Estonia's leaders congratulate Keir Starmer on UK election victory
Prime Minister Kaja Kallas (Reform) and other political leaders in Estonia have congratulated leader of the United Kingdom's Labour Party over Thursday's election landslide victory which will see him installed as the next prime minister of that country.
Outgoing Prime Minister Kallas noted on her social media account her congratulations on a "historic election victory. Estonia and the U.K. are the strongest of allies and the closest of friends. The U.K.'s commitment to our common security is valued by every Estonian. I'm sure our excellent cooperation will only continue to thrive."
Congratulations on your historic election victory, @Keir_Starmer.
— Kaja Kallas (@kajakallas) July 5, 2024
Estonia and the UK are the strongest of allies and the closest of friends. The UK's commitment to our common security is valued by every Estonian.
I'm sure our excellent cooperation will only continue to thrive. pic.twitter.com/odKsZVylw5
Minister of Defense Hanno Pevkur (Reform) similarly issued his congratulations, both to Starmer and to John Healey, who up to now had been Labour's shadow defense secretary, and who retained his seat at Thursday's election. Both visited Estonia late last year.
"Let's continue to strengthen the Estonia-U.K. partnership, especially knowing how important good relations with the allies are for both of you," he added in his post.
Congratulations @Keir_Starmer and @JohnHealey_MP for a great result. Lets continue to strengthen the - partnership, especially knowing how important good relations with the allies are for both of you. pic.twitter.com/vgTOqTJYyc
— Hanno Pevkur (@HPevkur) July 5, 2024
Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Jonatan Vseviov said that he was "certain the Estonia-U.K. relationship will remain strong."
@Keir_Starmer and Labour appear to have won a landslide victory.
— Ambassador Jonatan Vseviov (@vseviov) July 4, 2024
Was proud to host him in back in March 2022.
I'm certain the relationship will remain strong. pic.twitter.com/WLVK6jf1DA
Starmer, 61, a former director of public prosecutions, is set to be appointed prime minister later on on Friday after his party swept hundreds of seats across the country, ending 14 years of Conservative rule and making a huge reversal on the 2019 result, in which the party suffered one of its worst electoral defeats ever.
The result, though not yet quite finalized, was as expected by pundits and revealed by polls leading up to election day, called just six weeks ago by outgoing prime minister Rishi Sunak. The total tally of 412 or so seats at the 659 House of Commons may fall slightly short of the famous 1997 landslide under Tony Blair but is still a massive majority; unlike in Estonia, coalitions in the U.K. are very much the exception and in practice either Labour or the Conservatives have been in office for nearly the entire period following the end of World War Two.
The Conservatives have slumped to just 121 seats, while the centrists Liberal Democrats took 71. Reform UK, a successor to the Brexit Party is set to take four seats at the time of writing, as are the Greens.
The Scottish National Party (SNP) also had a bad night and has fallen to just nine Westminster seats after the result, having been beset by a succession of financial scandals.
Rishi Sunak conceded defeat on Friday morning and wished Sir Keir's new government well.
One formality will be undertaken within the next 24 hours, namely Sunak offering his resignation to King Charles III, and the King formally inviting Starmer to form the next government.
Other noteworthy developments included former prime minister Liz Truss and incumbent defense secretary Grant Shapps, both of the Conservatives, both losing their seats.
The U.K. is a key ally of Estonia's and a British Army brigade is forming up a part of the Estonian Defense Forces' 1st Division.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte
