The new Dutch prime minister Dick Schoof has congratulated Kier Starmer for Labour’s overwhelming victory in the British general election on Thursday.

According to initial results, Labour is expected to have one 412 of the 650 seats in Westminster and the Conservatives just 120 – the worst result in the history of the party.

The British Liberal Democrats look to have won 71 seats, a strong performance, while the Scottish National Party drops from 48 to just nine. Marginal parties also won several seats including the Greens and Nigel Farage’s Reform UK, with four seats.

“I have just expressed my congratulations to KeirStarmer on his party’s victory in the UK General Election,” wrote Schoof on X, formerly Twitter. “ The Netherlands and the UK are close and long-standing allies and have many interests in common. I look forward to working together and to meeting with him in the weeks to come.”

Sir Starmer, who was knighted for his services as director of public prosecutions before he went into politics, has been formally appointed to form the next British government by king Charles and given his first speech outside 10 Downing street. This is the sixth Labour government since the Second World War, and follows Brexit and 14 years of Conservative government.

Britain appears to have bucked the European trend, swinging left instead of right in response to widespread public discontent.

I have just expressed my congratulations to @Keir_Starmer on his party’s victory in the UK General Election. The Netherlands and the UK are close and long-standing allies and have many interests in common. I look forward to working together and to meeting with him in the weeks to…

— Dick Schoof (@MinPres) July 5, 2024