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Donald Trump has won the US presidential election, having taken to the stage in Florida to declare victory in an address to the nation.
The Republican said he had won an “unprecedented and powerful mandate”, after sweeping through the swing states of North Carolina, Georgia, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin.
As I write, the 78-year-old is nine votes over the 270 electoral college vote threshold and is on course to become the first Republican to win the popular vote since George W. Bush in 2004.
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Trump’s victory, it won’t surprise you to learn, has received a mixed reaction among British politicians.
Keir Starmer, the prime minister, was one of the first world leaders to congratulate the president-elect. “I look forward to working with you in the years ahead. As the closest of allies, we stand shoulder to shoulder in defence of our shared values of freedom, democracy and enterprise”, Starmer said.
Foreign secretary David Lammy, who has made critical comments about Trump in the past, also offered his congratulations, saying the UK “has no greater friend than the US, with the special relationship being cherished on both sides of the Atlantic for more than 80 years.”
Ed Davey, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, struck a different tone. He insisted Trump’s victory marks a “dark, dark day for people around the globe.”
Interestingly, Sadiq Khan’s reaction was closer in substance to Davey’s than that of the prime minister. “The lesson of today is that progress is not inevitable”, the mayor of London said.
“But asserting our progressive values is more important than ever – re-committing to building a world where racism and hatred is rejected, the fundamental rights of women and girls are upheld, and where we continue to tackle the crisis of climate change head on.”
Emily Thornberry, the former Labour frontbencher, was asked this morning if she still believed Trump was a “racist sexual predator”. The foreign affairs select committee chair responded: “Well, he is. But he is the president of the United States, and we need to work with him.”
In the Conservative corner, Lord Frost, the former Brexit negotiator, labelled Trump’s victory “very welcome”.
Liz Truss, the ex-PM, said Trump’s election is “great news for the USA and the West.”
Rather more measuredly, Kemi Badenoch posted to X/Twitter: “The world faces many serious challenges and I look forward to our two countries working together to confront them.”
And today: some thoughts on Badenoch’s first PMQs as Conservative Party leader. Read those below.
Lunchtime briefing
Iain Duncan Smith reveals he gave shadow cabinet pep talk about life in opposition
Lunchtime soundbite
‘This was I believe the greatest political movement of all time’
— Donald Trump addresses his supporters at a rally this morning.
Now try this…
‘Is Labour ready for Trump 2.0?’
The New Statesman’s George Eaton writes that the UK-US relationship faces one of its gravest tests. (Paywall)
‘How Trump’s “new star” Elon Musk stands to benefit from his presidency’
The Guardian reports.
‘Result hands Trump free rein’
BBC News’ Anthony Zurcher reports.
On this day in 2023:
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