in the 650-seat Parliament, with the final result expected later on July 5 morning.

An exit poll for UK broadcasters published after polls closed at 10pm on July 4 put Labour on course for a return to power for the first time since 2010, with 410 seats and a 170-seat majority.

The Tories would only get 131 seats in the House of Commons – a record low – with the right-wing vote apparently spliced by Mr Nigel Farage’s anti-immigration Reform UK party, which could bag 13 seats.

In another boost for the centrists, the smaller opposition Liberal Democrats would get 61 seats, ousting the Scottish National Party on 10 as the third-biggest party.

The projected overall result bucks a rightward trend among Britain’s closest Western allies, with the far right in France eyeing power and Donald Trump looking set for a return in the United States.

British newspapers all focused on Labour’s impending return to power for the first time since Gordon Brown was ousted by David Cameron in 2010.

“Keir We Go,” headlined the Labour-supporting Daily Mirror. “Britain sees red,” said The Sun, the influential Rupert Murdoch tabloid, which swung behind Labour for the first time since 2005.

Tory future

Mr Sunak will tender his resignation to head of state King Charles III, with the monarch then asking Mr Starmer, as the leader of the largest party in Parliament, to form a government.

The Tories worst previous election result is 156 seats in 1906. Former leader William Hague told Times Radio the projections would be “a catastrophic result in historic terms”.

But politics professor Tim Bale at Queen Mary, University of London, said it was “not as catastrophic as some were predicting” and the Tories would now need to decide how best to fight back.

Right-wing former interior minister Suella Braverman and Ms Mordaunt, who was leader of the House of Commons, both said the Tories failed because they had not listened to the British people.

But Brexit champion Farage, who finally succeeded in becoming an MP at the eighth time of asking, has made no secret of his aim to take over the party.

“There is a massive gap on the centre-right of British politics and my job is to fill it,” he said after a comfortable win in Clacton, eastern England.

To-do list

Labour’s resurgence is a stunning turnaround from five years ago, when hard-left former leader Jeremy Corbyn took the party to its worst defeat since 1935 in an election dominated by Brexit.

Mr Starmer took over in early 2020 and set about moving the party back to the centre, making it a more electable proposition and purging infighting and anti-Semitism that lost it support.

Opinion polls have put Labour consistently 20 points ahead of the Tories for almost the past two years, giving an air of inevitability about a Labour win – the first since Tony Blair in 2005.

Mr Starmer is facing a daunting to-do list, with economic growth anaemic, public services overstretched and underfunded due to swingeing cuts, and households squeezed financially.

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.

Former premier Liz Truss, in power for 49 chaotic days in 2022, sensationally lost her seat on July 5.

Ms Truss – a member of Parliament since 2010 who sparked financial turmoil during her short tenure as British leader – lost her Norfolk South West constituency in eastern England to Labour by 630 votes. AFP

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2024-07-05 04:05:00Z
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UK's Farage claims establishment 'revolt' - CNA

Millions of their voters appeared to have already switched their support to Reform, leaving the Tories - in power since 2010 - facing their worst result in nearly two centuries, the exit polls said.

Reform's surge comes as hard-right parties or politicians increase their appeal across Europe and in the United States.

Seen as one of Britain's most effective communicators and campaigners, Farage - a privately educated son of a stockbroker - is a long-time ally of US President Donald Trump.

"This is the beginning of a big movement," David Bull, Reform's deputy leader told Sky News, as the UK awaited the official tallies late on Thursday.

"This is a political revolt. It's also a five-year plan. If we can go from nothing four years ago to winning 13 seats, imagine what we can do in five years' time."

"BIG MOVEMENT"

Farage, 60, is a one-time Conservative who quit the party in the early 1990s to co-found the eurosceptic UK Independence Party (UKIP).

He pulled off an unprecedented win in the 2014 European Parliament elections, serving as an MEP for the fringe party for around two decades and helping to make euroscepticism more mainstream.

But UKIP never managed to win more than one seat in a general election. Farage himself failed to become an MP on seven separate occasions.

But his national prominence continued to grow after he became a driving force behind the 2016 Brexit vote, before forging a career as a presenter on the brash right-wing TV channel GB News.

Entering the 2024 general election after initially ruling himself out, Farage said he was bidding to emulate efforts in Canada in the 1990s by right-wing fringes to take over its Conservative Party.

His candidacy dramatically re-energised Reform UK, while spooking the Tories as polls immediately registered an uptick in support for the hard-right anti-immigrant outfit.

Conservatives and centrists now fear Farage could have the perfect platform in parliament to further legitimise his staunchly anti-establishment populist messaging.

"If this exit poll is right, this feels like Nigel Farage's dream scenario - he'll be rubbing his hands with glee," said Chris Hopkins, political research director at pollster Savanta.

"He's got enough MPs to make a racket in Westminster, and the party he shares the closest political space with could be reduced to a long period of soul-searching."

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2024-07-05 01:54:00Z
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Britons start voting in election expected to propel Labour to power - The Straits Times

Britain's 40,000 polling stations opened at 6am GMT (2pm Singapore time). PHOTO: REUTERS

LONDON - Britons began voting on July 4 in a parliamentary election that is expected to bring Mr Keir Starmer’s Labour Party to power, sweeping away Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives after 14 often-turbulent years.

Opinion polls put Mr Starmer’s centre-left party on course for a landslide victory but also suggest many voters simply want change after a period of infighting and turmoil under the Conservatives that led to five prime ministers in eight years.

This means Mr Starmer, a 61-year-old former human rights lawyer, could take office with one of the biggest to-do lists in British history but without a groundswell of support or the financial resources to tackle it.

“Today, Britain can begin a new chapter,” Mr Starmer told voters in a statement on July 4. “We cannot afford five more years under the Conservatives. But change will only happen if you vote Labour.”

The country’s 40,000 polling stations opened at 6am GMT (2pm Singapore time).

Mr Sunak, 44, was among those to vote early. He was pictured leaving a polling station in his Richmond constituency in northern England, holding hands with his wife Ms Akshata Murty.

Having called the election months earlier than expected, Mr Sunak has in recent weeks abandoned his call for a fifth consecutive Conservative victory, switching instead to warning of the dangers of an unchallenged Labour Party in Parliament.

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife, Ms Akshata Murty, outside a polling station in Northallerton, Britain, on July 4. PHOTO: REUTERS

Mr Sunak issued a fresh rallying cry to voters for election day, saying a Labour government would hike taxes, hamper economic recovery and leave Britain more vulnerable at a time of geopolitical tension, charges Labour deny.

“They will do lasting damage to our country and our economy – just like they did the last time they were in power,” Mr Sunak said on July 4. “Don’t let that happen.”

Polls are due to close at 10pm when an exit poll will give the first sign of the outcome. Detailed official results are expected in the early hours of July 5.

Punishing government

If the opinion polls are correct, Britain will follow other European countries in punishing their governments after a cost of living crisis that stemmed from the Covid-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Unlike France, it looks set to move to the centre left and not further right.

Labour has held a poll lead of between 15 and 20 points since shortly after Mr Sunak was chosen by his lawmakers in October 2022 to replace Ms Liz Truss who resigned after 44 days, having sparked a bond market meltdown and a collapse in sterling.

Modelling by pollsters predicts Labour is on course for one of the biggest election victories in British history, with a likely majority in Parliament that would exceed those achieved by Mr Tony Blair or Mrs Margaret Thatcher, although a high number of voters are undecided and turnout could be low.

Such an outcome would have been unthinkable at Britain’s last election in 2019 when Mr Boris Johnson won a large victory for the Conservatives, with politicians predicting that the party would be in power for at least 10 years as Labour was finished.

Mr Starmer, the former chief prosecutor of England and Wales, took over Labour from veteran socialist Jeremy Corbyn after it suffered its worst defeat in 84 years in 2019, and dragged it back to the centre.

Britain’s Labour leader Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria outside a polling station in London on July 4. PHOTO: REUTERS

At the same time, the Conservatives in Westminster have imploded, ripped apart by scandal under Mr Johnson and the rancour that followed the vote to leave the European Union, and a failure to deliver on the demands of its broad 2019 voter base.

While Mr Johnson destroyed the party’s reputation for integrity, Ms Truss eroded its long-held economic credibility, leaving Mr Sunak to steady the ship. During his time, inflation returned to target from its 41-year high of 11.1 per cent and he resolved some Brexit tensions, but the polls have not budged.

Mr Sunak’s election campaign has been hit by a string of gaffes. He announced the vote in driving rain, his early departure from a D-Day event in France angered veterans, and allegations of election gambling among aides reignited talk of scandal.

The unexpected arrival of Mr Nigel Farage to lead the right-wing Reform UK has also eaten into the Conservatives’ vote, while the centrist Liberal Democrats are predicted to fare well in the party’s affluent heartlands in southern England.

The unexpected arrival of Mr Nigel Farage to lead the right-wing Reform UK has also eaten into the Conservatives’ vote. PHOTO: REUTERS

Promise of change

Mr Starmer could also benefit from a Labour recovery in Scotland after the Scottish National Party embarked on its own self-destructive path following a funding scandal.

But Mr Starmer may find his fortunes more sorely tested in Downing Street.

His campaign was built around a one-word promise of “Change”, tapping into anger at the state of stretched public services and falling living standards. But he will have few levers to pull, with the tax burden set to hit its highest since 1949 and net debt almost equivalent to annual economic output.

Mr Starmer has consistently warned that he will not be able to fix anything quickly, and his party has courted international investors to help address the challenges.

Mr Sunak has argued that his 20 months in charge have set the economy on an upward path and Labour should not be allowed to put that in jeopardy.

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2024-07-04 09:46:40Z
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