Labour gains

Hopes for an India-UK FTA improve

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The British Labour Party's return to power after 14 years following a victory that surpassed expectations is seen as a vote for stability after the chaotic years of Conservative rule, marked by serial scandals, a cost of living crisis, failing public services, and sluggish economic growth in the post-Brexit era. But disaggregated voting patterns in this lowturnout election suggest that despite winning 412 seats, 64 per cent of Parliament's 650 seats, the Labour party's popular victory is a qualified one. The party won 34 per cent of the vote, only 2 percentage points more than its poor showing in the 2019 elections. Though the Conservative party lost 250 seats, it has a 24 per cent vote share; the far-right anti-immigration Reform UK gained four seats but a 14 per cent vote share. The Liberal Democrats, which had once allied with the Conservatives, won 71 seats, 60 more than in 2019, and a 12 per cent vote share. A chunk of Labour's gains came from Scotland, where disarray in the Scottish National Party cost it 38 seats. These numbers may expl