Britain’s under-pressure Starmer vows ‘fight for change’ in 2025

Keir Starmer starts 2025 with his back to the wall — but he’s vowing to “fight for change” in the year ahead.

In his message to Brits as the new year kicks off, the U.K. prime minister — elected in a landslide in the summer but currently tanking in the polls — talked up progress on wages, deportations and in turning around the country’s ailing health service as he tried to project confidence.

But Starmer’s task is a tricky one, after a stumbling start to Britain’s first center-left Labour government in more than a decade saw the prime minister hit by a dramatic drop in his popularity with the public.

“I know there is still so much more to do,” Starmer said. “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,” he added.

“A fight for change that will define this year, next year, and indeed – every waking hour of this government,” Starmer said.

The promise comes as the PM hopes Brits will retain faith in his fledgling Labour government, which was elected after it promised to reset Britain’s fortunes following 14 years of an increasingly unpopular Conservative government.

Despite winning a landslide in July, the party has lost support following a string of scandals and amid criticism that is has failed to project a compelling vision for the U.K.’s future — despite multiple attempts at resetting the narrative.

One recent, extensive poll by the More in Common think tank suggests that Labour’s landslide is already on course to evaporate, and that if an election was held today the party would lose nearly 200 of the seats it won in July.

Nigel Farage’s right-wing populist Reform UK outfit would make serious parliamentary inroads, the same poll suggested/

Farage, meanwhile, set his sights firmly on what he called the Labour and Conservative “uniparty” in his new year address, as the Reform UK leader — who has been eyeing up support from Donald Trump ally Elon Musk — shared a message from the birthplace of wartime British leader Winston Churchill.

Vowing to “campaign for proper border controls,” push for action on the cost of living, and channel the “energy” of his insurgent right-wing party, Farage said: “If you agree with what we’re trying to do, don’t just sit back and nod. Do something about it.”

The new Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch’s new year’s message opts to focus inwards — as she tries to rebuild her party after July’s election kicking and capitalize on Labour’s struggles.

In her short message, Badenoch said her party is going through a “period of change”, and promised that it will “do things differently.” The Conservatives also face a fierce challenge to its right from Farage.

“This process of renewal will be a long-term project,” Badenoch said. “Things may be bumpy along the way, but the party I now lead is going to do things differently.”

“Watch this space,” she added.