Political leaders have eyed a “buzz” and a “big opportunity” for their parties in 2025, as Sir Keir Starmer pledged this year will be one for “rediscovering the great nation that we are”.
The Prime Minister hailed 2024 as a “year of change” in his new year’s message, but joked this did not extend to the England men’s football team who experienced “another agonisingly close shave”, losing 2-1 to Spain in the Euros final last summer.
Leader of the Opposition Kemi Badenoch used her message to discuss her own party’s “period of change”, as she warned Conservative supporters that “things may be bumpy along the way”.
She signed off her new year’s video with a three-word message: “Watch this space.”
And Sir Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, urged the Labour Government to “show the urgency and ambition that this moment demands because I’m afraid that we haven’t seen anything like the real change from this Government on the scale the British people are yearning for”.
Sir Keir said in his first new year’s message since last July’s general election: “Here’s to a year of changing Britain for the better.”
He had earlier said: “I know there is still so much more to do and that, for many people, it’s hard to think about the future when you spend all of your time fighting to get through the week.
“So, I want to be clear: until you can look forward and believe in the promise and the prosperity of Britain again, then this Government will fight for you.
“A fight for change that will define this year, next year and, indeed, every waking hour of this Government.
“We have a clear plan for change: 1.5 million new homes – restoring the dream of home ownership; children starting school, ready to learn; a more secure energy system; waiting lists cut dramatically; immigration – reduced; neighbourhood police, tackling anti-social behaviour in every community; and more cash in your pocket, wherever you live.
“That is what we will be focusing on. A year of rebuilding, but also rediscovering the great nation that we are.
“A nation that gets things done. No matter how hard or tough the circumstances.”
Sir Keir added May 8 and August 15 “will both be wonderful moments”, when the country marks the 80th anniversaries of Victory in Europe (VE) Day and Victory over Japan (VJ) Day.
He said: “That victory – and indeed the peace and the prosperity that followed – all rested on that same foundation we must rebuild today.
“The security of working people. That is the purpose of this Government. The goal of our plan for change, and we will push it forward in 2025.”
Ms Badenoch, who became the leader of her party in November, said in a short message: “Like all of you, I am looking forward to a 2025 that is full of hope, security and prosperity.
“The Conservative Party is also going through a period of change.
“This process of renewal will be a long-term project.
“Things may be bumpy along the way, but the party I now lead is going to do things differently.
“Watch this space.”
Sir Ed criticised his opponents in his video, as the Liberal Democrat leader vowed to “continue to hold the Conservative Party to account for the terrible damage they did to our country”.
He said his party “made a great start on that in July, and at the local elections this coming May, we have a big opportunity to finish that job”.
He had earlier said: “What we need this year is the Government to show the urgency and ambition this moment demands because I’m afraid that we haven’t seen anything like the real change from this Government on the scale the British people are yearning for.”
In sport, Sir Ed described England’s “brilliant run to the final at the Euros” despite their defeat in Berlin last year, while “Team GB made us proud with all those medals in Paris”.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, who became an MP for Clacton, Essex, on his eighth election attempt last year, recorded an almost six minute-long message at Blenheim Palace near Oxford.
He said: “The fish rots from the head down. We’ve been appallingly led in this country now for several decades.
“We’re in societal decline, we’re in economic decline, most people are getting poorer with every year that passes, we’re losing any sense of national identity and we’re actually teaching kids at school that people like Winston Churchill – born in this palace – are bad people and that our country’s history is something to be ashamed of.”
Turning to his own party’s membership, Mr Farage said “tens of thousands of people” had joined Reform over the Christmas period, adding: “There’s a buzz, there’s an energy, there’s an optimism.”
