Conservative party records its worst general election performance ever. Plus, Democratic backers pause donations

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Labour has won a landslide UK election victory, bringing a crushing end to 14 years of rule by the Conservatives, who recorded the worst general election result in their near 200-year history. The Labour leader, Keir Starmer, will officially become prime minister later today after Rishi Sunak conceded.

A vote for Palestine. There were shock victories for several pro-Palestine independent candidates, with Jonathan Ashworth, one of Labour’s election chiefs, voted out in Leicester South, while the former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn won in Islington North.

‘Will we get our money back?’ According to Reuters and the Associated Press, a call with about 40 top donors over the weekend turned tense after Biden’s campaign manager was asked whether the campaign would offer a refund if Biden does not run.

Don’t blame me, its just my brain. Hawaii’s governor, Josh Green, is reported to have asked Biden about his health yesterday. “It’s just my brain,” Biden said, in what some heard as a joke but at least one person found odd.

White House denies reports president is assessing candidacy. Plus, UK expected to elect Labour in landslide

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President Joe Biden has struck a defiant tone and insisted to his campaign team that “I’m in this race to the end”, according to reports, despite the increasing pressure to step down as the Democratic nominee amid concerns over his competence.

Governors in show of qualified support. Democratic governors have rallied around Biden after a closed-door meeting yesterday but admitted they shared voters’ concerns about his performance, as a fresh poll shows Trump has a six-point advantage, 49-43%, over Biden among likely voters.

Stepping out. For three and a half years, Biden was wrapped in a metaphorical ball of cotton wool by an anxious White House staff eager to protect him from the worst of himself.

Waving the white flag? Senior Tories including one of Sunak’s closest cabinet allies were effectively conceding defeat yesterday. Starmer accused the Conservatives of trying to suppress voter turnout by presenting the election result as a done deal.