Keir Starmer tells voters fate of nation 'in your hands' in New Year message
Keir Starmer declared he's "ready to renew our politics" as he urged voters to use their power to kick out the Tories this year.
In a New Year message to the nation, the Labour leader said 2024 must be the year "we get Britain’s future back" and said the fate of the country "will rest in your hands". Mr Starmer said he had transformed Labour since taking over from Jeremy Corbyn in 2020 and could do the same for the country if he wins the keys to No10 at the upcoming election.
He said: "I’m ready to renew our politics so it once again serves our country. I know that politics isn’t held in particularly high regard in Britain. But I have spent four years bringing the Labour Party back to service. And in 2024 – we can do the same for politics. So wherever you are, however you are celebrating: Happy New Year. Let’s make sure this is the year where together we get Britain’s future back."
Labour leader Keir Starmer promised hope as he delivered his New Year's message to the nation (Labour Party)It comes amid wild speculation over the date of the next general election, which will be in 2024. Earlier this month, Rishi Sunak effectively ruled out pushing the contest to January 2025 - the latest he can send voters to the polls under electoral law. The Prime Minister could go early by announcing a May election or cling on until the autumn in a last-ditch bid to revive his flagging poll ratings.
Mr Starmer said it had been a year of "pride and achievement", pointing to King Charles's coronation and the successes of England's Lionesses. But he also spoke of the Ukraine war and vowed to push for a political solution to the conflict in Israel and Gaza to end the "enormous suffering". And he said millions of people were struggling with the cost of living on our shores.
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Meanwhile, Mr Sunak said the UK should "look forward with pride and optimism" to 2024 in a message to the nation ahead of an election year. The PM told struggling Brits to focus on the promise of a "brighter future", pointing to National Insurance cuts due to come into force in January.
In his New Year's message, he said: "Inflation is set to fall further, cutting the cost of living for everyone. And we're not stopping there. We're going further to grow our economy by reducing debt, cutting taxes, and rewarding hard work, building secure supplies of energy here at home, backing British business and delivering world class education. And we're taking decisive action to stop the boats and break the business model of the criminal gangs."
Rishi Sunak urged people to hold onto the promise of a "brighter future" (Getty Images)Praising the armed forces, the NHS, tech experts and scientists, he added: "We should look forward full of pride and optimism for what we can do together to build a brighter future for everyone."
Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey will use his New Year message to demand electoral reform and claim that neither the Tories or Labour can tackle the "big, deep-rooted challenges in our country" because neither will change the "broken political system".
Sir Ed will say: "We must do nothing less than transform the nature of British politics for good. Fight for a fair deal, that empowers everyone, and holds the already powerful to account. Smash the two-party system, reform our elections, and give everyone an equal voice, because that is the only way we can build a fairer, greener, more caring country."
Keir Starmer's New Year Message in full
On behalf of the Labour Party, I’d like to wish you all a Happy New Year. I hope you had a wonderful Christmas. 2023 has been a year of pride and achievement. For the Lionesses, yet again. So close to doing an unprecedented double. And of course a year when our country stepped into a new era with a new King – King Charles III – crowned in the spring.
It has also been another tough year economically for millions of people. And, beyond our shores, a time of great insecurity with war still raging in Ukraine, and enormous suffering in Israel and Gaza. The Labour Party will do everything we can in 2024 to push for a political solution to that conflict. A secure Israel alongside a viable Palestinian state.
A hope that maybe fragile, but that must be kept alive. Because there always is power in that word: hope. It is the fuel of change. The oxygen of a better future. And this year, in Britain, the power to shape the future of our country will rest in your hands.
In the Labour Party – we’ve been building to this for four years. We’re confident we have a plan that can move our country forward: End the cost-of-living crisis. Take back our streets. Get the NHS back on its feet. Cheaper energy bills for your home. More opportunities for your children.
But most of all – I’m ready to renew our politics so it once again serves our country. I know that politics isn’t held in particularly high regard in Britain. But I have spent four years bringing the Labour Party back to service. And in 2024 – we can do the same for politics.
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So wherever you are, however you are celebrating: Happy New Year. Let’s make sure this is the year where together we get Britain’s future back.
Rishi Sunak's New Year Message in full
Happy New Year, everyone. I hope you had a great Christmas. We can look back on a pretty momentous year. We've delivered record funding for the NHS and Social care. Schools in England are surging up the global league tables.
We're getting the economy growing. We've cut inflation in half. We've delivered the biggest business tax cut in modern British history. And in just the last few weeks, we've seen an incredible £60 billion of investment into the UK. So my New Year's resolution is to keep driving forward. In six days’ time, we'll deliver a tax cut for 27 million people, worth on average £450.
Inflation is set to fall further, cutting the cost of living for everyone. And we're not stopping there. We're going further to grow our economy by reducing debt, cutting taxes, and rewarding hard work, building secure supplies of energy here at home, backing British business and delivering world class education. And we're taking decisive action to stop the boats and break the business model of the criminal gangs.
From our incredible armed forces and NHS staff who take care of all of us. To our tech experts, scientists and innovators who are putting our economy at the global cutting edge. We should look forward full of pride and optimism for what we can do together to build a brighter future for everyone. That's what I'm determined to do, and I wish you all a very happy 2024.
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