Weekly Roundup

This week in Westminster, the political landscape feels like a high-stakes chess match. 

Between fresh polling shocks and a frantic legislative agenda, the main parties are already in campaign mode for the May local elections.

Here is your weekly roundup of the news and the perspectives from across the UK political spectrum.

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The Headlines: A High-Stakes Start to 2026
At the first Cabinet meeting of the year, the PM insisted that 2026 is the year "renewal becomes reality," focusing heavily on the cost of living and NHS waiting times

Labour: "The Year of Delivery"

The Narrative: Prime Minister Keir Starmer is attempting to move past a difficult 18 months by framing 2026 as the year the public finally sees the results of his "missions."

The Perspective: Inside Number 10, the focus is on discipline. Starmer is urging his Cabinet to ignore the "politics of easy answers" (a jab at Reform and the Greens) and focus on retail politics: energy bills, the minimum wage, and the NHS. However, the party is under pressure from its own backbenchers over the Crime and Policing Bill, with many concerned that the government’s crackdown on protest rights is becoming "illiberal."

Conservatives: "The Only Real Opposition"

The Narrative: Kemi Badenoch is using the new year to position the Tories as the "principled" alternative to a "stumbling" Labour government.

The Perspective: The Conservatives are relishing Labour’s perceived U-turns, particularly on pub licensing hours and the "family farm tax" (Agricultural Property Relief). Badenoch’s strategy is simple: highlight Labour’s incompetence while distancing the Tories from the populist surge of Reform UK. They are portraying themselves as the party with a "backbone," focusing on border security and a "common-sense" approach to Net Zero.

Liberal Democrats: "The NHS Champions"

The Narrative: Ed Davey is sharpening his focus on health and social care, positioning the Lib Dems as the voice of the "squeezed middle" and the only party serious about a closer relationship with Europe.

The Perspective: The Lib Dems have dominated the headlines this week by attacking a potential £3bn "surrender" to the US on drug prices. By calling it a "Trump Tax," they are successfully painting Labour as weak on the international stage. Expect to see them push harder for a return to the EU Customs Union in the coming weeks as a way to "Trump-proof" the UK economy.

Reform UK: "The New Establishment?"

The Narrative: Riding high on a poll that puts them in "majority territory," Reform UK is dealing with the growing pains of actually holding power at a local level.

The Perspective: While Nigel Farage celebrates polling that shows Reform taking seats in both the "Red Wall" and affluent suburbs, the party is facing its first credibility crisis. Several Reform-controlled councils (notably Kent and Derbyshire) have proposed 5% council tax increases, directly contradicting the party’s national anti-tax rhetoric. Opponents are calling it a "betrayal," but Reform leaders argue they are simply clearing up "Labour and Tory mess."

Green Party: "The Progressive Alternative"

The Narrative: With Labour shifting to the centre, the Greens are seeing "green shoots" in urban areas, positioning themselves as the true home for disillusioned left-wing voters.

The Perspective: The Greens are leaning heavily into their Wealth Tax proposal (a 2% tax on assets over £10m). Despite the Fabian Society labelling them a "threat" to Labour, the Greens are emboldened by polling that suggests they could more than double their seat count. They are currently the loudest voice against the government's stance on Venezuela and the Middle East, carving out a distinct foreign policy identity.

PRIME MINISTER QUESTIONS - 7th Jan 2026

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