Party leaders make political pitches to public in New Year messages
UK political leaders have delivered their New Year messages as they prepare for the battle ahead at the ballot box.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak struck a positive tone in his remarks, looking back on what he deemed a “momentous year” and promising the Conservatives would “keep driving forward” in 2024 with tax cuts, lowering inflation and “cutting the cost of living for everyone”.
Labour’s Sir Keir Starmer highlighted the “tough year” gone by – both economically and with conflicts in Ukraine and the Middle East – but pledged a future of “hope” and “change”.
Meanwhile, Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey lashed out at both his rivals, insisting his party would “transform the nature of British politics for good” and “fix… a broken political system”.
The messages come as politicians of all stripes prepare for the next general election, which is expected to take place in 2024 – and has to be held before January 2025.
What could 2024 have in store for UK politics?
Mr Sunak, who is hoping to achieve a record fifth win for the Tories, but is lagging behind in the polls, decided to focus his message on the government’s achievements in 2023 – rather than the pledges he made for the year that they missed.
“We’ve delivered record funding for the NHS and social care,” he said. “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 £60bn of investment into the UK. So my New Year’s resolution is to keep driving forward.”
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PM: ‘We will cut taxes’
The prime minister insisted his party was “not stopping there”, saying: “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 he promised to take “decisive action to stop the boats” – an issue that has threatened his leadership in recent weeks.
Mr Sunak said the country “should look forward full of pride and optimism for what we can do together to build a brighter future for everyone”.
The key economic graphs that describe 2023
For Sir Keir, who is hoping to get Labour back in the driving seat at the next election, but faces problems with his own personal ratings in the polls, the message was more mixed.
He said 2023 had been “a year of pride and achievement”, pointing to the successes of England’s Lionesses in the Women’s World Cup and the coronation of King Charles.
But, the Labour leader added: “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.”
On the Middle East conflict, which has caused division in his party, he promised Labour would “do everything we can in 2024 to push for a political solution” – namely a two-state solution – saying it was “a hope that maybe fragile, but that must be kept alive”.
And he said it was “hope” that offered “the fuel for change” going forward, delivering a wider promise that come the election, his party would “renew our politics so it once again serves our country”.
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Starmer backs ‘sustainable ceasefire’
Sir Keir added: “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.
“Let’s make sure this is the year where together we get Britain’s future back.”
This year’s surprising political moments
In his punchy message, Sir Ed – who hopes to build on his small base of MPs in the next election – focused his ire on the Tories and Labour, promising “radical change” in 2024.
The Lib Dem leader highlighted the issues he believed needed tackling, including “entrenched poverty and inequality”, “climate change and the nature crisis”, and “Britain’s diminished standing in an increasingly authoritarian world”.
But he claimed the “broken political system” in Britain “leaves millions feeling powerless and excluded [and] makes it impossible to hold those in power properly to account”.
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Sunak ‘complacent’ on the economy
So, Sir Ed said: “It falls to us, to Liberal Democrats, to be the agents of change, once again, and bring millions with us, to make it happen.”
He added: “We must do nothing less than transform the nature of British politics for good. Hand back far more control to individuals and communities.
“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. That is our goal. That is our calling.”
Politics
Starmer and Zelenskyy discuss ending Russia’s ‘brutal war’ – as Putin says says he is open to bilateral talks on longer ceasefire
Sir Keir Starmer and Volodymyr Zelenskyy spoke about ending Russia’s “brutal war” on Ukraine in their latest phone call on Easter Monday, as Vladimir Putin said he was open to bilateral talks.
The prime minister and Ukrainian president spoke on Monday afternoon, when Sir Keir “reiterated his iron-clad support for Ukraine“.
A Downing Street spokesperson added that the prime minister “said that the UK supports Ukraine’s calls for Russia to commit to a full ceasefire and that now is the time for Putin to show he is serious about ending his brutal war”.
“They discussed the latest developments on the Coalition of the Willing, and looked forward to further progress towards a just and lasting peace,” the spokesperson added.
Mr Zelenskyy later said on social media that he had a “good and detailed conversation” with the prime minister, and added Ukrainian officials will be in London for talks on ending the war with Russia on Wednesday.
“We are ready to move forward as constructively as possible, just as we have done before, to achieve an unconditional ceasefire, followed by the establishment of a real and lasting peace,” he added.
The Ukrainian president added that the 30-hour Easter truce, which both Kyiv and Moscow accuse the other of violating, showed that Russia “are prolonging the war”.
It comes as Mr Putin proposed bilateral talks with Ukraine on a longer ceasefire, which would mark the first time Russia held such talks since a failed peace deal soon after the invasion in 2022.
Speaking to a state TV reporter, the Russian president said: “We always have a positive attitude towards a truce, which is why we came up with such an initiative (the Easter truce), especially since we are talking about the bright Easter days.”
When asked about Mr Zelenskyy’s calls to extend the 30-hour ceasefire into a 30-day pause on civilian targets, he added: “This is all a subject for careful study, perhaps even bilaterally. We do not rule this out.”
The Ukrainian president said on Sunday evening that the Russian army had “violated Putin’s ceasefire more than 2,000 times” during the day, and accused Russia of “failing” to “uphold its own promise of a ceasefire”.
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From Saturday: Why Putin offered an Easter truce?
It also comes after Donald Trump has said he hopes Russia and Ukraine “will make a deal this week,” after he and his secretary of state Marco Rubio warned that the US will walk away from efforts to broker a peace deal unless there are clear signs of progress soon.
The US president said on his Truth Social platform that both countries would “start to do big business” with the US after ending the war.
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Last month, Ukraine accepted Mr Trump’s proposal for a 30-day truce, but Mr Putin refused to back a full 30-day ceasefire, saying crucial issues of verification had not been sorted out.
He then said he would agree not to target Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. However, both sides have accused each other of breaking the moratorium on attacks on energy targets and at sea.
Paul Atkins has officially been sworn in as the 34th Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The April 21 announcement comes nearly two weeks after Atkins’ position was confirmed by the US Senate in a 52-44 vote on April 9.
“I am honored by the trust and confidence President Trump and the Senate have placed in me to lead the SEC,” Atkins said in a statement.
“As I return to the SEC, I am pleased to join with my fellow Commissioners and the agency’s dedicated professionals to advance its mission to facilitate capital formation; maintain fair, orderly, and efficient markets; and protect investors.”
Atkins is widely expected to lead a more crypto-friendly SEC than former chair Gary Gensler under the Biden administration.
He previously served as an SEC commissioner between 2002 and 2008.
This is a developing story, and further information will be added as it becomes available.
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