We at Dartford Labour Party wish you a very happy Christmas, and thank you for your support over the past year.
T’is the season to be jolly, and, in that spirit, here’s a short round-up of what we’ve done so far in government:
Let’s start with the economy. In opposition, the first step we promised towards our growth mission was stability. This budget doubled our fiscal headroom and put in place a plan to reduce borrowing by more than any other G7 economies, meaning interest rates will continue to come down even further (already five times since we’ve been in government saving £1,000 on the average first mortgage). This week we heard that inflation had come down by more than expected. I know better than most how harshly Labour’s stewardship of the economy has been judged by voters historically. However, our chancellor made tough, serious choices even while she endured unprecedented criticism – often fuelled by out and out sexism.
We have also made significant headway towards that growth mission. We achieved the highest growth in the G7 in the first half of this year. People have more cash in their pockets, too – wages have risen more in the past 18 months than in the first ten years of Tory government. We’ve attracted a record 320bn of investment in Britain including billions for clean energy and AI technology, both will create jobs around the country. And yes, Keir Starmer’s highly effective work abroad, rebuilding shattered relationships that had seemed irreparable and putting Britain firmly back on the international stage, has resulted in favourable trade deals with the US, the EU and India – trade deals which our predecessors talked about but conspicuously failed to deliver. They hugely enhance our growth potential.
Rescuing and reforming public services
We have also started the hard yards of investing again in our public services, especially the NHS. Only a Labour government shows this kind of commitment to our most treasured national icon. So far, we’ve cut waiting lists by 230,000 – the biggest fall in 15 years. We pledged 2 million new appointments in our first year but delivered more than 5 million. We have 2,500 more GPs and more people are successfully booking their appointments online – in fact for the first time more are booking online than in the old school way, ending the crazy 8.00am phone queue. People are beginning to notice the difference. We also pledged to create GB Energy, designed to build clean, homegrown energy, creating jobs and enabling cheaper bills. We’ve successfully done this, and we’ve also, as we said we would, brought rail transport back into public ownership, with Great British Railways putting passengers first.
Migration
Contrary to Reform’s posturing, net migration has fallen by two thirds in our first year. Asylum processing has doubled, meaning the backlog, a backlog that ballooned in the Tory years, is coming down, and there are now fewer asylum hotels than a year ago. We’ve removed 50, 000 people with no right to be here – a ten year high. We’ve developed a record-breaking crackdown on illegal working, which will be accelerated as digital ID is introduced. We’ve also started piloting a landmark returns deal with France – a game changer that our predecessors failed to achieve.
Help for families
Perhaps the most transformational change – one that symbolises this government’s moral purpose is improving the lives of children and young people. This is something Keir Starmer clearly cares about very deeply and increasingly identifies as his foundational mission – his moral purpose. Scrapping the Two Child Benefit Cap will lift half a million children out of poverty. Two thirds of parents who receive this are working in low paid jobs, sometimes working multiple jobs to try to make ends meet.
Many more working parents will also benefit from the expansion of childcare, delivered in September, along with 300 new school-based nurseries. Free school meals have been expanded to include a further half a million children, while the introduction of breakfast clubs will serve 5 million free breakfasts a day, ensuring parents can work longer hours and no child will start the day hungry. We’re also building on the legacy of Tessa Jowell’s brilliant Sure Start with 1,000 Best Start Family Hubs opening all around the country.
A lot to celebrate, a lot to look forward to
It’s a long list, and it’s just the beginning. The next few months will see more much needed help with the cost of living: £150 off energy bills in April (£300 for the poorest households); another boost to the National Minimum and Living Wages; freezing prescription charges; and the first freeze in rail fares for 30 years.
2026 will also herald a new era of security for 9 million renters – when our Renters Rights Act comes into effect in May. These are changes that people will see in their local communities – and those communities will feel significantly safer by March with 3,000 new neighbourhood police officers. And the introduction of 120 community diagnostic centres – near to home and open 7 days a week by April will continue to improve our NHS at a very local level, too. Meanwhile, as the excellent Pride in Place funding kicks in, people around the country will have their say, determining which local projects they want to champion.
With thanks to Deborah Mattinson at Labour List.