Rishi Sunak has opted against a traditional Christmas message and has instead thanked public servants as his government remains deadlocked in bitter industrial disputes with striking workers.
The prime minister made four apparently surprise calls to diplomats and the crew of a naval ship to express his gratitude for their “sacrifices” after an “extraordinary year” – in a break with tradition from the usual Christmas broadcast to the nation.
Footage of the calls published on Friday comes during a winter being strained by widespread public sector walkouts hitting the NHS, the postal service and transport networks.
PM ‘personally grateful for sacrifice’
By calling the HMS Protector crew and diplomats in Pakistan, Somalia and Ukraine, and a holiday activities and food programme in London, Mr Sunak was seeking to portray the value he places on public service.
Image: The PM made surprise calls to thank them for their hard work
In a statement, he said: “Whether you are working in Mogadishu or Milton Keynes this Christmas, I want you to know that I am personally grateful for your sacrifice.”
He added: “Those who have checked on friends and neighbours, volunteers, public servants and essential service staff all working over Christmas – I am truly humbled by your dedication and I know your selflessness this festive season will spread cheer across the country.”
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Nicola Sturgeon’s Christmas message
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Christmas message from Lib Dem leader
Mr Sunak will spend his first Christmas as prime minister in his constituency of Richmond in North Yorkshire, with Downing Street saying he will be updated on any urgent issues while taking some time off.
He has faced a tumultuous two months in office, first characterised by trying to rectify the economic chaos created by his predecessor Liz Truss, scandals in his new cabinet and now by the wave of industrial action.
His message comes as thousands of Border Force staff started the first of a series of strikes at airports, joining national highways workers and Royal Mail staff in demands for better pay as the cost of living crisis worsens.
Christmas getaways were also impacted by a surge in journeys as people sought to avoid a rush on the roads on Christmas Eve, when rail strikes by the RMT union will resume.
Armed forces personnel have been drafted in to minimise disruption and will be paid £20 daily bonuses for standing in for striking workers over the festive period, Defence Secretary Ben Wallace announced on Friday.
It followed warnings about treating military personnel as “spare capacity” – with industrial action set to continue next year as the government stands firm that it can’t afford to meet demands for inflation-busting pay rises.
And the leader of the striking Border Force staff has warned travellers could face months of disruption unless the government makes an improved pay offer, saying there is a “crisis of poverty” within the civil service.
Starmer takes a more traditional approach
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Starmer’s Christmas message
In a more traditional address, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer reflected on the hardship being faced by Ukrainians as Russian President Vladimir Putin bombards the power grid with missiles as the war grinds into its second year.
“I hope this Christmas is a joyous and relaxing time for you, however you are spending it. I’m looking forward to sharing time with my family, away from the day-to-day of work,” he said.
“But as I do I will be keeping in my heart all those who are working to keep us safe.
“Those looking after the less fortunate, and our friends in Ukraine, facing the horror of Putin’s appalling attacks. Their struggle for freedom inspires us all.”
SNP leader Nicola Sturgeon used her address to call on people to think about how they can help others this Christmas amid the cost of living crisis, while her Liberal Democrat counterpart Sir Ed Davey said he was wishing for a festive season full of “hope for a better future”.
Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has said it will “pause” shipments to the US as the British car firm works to “address the new trading terms” of Donald Trump’s tariffs.
The US president has introduced a 25% levy on all foreign cars imported into the country, which came into force on Thursday.
JLR, one of the country’s biggest carmakers, exported about 38,000 cars to the US in the third quarter of 2024 – almost equal to the amount sold to the UK and the EU combined.
In a statement on Saturday, a spokesperson for the company behind the Jaguar, Land Rover and Range Rover brands said: “The USA is an important market for JLR’s luxury brands.
“As we work to address the new trading terms with our business partners, we are taking some short-term actions including a shipment pause in April, as we develop our mid- to longer-term plans.”
The company released a statement last week before Mr Trump announced a “baseline” 10% tariff on goods from around the world, which kicked in on Saturday morning, on what he called “liberation day”.
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JLR reassured customers its business was “resilient” and “accustomed to changing market conditions”.
“Our priorities now are delivering for our clients around the world and addressing these new US trading terms,” the firm said.
Trading across the world has been hit by Mr Trump’s tariff announcement at the White House on Wednesday.
All but one stock on the FTSE 100 fell on Friday – with Rolls-Royce, banks and miners among those to suffer the sharpest losses.
Cars are the top product exported from the UK to the US, with exports worth £8.3bn in the year to the end of September 2024, according to data from the Office for National Statistics.
For UK carmakers, the US is the second largest export market behind the European Union.
Industry groups have previously warned the tariffs will force firms to rethink where they trade, while a report by thinktank the Institute for Public Policy Research said more than 25,000 car manufacturing jobs in the UK could be at risk.
Two people have died following a fire at a caravan site near Skegness, Lincolnshire Police have said.
In a statement, officers said they were called at 3.53am on Saturday to a report of a blaze at Golden Beach Holiday Park in the village of Ingoldmells.
Fire and rescue crews attended the scene, and two people were found to have died.
They were reported to be a 10-year-old girl and a 48-year-old man.
The force said the victims’ next of kin have been informed and will be supported by specially trained officers.
Officers are trying to establish the exact cause of the blaze.
“We are at the very early stages of our investigation and as such we are keeping an open mind,” the force said.
A 15-year-old boy has died after “getting into difficulty” in a lake in southeast London, police say.
Officers and paramedics were called shortly after 3pm on Friday to Beckenham Place Park in Lewisham.
The Metropolitan Police said a boy “was recovered from the lake” at around 10.42pm the same day.
“He was taken to hospital where he was sadly pronounced dead. His death is being treated as unexpected but not believed to be suspicious,” according to the force.
The boy’s family has been told and are being supported by specialist officers.
The force originally said the child was 16 years old, but has since confirmed his age as 15.
In the earlier statement, officers said emergency services carried out a search and the park was evacuated.
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Image: Emergency teams were called to Beckenham Place Park on Friday afternoon
Beckenham Place Park, which borders the London borough of Bromley, covers around 240 acres, according to the park’s website.
The lake is described as 285 metres long, reaching depths of up to 3.5 metres.
It is designed as a swimming lake for open-water swimming and paddle boarding.
A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said on Friday: “We were called at 3.02pm this afternoon to reports of a person in the water.
“We sent resources to the scene, including an ambulance crew, an incident response officer and members of our hazardous area response team.”
Emergency teams have not explained how the boy entered the water, or whether he was accompanied by others.