THE REAL MACKAY: Change on all fronts after 2024 General Election

The people have spoken. And how! Oucha.

After 14 years of miserable Tory austerity it was simply time for change.

And just as the pollsters predicted Labour have returned to power with a whopping landslide victory.

They now command the lion’s share in the House of Commons, returning 412 MPs, with the Conservatives now down to a lowly 121, from their previous Boris Johnson success of 365 seats, albeit a number which has been steadily seeping away since 2019.

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It seems the former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had a plan but, as we saw, no umbrella!

They will be licking their wounds in Conservative party headquarters and doubtless dodging a few bullets.

Former prime mister Liz Truss and some of the cabinet big beasts were among the casualities, including Defence Secretary Grant Shapps, Leader of the Commons Penny Mordaunt and the toffee-nosed Etonian Jacon Rees-Mogg.

Others had jumped ship and stood down before facing humiliation at the ballot box.

It was a terrible night for the SNP. Having won 56 seats out of 59 in 2015 they have been reduced to just nine seats at Westminster, losing half a million votes along the way. Simply shocking.

It was an overall poor turnout across the UK with just 60 per cent of a 48.2 million electorate bothering to vote.

Apathy, distrust in politicians and a disbelief that things will be any different doubtless played their part.

Sir Keir Starmer, the new incumbent at No. 10, has promised a return to public service saying he will put “Country first, party second”.

The result is not all it seems. Arguably not a ringing endorsement of Labour but more contempt for long-standing Tory infighting and ineptitude and, in Scotland, a backlash against SNP rot.

After all his campaign shenanigans Sir Ed Davey’s Lib Dems achieved a remarkable result, returning 79 MPs.

It seems Sir Ed, who “rather enjoyed” electioneering, is having the last laugh.

With his personal accounts and lived experience of being a family carer many will have identified with his party’s mandate to prioritise health and social care challenges. Truly an exceptional night for them.

And full credit and congratulations to our own newly elected (and returning) MP Jamie Stone. Anyone who can command a 10,000-majority vote in their constituency deserves respect.

And the Greens excelled themselves by doubling their expectations and returning not two, but four MPs.

Whilst down in sunny seaside Clacton Nigel Farage’s Reform party pulled off a gobsmacking result by returning five MPs – it only took Farage eight attempts to make it to the Commons. He now plans to build a “mass national movement”.

Already eyeing up 2029 he has told the Labour Pary “I am coming for you next”!

Not forgetting Alex Salmond’s Alba party who lost their deposit in every constituency…cringeworthy or what?

With proportional representation rather than the first-past-the-post arrangement at Westminster the results would have been different.

The Greens and Reform especially have been significantly disadvantaged. Labour significantly advantaged.

With Holyrood elections in 2026 the SNP has much to do to regain credibility.

Like the Tories, who also took a beating in Scotland, it’s back to the drawing board.

For Labour the focus is now very much on change. Let’s hope they can do it. For all our sakes.

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