3 UK leaders quit in 52 minutes that shook Britain

Image
Press Trust of India London
Last Updated : May 08 2015 | 8:02 PM IST
Britain has been left reeling as three top party leaders, including Nick Clegg and Nigel Farage resigned barely hours after their parties were routed in today's general election.
First to quit was Nigel Farage, leader of the UK Independence Party who resigned after he failed to win the coastal Kent constituency of South Thanet from the Conservatives.
Farage finished in second place behind Tory candidate Craig MacKinlay in what had been Ukip's key target seat.
"I have just resigned as leader of Ukip. I have kept my promise. I have honoured what I said. I shall write to the NEC (National Executive Committee)," Farage said.
Then it was Nick Clegg who resigned as Liberal Democrat leader after his party was routed at the general election.
The outgoing deputy prime minister though retained his Sheffield, Hallam seart, warned that the politics of "fear and grievance" had won while liberalism had lost.
Last was, Ed Miliband, the prime ministerial candidate from the Labour party. He stepped down as Labour leader saying he is truly sorry for the scale of the party's crushing defeat.
He told activists he had to shoulder all the blame for Labour's shocking performance in the polls.
He retained his Doncaster North seat, Miliband said his party had been overwhelmed by a "surge of nationalism".
It's an hour which will go down in history as Britain's landscape changes forever, as what Nick Clegg called 'the politics of Us vs Them'.
And the hour ended with what the nation expected least of all - a Tory majority with 327 seats, just crossing the half way mark in the 650-member parliament.
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

More From This Section

First Published: May 08 2015 | 8:02 PM IST

Next Story