Glum Rishi Sunak takes the blame in final hours as PM

Prime Minister holds his Yorkshire constituency but admits his time is up as UK leader

Rishi Sunak speaks after holding on to his Richmond and Northallerton seat as the Conservatives suffered a resounding defeat nationally. Getty Images

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Heavy-hearted, Rishi Sunak walked into Northallerton Leisure Centre at 4.30am on Friday as he accepted his tenure as prime minister was over.

As the sun rose outside, Mr Sunak apologised to his colleagues and admitted it had been a “difficult night” when the British people had “delivered this sobering verdict”.

Keeping his Richmond and Northallerton seat with 23,059 votes was small consolation as the Conservative Party across the country suffered a crushing defeat after 14 years of rule.

Despite the knowledge that they about to witness a Tory mauling nationwide, spirits in the counting hall in Yorkshire remained high.

The incongruous sight of comedy candidates vying with the prime minister for the right to represent an area is always entertaining.

Rishi Sunak bows his head after retaining his seat as MP for Richmond and Northallerton. AFP

The Monster Raving Loony Party’s candidate, Sir Archibald Stanton, said his campaign was to stop the country “going to the dogs”. Count Binface told The National that “morally” his chances were quite high. The self-described intergalactic space warrior chirpily said he had really enjoyed the campaign so far.

However, the mood swiftly switched to silence as Mr Sunak entered, and those gathered waited to see how he would acknowledge he was into his final hours in the job.

Mr Sunak had kept a low profile and turned up at his count at the last minute, walking in with an arm around his wife, Akshata Murty, amid ultimately unfounded whispers that he could become the first incumbent prime minister in history to lose his seat.

Wearing a dark suit, white shirt and blue tie, Mr Sunak put on a brave face for the cameras despite knowing his party had suffered a monumental defeat.

He swiftly scurried to the back of the room to be given the outcome of his own seat before taking to the stage with the rest of the candidates, his head bowed.

Faced with the prospect of handing the keys to Number 10 over to Labour leader Keir Starmer in a matter of hours, Mr Sunak then addressed the nation.

“The Labour Party have won this general election and I have rung Keir Starmer to congratulate him on his victory,” he said.

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“Today power will change hands in a peaceful and orderly way with goodwill on all sides, and that is something that should give us all confidence.

“The British people have delivered this sobering verdict and there is much to learn and I take responsibility. I am sorry.”

YouTuber Niko Omilana, who was standing a an independent, held an “L” printed on a piece of paper behind his head as he spoke.

Mr Sunak swiftly left, downcast, to head to London.

From the rain-drenched speech announcing the surprise July 4 poll to his D-Day debacle as he left Normandy early to record an interview, Mr Sunak had struggled to convince the electorate he was the right man to lead the country.

He may have had a small win by keeping his seat, but his term as prime minister ended in electoral disaster and it was under a beautiful sunrise that he left Northallerton for the last time in the role.