Keir Starmer promises year of ‘rebuilding’ for UK in 2025

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Sir Keir Starmer used his first New Year message as UK Prime Minister to promise a “year of rebuilding” for Britain in 2025, admitting that “there is still a lot to do”.

In the first such message from a Labor Prime Minister in 15 years, Starmer He pointed to the challenges ahead by saying that his administration has begun “the work of change.”

Despite his government’s difficult start, the Prime Minister pointed to early achievements, including a record rise in the minimum wage, increased returns for foreign criminals, significant investment in clean energy projects, and the allocation of more than £25 billion to the NHS.

The first months of Starmer’s prime ministership have been overshadowed by a dispute over freebies, a summer of race riots, and an autumn budget that saw taxes rise by £40bn a year.

exhaustionThe landslide victory in the elections that took place in July gave 411 seats and almost complete control of the House of Commons, while reducing the Conservative Party to only 119 representatives after 14 years in power.

After the latest Total opinion polls It showed Labor trailing by just 27 per cent, while the Conservatives are not far behind on 25 per cent, and the right-wing UK Reform Party closes the gap at 22 per cent.

Now, Downing Street hopes it can win over a skeptical public by advancing concrete issues such as cutting NHS waiting lists, building more homes and introducing more green energy schemes.

“For a lot of people, it’s hard to think about the future when you spend all your time fighting to get through the week,” Starmer said.

“So I want to be clear. Until you can look forward and believe in the promise of Britain thriving again, this government will fight for you… every waking hour.”

The Prime Minister is on his first holiday since the general election, after delaying his short break following the death of his brother Nick on Boxing Day.

Starmer reiterated his key goals of building 1.5 million new homes, creating a safer energy system, improving support for pre-schools, cutting health waiting lists, cutting immigration and tackling anti-social behavior in communities.

“And that’s what we’ll focus on. A year of rebuilding… a nation that gets things done. No matter how difficult or difficult the circumstances are.”

Conservative Leader Kemi Badenoch said she would deliver a “period of change” for her party. “This renovation will be a long-term project,” she said in a New Year’s message. “It may be bumpy along the way, but the party I now lead will do things differently. Watch this space.”

Nigel Farage, leader of the UK’s Reform Party – which won just five seats in July’s election but has since risen in the polls – used his New Year message to embrace its values ​​of “family, community and country”, promising to make Britain a “better place”. “. “.

Farage said he began 2024 in “semi-retirement” with two grandchildren on the way.

But he was inspired to return to front-line politics by his desire to impose “proper border controls,” address the cost of living crisis and limit net-zero climate initiatives.

“Everyone acknowledges that we have made a real impact over the past six months,” he said. “We believe we can turn this country around 180 degrees and make Britain a much better place.”

Meanwhile, Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat leader, who won 72 seats in July – the party’s biggest win in its 36-year history – called on the government to implement “real change” in everything from the NHS to healthcare. Europe and political reform. .

Davey said he had “real hope” for 2025, but warned of “a lot of instability and insecurity — all of which became worse after Donald Trump’s win in November.”