Sir Keir Starmer promised millions of Britons that “things will get better” in 2026 as he battles to stay Prime Minister with Labour facing a May elections drubbing.
The premier pledged that there would be a “sense of hope” restored to the UK after years of cost-of-living crisis and slow economic growth.
“Things have been tough in Britain for a while,” he said in his New Year’s message.
“For many, life is still harder than it should be.
“In 2026, the choices we’ve made will mean more people will begin to feel positive change in your bills, your communities and your health service.
“But even more people will feel once again a sense of hope, a belief that things can and will get better.”
Sir Keir’s and Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ popularity plummeted in 2025, partly due to the controversies over the first two Labour Budgets which saw taxes rise by tens of billions of pounds.
Labour MPs are increasingly restless about the prospects for their party which is doing poorly in the polls including in London.
There is growing talk of moves to oust Sir Keir if Labour does as badly as expected in the May local elections, as well as in votes for the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly.
With just months to go before the May elections to turn around Labour’s fortunes, the Prime Minister promised more police on the streets, lower energy bills, more funding for local communities, a rise in the National Minimum Wage and cuts to the cost of childcare.
“We are getting Britain back on track,” insisted Holborn and St Pancras MP Sir Keir.
“By staying the course, we will defeat the decline and division offered by others.”
However, the Government has been rocked by controversies and has struggled to cut NHS waiting lists significantly, to increase housebuilding, to deal with the “small boats” Channel crisis or boost economic growth, with unemployment now rising.
In her New Year’s message, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch slammed Labour’s tax rises and looked ahead to the local elections, despite her party facing the prospect of losing more seats to Nigel Farage’s Reform UK.
“Last year was difficult for many people, no growth, higher taxes and record unemployment with lots of people losing their jobs,” she said.
“Many in our country are finding it harder and harder to imagine life getting better.
“But we shouldn’t lose hope.”
Highlighting that the Tories have a Get Britain Working plan, she stressed that the country was “not destined for decline”.
However, she emphasised: “Things can change, but you also need to vote for the change you want to see in 2026.”
The local elections last May saw what were then the two main parties, the Conservatives and Labour, losing 674 and 187 council seats respectively, in a reshaping and fragmentation of British politics.
Mr Farage’s Reform UK gained 677 seats and majorities on 10 councils, in Derbyshire, Doncaster, Durham, Kent, Lancashire, Lincolnshire, North Northamptonshire, Nottinghamshire, Staffordshire and West Northamptonshire.
The Lib Dems secured 370 seats, beating the Conservatives (319), Labour (98) and the Greens (79).
Reform is still comfortably ahead of the other parties in the latest polls.
But they also suggest Reform may have peaked in its popularity as promises to cut council tax have not materialised, Mr Farage has faced racism claims that he denies, and the party has come under growing scrutiny.
In his New Year’s pitch to voters, Mr Farage, a key architect of Brexit which has damaged the UK economy and jobs, said his party would go about “fundamentally changing the whole system of government in Britain” if it won the next general election.
Ahead of the spring local elections in which Reform hopes to win more councils including some in London, Mr Farage said: “If we get this right on May the 7th this year, we will go on and win that general election.
“We will then absolutely have a chance of genuinely, fundamentally changing the whole system of government in Britain.
“We may well be the last chance this country has to actually restore some proper values.
“Those are family, community, country.”
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey said the party will go into the New Year looking for election wins to “stop Trump’s America becoming Farage’s Britain.”
Sir Ed, MP for Kingston and Surbiton, said: “2025 hasn’t always been easy, but I am so proud of everything our Liberal Democrat team has achieved this year.
“And we can win again in 2026 - in Scotland, Wales and across England - to stop (Donald) Trump’s America becoming Farage’s Britain and change our country for the better.”
