After fourteen years, the Labor Party won the general election on July 4. The Labor Party victory took place in a situation where Britain was facing many problems during the conservative period. There are many immediate tasks for the new UK Prime Minister. For the incoming government, there will be no time to waste. Kier Starmer doesn’t have much time to rebuild the UK’s woes. The following article examines the most important challenges of the new UK government and Starmer’s promises.
The start of Starmer’s prime ministership in the worst conditions in the UK
Keir Starmer became Labor leader in 2020. Starmer took over the leadership of a party that had suffered its worst election defeat since 1935 under Jeremy Corbyn. Starmer, the leader of the Labor Party won the general election in unfavorable conditions. The British people did not necessarily vote Labor in favor of Keir Starmer’s policies. They ended the 14-year rule of the conservatives in protest against the cost of living crisis. Obviously, the immediate tasks for the new UK Prime Minister are many. Starmer has only a short time to improve the living conditions of the English people.
Starmer’s victory following British dissatisfaction with conservative policies
After winning the general election, Starmer announced his government’s plans to rebuild the country in a speech. He said: “Brick by brick, we will rebuild the infrastructure of opportunity.” He added that he understands that many people in the UK have been in a state of chaos for years under the rule of the Conservative Party. This section of his speech shows that the new Prime Minister owes his victory to the widespread dissatisfaction of the British people with the Conservative Party. He has five years to turn public discontent into support for Labor. Therefore, doing immediate tasks for the new UK Prime Minister is necessary to improve the situation of English people in different dimensions.
Resolving British challenges with NATO: Starmer’s first mission
One of the immediate tasks for the new UK Prime Minister is rebuilding NATO relations. Starmer has resolutely announced Labor’s support for NATO and committed to Britain’s nuclear deterrent project, “Trident.” This means that British foreign policy will remain the same. They are more assertive than the Conservatives about Britain’s geopolitical strategy towards Russia.
Starmer’s commitment to review defense policies
British foreign and defense policy will remain the same. Therefore, Britain will remain an active member of NATO. Labor will push to increase defense spending to 2.5% of GDP, as the Conservatives have pledged. As promised by Starmer, the new government will carry out a strategic defense review in its first year. Labor has set a path to spend 2.5% of GDP on defense in ways requiring a proposed security pact to oblige Britain and the EU to strengthen NATO.
Ukraine is an important foreign policy priority of the Starmer government
Britain has been one of Kyiv’s most vigorous supporters since Russia’s massive invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Britain has spent more than any other European NATO member to defend Ukraine against Russia. In the election campaign, the Labor Party tried to be firm in its support for Ukraine. On Ukraine, Starmer has pledged “sustained” support. He has supported calls to reuse frozen Russian assets in support of Ukraine. Starmer plans to provide a clear path to Ukraine’s NATO membership.
Improving relations with the EU is an essential challenge for the Starmer government
Labor has made it clear that a closer relationship with the EU is a priority. Therefore, the victory of the Labor Party in this election sent a clear signal to the European Union that Britain wants to improve its relations with Europe. Of course, how far relations between the two sides develop will depend on what the Labor government does and what the EU is willing or unwilling to accept in trade. The Labor Party has expressed its intention to restore relations with Europe after eight years of strained relations caused by Brexit.
Removing trade barriers with the European Union is Starmer’s big challenge
Labor has been clear about not rejoining the EU’s single market or customs union or allowing people to move freely between the UK’s borders with the EU. Nevertheless, Labor struggled to become a pro-business option for Britain. The party will likely seek to remove remaining trade barriers with Europe in favor of UK SMEs. However, the EU is unlikely to accept these terms. The union will not accept any new agreement without some concessions. Striking the right balance in its trading relationship with the EU, which remains Britain’s largest trading partner, is essential to the Labor government.
Starmer’s Challenge to Consolidate British Domain Relations
During the Conservative period, the tendency for independence from the UK strengthened among the residents of Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales. In its manifesto, Labor says it will restore the relationship between Westminster and the governments of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. The manifesto also includes a new Council of Nations and Regions, consisting of the Prime Minister, national government leaders, and mayors of significant boroughs across the UK. This change is evident in the division of power in transportation, employment, planning, and housing. Such a policy is a change of approach from Westminster’s strict control over the regions. Undoubtedly, the effects of this policy will be evident in British political planning in the coming years.
Starmer’s commitments on climate change
On climate change, Starmer remains committed to the UK’s legal duty to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050. At the same time, Conservative governments have recently attempted to develop new oil and gas production from UK offshore fields. In addition, they even put the exploitation of a new coal mine on their agenda. Of course, these measures are not unrelated to Russian energy sanctions and energy shortages in Europe. Floods, heatwaves, and droughts worldwide mean the climate crisis is affecting the UK more than ever.
Congestion of prisoners in British prisons
The UK government and society have faced a significant challenge in the past months. This big challenge has been the overcrowding of the prison population in this country. England and Wales have the highest number of prisoners per capita in Western Europe. Former conservative government officials considered various solutions to deal with this crisis. Charlie Taylor, the Chief Inspector of Prisons, recently said that urgent measures are needed to reduce the prison population. According to him, prisons are at breaking point. Shabana Mahmood, the new secretary of justice of the UK, recently announced that thousands of prisoners will be released in early September. The early release of prisoners is done to prevent the collapse of the country’s prison system.
Economic problems and dissatisfaction of the British
Rising prices and the cost of living crisis have created widespread discontent in the UK. Public sector workers have repeatedly gone on crippling strikes to protest low wages and poor working conditions. Thousands of British doctors left their jobs the week before the general election to take their protest over the cost of living crisis to the next government. Experts believe the Conservative Party was punished by voters whose mortgage payments have risen recently due to rising inflation and bank interest rates. The Bank of England has increased the base interest rate by 5.25 percentage points since two years ago to curb inflation. This has added hundreds of pounds to people’s monthly expenses.
Immediate tasks for the new UK Prime Minister to strengthen British confidence in the Labor Party
Undoubtedly, there are extensive challenges at home and abroad for the new prime minister. The immediate tasks for the new UK Prime Minister include tackling the difficulties created by the conservatives. Starmer must implement effective strategies to improve the UK’s progress and strength. He needs to respond to the needs of British society in domestic and foreign policy. After several years of chaos, the new government has a difficult task ahead of it, the biggest challenge of which is maintaining its will and focus amid local and global crises. By urgently addressing cost of living and economic concerns, Labor can build trust with voters. Therefore, Starmer’s mission is to rebuild the UK slowly and patiently, which will also be difficult.
