Starmer ‘looking towards a better, brighter future’ in Christmas message
Sir Keir Starmer has said he will be “looking towards a better, brighter future” in his first Christmas message as prime minister.
It comes almost six months into the Labour leader’s time in Downing Street, with the prime minister currently having to battle criticisms of his party’s management of the economy and the direction he is taking the country.
His message takes an optimistic tone, while also encouraging people to “look after those around us” and wishing for peace in the Middle East.
Sir Keir said: “This Christmas, people will be travelling up and down the country. Heading home, visiting relatives and loved ones to celebrate together the hope and joy of this special season.
“It’s a time to remind ourselves what’s really important. Family. Friendship. And fellowship between all people.
“Being there for one another – in these celebrations, as well as the more difficult times.”
Keir and Victoria Starmer hosted a Christmas party for children from four schools across London at Downing Street earlier this month. Pic: PA
The prime minister went on: “I’d like especially to thank those who will spend their Christmas serving others this year. In our NHS and emergency services, our Armed Forces and the churches and charities that will welcome every person this Christmas.
“Because I know that this is not an easy time for everyone, and my thoughts are with all those who are lonely this Christmas. Having a tough time, missing a loved one. You are not alone.
“Because as Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Christmas story reminds all of us to reach out to one another. To care for one another. And to look after those around us.
“This Christmas, I will be hoping for peace, particularly in the Middle East as the birthplace of the Christmas story.
“I’ll be looking towards a better, brighter future for every person and celebrating the joy and wonder that Christmas brings.
“So, from my family to yours, I hope you have a very merry Christmas.”
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Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the Opposition, has also shared a Christmas message.
It strikes a similar tone to Sir Keir’s, although shares more personal anecdotes.
For example, the Tory leader says Christmas is her “very favourite time of year” due to “having lots of family around, seeing my friends, eating, drinking, having fun, making merry”.
She goes on to thank everyone in the country for “supporting each other”, and encouraging people to “support all of those people who need our assistance”.
Ms Badenoch says Christmas is her ‘very favourite time of year. Pic: PA
Sir Ed Davey, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, paid tribute to young carers in his Christmas message.
He looked after his sick mother as he was growing up, and tried to get a Christmas number one with a song raising awareness of young carers.
Ed Davey and Tewkesbury MP Cameron Thomas carrying a Christmas tree this month. Pic: PA
Sir Ed said: “Carers embody the Christmas spirit of love, selflessness and generosity.
“So I hope we can all take some time to think of them, and keep them in our hearts.”
The CARF regulation, which brings crypto under global tax reporting standards akin to traditional finance, marks a crucial turning point.
The nascent real-world tokenized assets track prices but do not provide investors the same legal rights as holding the underlying instruments.
Rachel Reeves has hinted that taxes are likely to be raised this autumn after a major U-turn on the government’s controversial welfare bill.
Sir Keir Starmer’s Universal Credit and Personal Independent Payment Bill passed through the House of Commons on Tuesday after multiple concessions and threats of a major rebellion.
MPs ended up voting for only one part of the plan: a cut to universal credit (UC) sickness benefits for new claimants from £97 a week to £50 from 2026/7.
Initially aimed at saving £5.5bn, it now leaves the government with an estimated £5.5bn black hole – close to breaching Ms Reeves’s fiscal rules set out last year.
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Rachel Reeves’s fiscal dilemma
In an interview with The Guardian, the chancellor did not rule out tax rises later in the year, saying there were “costs” to watering down the welfare bill.
“I’m not going to [rule out tax rises], because it would be irresponsible for a chancellor to do that,” Ms Reeves told the outlet.
“We took the decisions last year to draw a line under unfunded commitments and economic mismanagement.
“So we’ll never have to do something like that again. But there are costs to what happened.”
Meanwhile, The Times reported that, ahead of the Commons vote on the welfare bill, Ms Reeves told cabinet ministers the decision to offer concessions would mean taxes would have to be raised.
The outlet reported that the chancellor said the tax rises would be smaller than those announced in the 2024 budget, but that she is expected to have to raise tens of billions more.
It comes after Ms Reeves said she was “totally” up to continuing as chancellor after appearing tearful at Prime Minister’s Questions.
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Why was the chancellor crying at PMQs?
Criticising Sir Keir for the U-turns on benefit reform during PMQs, Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said the chancellor looked “absolutely miserable”, and questioned whether she would remain in post until the next election.
Sir Keir did not explicitly say that she would, and Ms Badenoch interjected to say: “How awful for the chancellor that he couldn’t confirm that she would stay in place.”
In her first comments after the incident, Ms Reeves said she was having a “tough day” before adding: “People saw I was upset, but that was yesterday.
“Today’s a new day and I’m just cracking on with the job.”
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Reeves is ‘totally’ up for the job
Sir Keir also told Sky News’ political editor Beth Rigby on Thursday that he “didn’t appreciate” that Ms Reeves was crying in the Commons.
“In PMQs, it is bang, bang, bang,” he said. “That’s what it was yesterday.
“And therefore, I was probably the last to appreciate anything else going on in the chamber, and that’s just a straightforward human explanation, common sense explanation.”
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