Rishi Sunak has conceded defeat in the general election – putting Sir Keir Starmer on course to enter Downing Street as the country’s first Labour prime minister in 14 years, SkyNews is reporting.

The Prime Minister, who won his Richmond & Northallerton seat, admitted it had been a “difficult” night for the party.

He said: “On this difficult night, I’d like to express my gratitude to the people of the Richmond & northallerton constituency for your continued support. Since I moved here a decade ago. You have made me and my family feel so at home, and I look forward to continuing to serve as your Member of Parliament.

It is an enormous privilege.\n\nI’m grateful to my agent and constituency team, and I congratulate my opponents here on the energetic and very good natured campaigns that they have run.

The Labour Party has won this general election. And I have called Sir Kleir Starmer to congratulate him on his victory.Today power will change hands in a peaceful and orderly manner with goodwill on all sides.

I will now head down to London where I will say more about tonight’s results. Before I leave the job as prime minister, to which I have given my all. I will then return here to my family’s home, and I look forward to spending more time with you all. In the weeks, months and years ahead.

Mr Sunak became the youngest prime minister of the modern era when he took over the Conservative Party in 2022. In 2014, he was selected as the Conservative Party candidate in the Yorkshire seat of Richmond – previously held by former Tory leader William Hague
– before the following year’s general election.After Liz Truss’s resignation sparked a Tory leadership race, he was appointed as leader of the party and prime minister in October 2022, the first Hindu and British Asian to reach the position in UK history.