What you need to know

• The political year of 2024 was one of national transition; marking the end of 14 years of Conservative government and the beginning of a new era with Labour in power. ‍
• Spearheaded by Keir Starmer, the new Labour government has set about trying to maintain momentum on its key missions while wrestling with the realities of a constrained fiscal environment and complex institutional policy issues.
• Recovering from a historic loss, the Conservative Party have stayed relatively quiet under the new leadership of Kemi Badenoch, albeit conscious of their double-sided threat from the emboldened voices of the Liberal Democrats and Reform UK.
• With a soft response to the Autumn Budget, but expectations of economic growth, in 2025, the Labour government will face pressure to be showing signs of progress towards delivering on key promises.
• In step, Starmer will also have to manage the return of Donald Trump to the White House and the economic risk of tariffs, as well as the ongoing Ukraine conflict, a ‘reset’ of relations with the EU as the national governments of both France and Germany face uncertainty, and tensions with China.

Download GovConnex's The Landscape: Review and Forward Focus paper to read more.