Starmer looks to ‘brighter future’ at Christmas and wishes for peace in Middle East

Sir Keir Starmer said he would be looking towards a “better, brighter future for every person” in a Christmas message following a turbulent year for the UK.

The Prime Minister said the season was a time to remember the importance of “being there for one another”, including in “the more difficult times”.

He also expressed hope for “peace, particularly in the Middle East as the birthplace of the Christmas story” amid spiralling conflict across the region.

The message comes after a challenging first five months in office for the Labour Government and against the backdrop of a flatlining economy and rising inflation.

The Prime Minister sought to strike an optimistic note following another year of political upheaval for Britain, which saw Labour win a landslide victory after a surprise election called by Rishi Sunak in the summer.

After taking office in July, the new Government made a series of unpopular decisions as ministers confronted the realities of creaking public services and strained national finances.

As well as dealing with the economic inheritance, Sir Keir said he needed to fix a “broken society” which manifested itself in summer riots across the country after the Southport knife attack.

The message comes after revised official figures released on Monday indicated that UK gross domestic product (GDP) showed no growth between July and September.

Downing Street defended the Government’s record so far when asked about the data, telling reporters: “We had to take those tough decisions to lay the foundations of growth such that we can then deliver the higher living standards over this Parliament that people want to see.”