British voters’ anger

It was a thrilling night. Not long after the polling stations closed and the first results were announced, it was clear that Labour was heading for victory. And not just by a slim margin - but by a landslide. Not since 1997, when Tony Blair was voted in, has there been such anticipation that things can now get better.

The keynote throughout Labour's campaign has been "change" and this is what Sir Keir Starmer, the new prime minister, says he will deliver. He told the country Friday morning: "We said we would end the chaos, and we will … Today we begin the work of change … and start to rebuild our country."

Behind this result, however, is not only a need for something new. It's also a matter of crime and punishment. The former Conservative government committed multifarious crimes (breaking laws, corruption, cronyism, even illegal betting) and the electorate have now...