Our new year's resolutions for politicians: a May election, more transparency and Boris - stay out of politics

There will be a general election in the UK, the London mayor will be decided and we could have Donald Trump back in the White House. All the while, war in the Middle East and Ukraine still rages, causing instability across the globe.

As the new year is a time for reflection, NationalWorld has decided to give UK politicians five resolutions they should take up to improve politics in 2024. 

Rishi Sunak - call an early election

There has been much speculation in Westminster as to when the next general election will be. Voters technically may have to wait until January 2025, although Rishi Sunak told journalists before Christmas that the poll would be this year. 

Most pundits and commentators predict that the Prime Minister will likely call a late autumn election in October or November, despite some indications that it could come sooner. NationalWorld is urging Sunak to put the British public out of their misery and call an election as soon as possible - tying in with the locals in May would make sense.

Since Boris Johnson was elected in 2019, we’ve had three Prime Ministers - with Sunak not even elected by Tory members, let alone the general public. The government feels like a lame duck, totally out of ideas. Research by the think tank More in Common has found that 73% of people think it should happen by May, with only 15% favouring an autumn poll. Come on Rishi, put us out of our misery. 

Keir Starmer - publish your meetings

The government’s transparency regime leaves much to be desired, but ministers and senior civil servants must publish records - albeit limited - from any meetings they have with outside parties. MPs must declare all earnings, donations and outside financial interests. This gives the public some insight at least into what goes on in the corridors of power.

This information enables us then to connect the dots; between public contracts and firms run by wealthy donors, from a company with interests in achieving a certain policy end, to an MP in their pay who raises the issue in parliament.

It makes sense that the governing party should be beholden to high standards of transparency. But in the position we’re now in, where many in the corporate world believe strongly that Labour will be in government before long, shouldn’t there be some requirement to know which powerful interests have the ear of the party which will soon hold the country’s reins?

There was a time not so long ago when Labour under Ed Miliband believed it was on the cusp of government. In preparation, and as a means of demonstrating that they had nothing to hide, Miliband took the commendable step of publishing details of all his meetings with donors and media executives.

So if Labour wants to talk-the-talk on cleaning up Westminster sleaze after 13 years of Conservative rule, it should start walking-the-walk - before it enters government. Keir Starmer should publish details of all meetings between frontbenchers and external parties - donors, lobbyists, media executives and any one else who could conceivably stand to benefit from decisions taken by the man who is likely to be this country’s next Prime Minister.

Jeremy Hunt - create humane benefit system to reduce food bank usage

Over the last 12 months, as the cost of living crisis has continued to bite, food bank usage has reached record levels. Earlier in the year I spoke to Josie Barlow, who started working at the Bradford Central foodbank in 2018 when it was looking after up to 400 people a month. This September, almost 1,500 food parcels were given out.

A recent Joseph Rowntree Foundation report found that almost four million people in the UK, including more than a million children, experienced the most extreme form of poverty in 2022. We’ve almost become accustomed to people in this country, one of the richest in the world, relying on donations from kind-hearted neighbours, as opposed to a functioning social security system and economy.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. Josie said that when cost of living grants have come in, her food bank has seen a huge dip in usage. At the moment, Universal Credit has failed to keep up with inflation, she explained, leaving those in and out of work resorting to charity. She also said the two-child benefit cap is driving a lot of demand, while Trussell Trust chief executive Emma Revie Department for Work and Pensions benefit deductions are causing huge issues.

So, even if it’s the last thing Jeremy Hunt does as Chancellor, he should reform the benefit system to reduce the endemic food bank use - which is a source of national shame for our country.

David Cameron - keep supporting Ukraine

This is potentially the most obvious of all our new year’s resolutions, but sadly it still needs to be said. At a time when international support for Ukraine is wavering, we must not allow Vladimir Putin to exploit this and continue his barbaric attack.

Only on 29 December, Russia unleashed its biggest air barrage of the entire war with 122 missiles and 36 drones. Ukrainian towns and cities have been turned into rubble and after almost two years the war is showing no sign of ending.

The Ukrainian army is running short of munitions, and if it runs out this puts at risk all the gains it has achieved over the past 22 months. In the US, Republicans have blocked Joe Biden’s request for $60 billion (£47m) more in aid, while a Trump presidency could shift the war decisively to Putin.

It’s vital the UK continues to give Ukraine as much support as possible, and so far the signs are that new Foreign Secretary David Cameron will continue doing this.

Boris Johnson - do not return to politics

As the Tory infighting raged ahead of the Rwanda vote, the Mail on Sunday reported that multiple Conservative MPs are planning to try and bring back Boris Johnson as Prime Minister ahead of the next election. And if you thought that was far fetched, a leadership ticket with Nigel Farage is even being considered.

Quite how they are planning to bring him back - Operation Save Big Dog 2 I guess - is unclear, however NationalWorld wants to put a stop to this speculation now and give Johnson a resolution not to return to frontline politics.

Despite what those who believe Nadine Dorries might think, Johnson was entirely the architect of his own downfall and left office in disgrace after a number of scandals. To name just a few, he tried to change the rules to prevent Owen Paterson from being suspended for serious lobbying breaches, appointed Deputy Chief Whip Chris Pincher after being warned about a litany of sexual misconduct and was found to have lied to Parliament over Partygate. 

And since Johnson resigned, even more information about what a disastrous Prime Minister has come out during the Covid Inquiry. It has revealed a man incapable of making decisions presiding over a chaotic administration that was accused of having a toxic culture. So please Boris, spend time writing books and being a dad - but don’t come back into politics in 2024.