2025 in United Kingdom politics and government
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A list of events relating to politics and government in the United Kingdom during 2025.
Events
[edit]January
[edit]- 2 January –
- Former Deputy Prime Minister Sir Nick Clegg announces he is standing down as Meta's president of global affairs after almost seven years.[1]
- Twenty Labour Party councillors on Broxtowe Borough Council in Nottinghamshire have resigned from Labour in protest at the direction of the party under Sir Keir Starmer and will sit as independents.[2]
- Graham Sheldon resigns as leader of Oldham Council's Conservatives, and from the Conservative Party itself, after police were called to a heated council meeting on 18 December.[3]
- Kemi Badenoch calls for a public inquiry into grooming gangs.[4]
- 3 January –
- The UK government announces that the plans for reforms to social care in England may not be published until 2028, or later.[5]
- Zoe Hughes, a transgender member of Exeter City council, quits the Labour Party in a row over transgender issues.[6]
- 4 January –
- Reform UK leader Nigel Farage seeks to distance himself from Elon Musk's call for far-right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon (also known as Tommy Robinson) to be released from prison.[7]
- At Reform's East of England Conference in Chelmsford, Farage threatens to target Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch's North West Essex seat over her allegations his party's membership figures are weak, and seems to show that the party now has 170,000 members.[8]
- 5 January – In a post on Twitter, Elon Musk says that Nigel Farage "doesn't have what it takes" to lead Reform UK, remarks that Farage claims stem from a disagreement over Musk's support for far-right activist Tommy Robinson.[9]
- 6 January –
- The Prime Minister responds to X owner Elon Musk and others he accuses of "spreading lies and misinformation" over grooming gangs. Starmer tells reporters that these online debates have now "crossed a line", resulting in threats against MPs, including Safeguarding Minister Jess Phillips.[10]
- MPs debate an online petition calling for a re-run of the 2024 general election in Westminster Hall, a secondary debating chamber.[11]
- Treasury Minister Tulip Siddiq refers herself to the Independent Adviser on Ministers' Interests after controversy over her links to her aunt's political movement in Bangladesh.[12]
- Justin Welby's tenure as Archbishop of Canterbury comes to an end following his resignation in November 2024. Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell assumes temporary charge of the Church of England from the following day.[13]
- 7 January – Minister Jess Phillips says Elon Musk is putting her in danger with misinformation about grooming gangs.[14]
- 8 January –
- MPs vote 364–111 against a Conservative proposal to require the UK government to establish an inquiry into grooming gangs.[15]
- The Liberal Democrats are ordered to pay £14,000 to Natalie Bird, a former parliamentary candidate who says she was driven out of the party and barred from standing as an MP over her gender-critical views.[16]
- Sir Oliver Robbins is appointed Permanent Secretary to the Foreign Office, succeeding Sir Philip Barton.[17]
- Patrick Harvie, the co-leader of the Scottish Greens, is to take time off from the Scottish Parliament because of a medical procedure.[18]
- Proposals are published to give Members of the Senedd a 6% pay rise, taking the wages for a backbench MS to £76,380 in 2025-26, up from £72,057.[19]
- 9 January –
- Former Prime Minister Liz Truss sends Sir Keir Starmer a legal "cease and desist" letter demanding that he stop saying she "crashed the economy".[20]
- Mick Lynch announces his retirement as general secretary of the National Union of Rail, Maritime and Transport Workers.[21]
- 10 January – Local councils will decide whether to delay their participation in the May local elections by this date.[22]
February
[edit]March
[edit]April
[edit]- 28 April – The 28th anniversary of the Good Friday Agreement will be marked.[23]
May
[edit]June
[edit]July
[edit]August
[edit]September
[edit]October
[edit]November
[edit]December
[edit]Deaths
[edit]- 1 January – Sally Oppenheim-Barnes, Baroness Oppenheim-Barnes, 96, British politician, minister of state for consumer affairs (1979–1982), MP (1970–1987), and member of the House of Lords (1989–2019).[25]
- 4 January – Jenny Randerson, Baroness Randerson, 76, Welsh politician and peer, acting Deputy First Minister of Wales (2001–2002) and member of the House of Lords (since 2011).[26]
References
[edit]- ^ Sri-Pathma, Vishala; Kleinman, Zoe (2 January 2025). "Sir Nick Clegg to leave Meta ahead of Trump's return". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
- ^ Casswell, Hugh (2 January 2025). "Twenty Broxtowe councillors quit Labour over Starmer's leadership". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 2 January 2025.
- ^ "Oldham Conservative leader resigns after 'explosive' meeting". BBC News. BBC. 2 January 2025. Retrieved 2 January 2025.
- ^ "Conservatives demand for inquiry into grooming gangs as government reject call for Oldham probe". ITV News. 2 January 2025.
- ^ Hold, Alison; Burns, Judith (3 January 2025). "Streeting defends timescale for social care reform". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 3 January 2025.
- ^ "Labour councillor quits party over trans row". BBC News. 3 January 2025. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
- ^ Miller, Hannah; McGarvey, Emily (4 January 2025). "Nigel Farage distances himself from Elon Musk on Tommy Robinson". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 4 January 2025.
- ^ Mitchell, Archie (4 January 2025). "Farage calls out Badenoch directly on Reform UK membership at conference". Independent. Retrieved 4 January 2025.
- ^ Francis, Sam; Farley, Harry (5 January 2025). "Elon Musk calls for Nigel Farage to be replaced as Reform UK leader". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
- ^ "Starmer attacks those 'spreading lies' on grooming gangs". BBC News. BBC News. 6 January 2025. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
- ^ Seddon, Paul (27 November 2024). "MPs to debate petition calling for another election". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 27 November 2024.
- ^ "Tulip Siddiq refers herself for probe by standards adviser". BBC News. BBC. 6 January 2025. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
- ^ Maqbool, Aleem (6 January 2025). "Justin Welby enters last day as Archbishop of Canterbury". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 6 January 2025.
- ^ Derbyshire, Victoria; Whannel, Kate (7 January 2025). "Elon Musk's 'disinformation' endangering me, says Jess Phillips". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 7 January 2025.
- ^ Whannel, Kate; Francis, Sam (8 January 2025). "Tory bid to force national grooming gangs inquiry voted down by MPs". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
- ^ "Lib Dems told to pay £14,000 to ex-candidate after gender views row". BBC News. BBC. 8 January 2025. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
- ^ Landale, James; Francis, Sam (8 January 2025). "Ex-Brexit negotiator Sir Oliver Robins to be Foreign Office chief". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
- ^ "Patrick Harvie to take time off from Scottish Parliament". BBC News. BBC. 8 January 2025. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
- ^ Davies, Cemlyn (8 January 2025). "Welsh Parliament politicians could get above inflation pay rise". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 8 January 2025.
- ^ Geiger, Chas (9 January 2025). "Liz Truss legal threat to Starmer over claim she crashed economy". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
- ^ Francis, Sam (9 January 2025). "Mick Lynch announces retirement as head of RMT". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 9 January 2025.
- ^ "Counties given 'extraordinary' deadline to cancel elections". Local Government Chronicle. 17 December 2024. Retrieved 19 December 2024.
- ^ "2025 Is Unlikely To Be A Year Of Harmony In Northern Irish Politics". Politics Home. 2 January 2025. Retrieved 5 January 2025.
- ^ "Election timetable in England". GOV.UK. Retrieved 31 January 2024.
- ^ "Former Gloucester MP dies". Gloucester Reporter. 2 January 2025. Retrieved 2 January 2025.
- ^ "Lib Dem Peer Jenny Randerson dies at 76". Lib Dem Voice. Retrieved 7 January 2025.