Keir Starmer poised to be next PM of UK: what this means for India
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London: British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservative Party is in for a crushing defeat in the national polls as it is being reduced to dispiriting 104 seats as of now.
On the other hand, The Labour Party, led by Keir Starmer, has bagged 397 seats closing in on to form a majority government in the 650 member parliament.
Sunak’s defeat does not come as a surprise to his party members as the exit polls already predicted a landslide for the Labour Party after 14 years of Conservative Party rule.
With the Labour Party is poised to form government, political observers are debating whether there will be a sweeping change in UK’s international policy and bilateral ties with countries including India.
In the first month of his premiership, Keir Starmer is likely to set out key diplomatic meetings with US President Joe Biden and European leaders.
Out of power since 2010, Labour, nonetheless, has hammered out a foreign policy of what it calls ‘progressive realism’ to address the volatile world of today.
David Lammy, who is expected to become foreign secretary, described the international situation ‘as it is not as we would want it to be.’
Labour will face the question of its pledge to ‘make Brexit work’, alongside its ‘ambitious’ plan for a security pact with the European Union.
NDTV reported that India will be top on Starmer’s foreign policy, strengthening ties on various fronts.
Starmer is for a new strategic partnership with India understanding the historical missteps that the Labour Party pursued regarding issues like Kashmir, according to the report.
It is reported that he is committed to a free trade agreement (FTA) alongside enhancing relations with the worlds’ fastest growing economy in areas including bilateral cooperation in technology, security, education, and climate change.
As part of efforts to befriending Indian diaspora in the country, Starmer denounced Hinduphobia during his campaign and celebrated festivals like Diwali and Holi.
However, it is yet to know if Starmer’s foreign policy goals regarding immigration could pose challenge to Indians seeking visas to work in the country.