BBC and ITV left embarrassed after making major blunder over Sir Keir Starmer’s meeting with King Charles
BBC and ITV presenters made an embarrassing blunder as described how Sir Keir Starmer was going to meet the monarch today.
The Labour Party won 412 seats in the General Election, easily passing the 326 mark required to form a majority – and crushing the Conservatives‘ abysmal 121 seats.
Following the victory, Sir Keir went to Buckingham Palace to meet King Charles, who requested him to form a new administration.
But two television news presenters made the same slip-up, saying the Labour Party leader was going to “meet the Queen” at the stately building.
Viewers joked on social media that the BBC and ITV reporters must have suffered through a “long night” to make such a mistake.
Former BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg had said: “He makes his way up to Buckingham Palace to see the Queen – the King forgive me.’
An ITV presenter made a similar error, saying Sir Keir and his wife were being “welcomed in to go see the Queen – to see the King, forgive me”.
After a historic election night:
- Keir Starmer has become Britain’s next Prime Minister after Labour got 412 seats amid a brutal Tory wipeout.
- He promised to lead a Labour party grounded in “public service” in his first speech as PM in front of a jubilant crowd at No 10.
- Sir Keir will now appoint his cabinet as he cracks on with his plan for change.
- Rishi Sunak admitted defeat earlier on the steps of Downing Street and apologised to the nation for his party’s failures.
- Tory big beasts including former PM Liz Truss and ex-Defence Secretary Grant Shapps have lost seats after a nightmare night for Conservatives.
- He was followed by Leader of the House Penny Mordaunt, one of eight Cabinet ministers have lost their seats
- Nigel Farage’s Reform party claimed an unprecedented four seats as they grabbed votes from the Tories.
- Tory defector Lee Anderson claimed the first Reform seat, followed by Farage, Richard Tice, and Rupert Lowe.
- Sir Keir’s predecessor Jeremy Corbyn, now standing as an independent, also held onto Islington North
- All eyes are now on our new PM with Piers Morgan telling our Never Mind The Ballots election show that Sir Keir MUST deliver real change after the Tory disaster
It comes as Sir Keir vowed to rebuild Britain “brick by brick” as he addressed the nation for the first time as Prime Minister.
Speaking outside Number 10, the Labour chief invited everyone to join his mission of “national renewal”.
Making an appeal to those who did not vote for his party yesterday, he said: “Whether you voted Labour or not, in fact, especially if you did not, I say to you directly: my government will serve you.”
Sir Keir – commanding a 174-seat majority – acknowledged changing a country is not “like flicking a switch” and that it will “take a while”.
But he went on to say: “I have no doubt that the work of change begins immediately. I have no doubt that we will rebuild Britain with wealth created in every community.”
The new Prime Minister – watched by his doting wife Victoria – also invited the country to join him in his mission.
He said: “With respect and humility, I invite you all to join this government of service in the mission of national renewal.
“Our work is urgent and we begin it today.”
Protocol for incoming PM meeting the monarch
In the UK, we have a constitutional monarchy.
This means that although the King is Head of State, the Prime Minister is the head of Government.
The King himself has no power in government, the Prime Minister makes decisions in the King’s name.
In order for this to take place, one of King Charles‘ responsibilities as Head of State is to appoint the leader of the winning party as Prime Minister.
The day after a General Election the winning candidate will meet King Charles in private.
The King will ask the new Prime Minister to form an administration, to which they usually respond “yes”.
