From the winter fuel cut to the betrayal of the WASPI women, some of the new government’s decisions have drawn the ire of the public – but which Labour frontbencher has done the worst job this year?
Labour during its manifesto launch (Image: Getty)
When Sir Keir Starmer took office in July, he promised “change” but five months after the general election many Brits already appear unhappy with the Labour government.
Arriving in Downing Street with a poll rating of 34 percent, after riding high on 45 percent in May, only 26 percent of Brits would vote for Labour now, according to Politico’s Poll of Polls.
So, what went wrong for Sir Keir’s tribe of changemakers – and who, if anyone, is to blame?
Express.co.uk takes you through some of the biggest gaffes, political own goals, and policy disasters of Labour in government in 2024.
Have we missed any major Labour mistakes? Let us know in the comments below.
Rachel Reeves’ budget was panned by pensioners, farmers and others (Image: Getty)
Yvette Cooper visits Liverpool Library following the riots (Image: Getty)
The Government’s first major challenge was presented by the riots, sparked by the murder of three little girls at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class in Southport.
Home Secretary Yvette Cooper saw the disorder spread to cities across the country, as warring thugs caused chaos on Britain’s streets.
In response to the violence, the government cracked down on perpetrators, speeding up processing of offenders and handing out jail terms at breakneck speed. However, there was a problem: the UK’s prisons were already virtually full to the brim.
Roll on a few months and more than 1700 prisoners were released back into the civilian population early, to free up prison space. Although the plans had been in place since July, the Government’s attempt to bring the rioters to swift justice only put more pressure on a creaking justice system.
Angela Rayner launches English devolution white paper in Leeds (Image: Getty)
UK Defence Secretary John Healey visits Estonia (Image: Getty)
For many, the Chancellor’s budget was a disaster. National insurance hiked; VAT on private school fees; capital gains tax jacked up; and inheritance tax slapped on UK farmers, too.
Put all that together and you have £40 billion worth of tax rises, and many critics say business confidence has taken a heavy hit as a result.
GDP contracted in October and growth from July to September was revised down from 0.1 percent to 0 by the Office for National Statistics.
As well as business leaders taking issue with the Chancellor’s tax grab, farmers too were up in arms over her decision to force them to pay inheritance tax.
Farmers from across the country, including Jeremy Clarkson, took to the streets of London to protest against the swoop; many are predicting rolling tractor protests in the New Year.
Then there was the Chancellor’s decision to cut winter fuel payments for the elderly. Under the new plans, to be eligible people must have reached State Pension age and also receive a qualifying means-tested benefit. As a result, millions of older Brits are concerned they won’t be able to afford their heating over the winter months.
Liz Kendall announced Labour would not be compensating the WASPI women (Image: Getty)
Other notable policy decisions that caused consternation was Defence Secretary John Healey’s scrapping off six British military projects, at a saving of £500m.
Military leaders were aghast at the move, given the war in Ukraine, the threats posed by China and the uncertainty in the Middle East. Chemical weapons expert and former British Army officer Hamish de Bretton-Gordon branded the call “f****** bonkers”.
More recently, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall announced that the WASPI women would not be getting any compensation from the Government, ignoring the advice of an independent watchdog.
Around 3.8 million women born in the 1950s have lost out on state pension payments because of changes to the system. An ombudsman recommended payments of between £1,000 and £2,950, but earlier this month Ms Kendall refused to follow the recommendation.
This was after senior Labour figures, including Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, appeared to endorse the campaign before they were in office.
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