POLITICS had more drama and dust-ups in 2025 than a Christmas special of The Only Way Is Essex.
It was the year Sir Keir Starmer went from hero to zero as his ratings tanked, Labour descended into civil war and leadership plots, and panicked Tories defected en masse to Nigel Farage’s Reform Party.
So grab a turkey sandwich and a glass of fizz as The Sun on Sunday’s Political Editor Kate Ferguson takes you through Westminster’s winners and losers of 2025.
BOMBSHELL EXIT OF THE YEAR
ANGELA RAYNER had Westminster on the edge of its seat — at the shock news she had bought a second home in Hove and failed to pay £40,000 of stamp duty tax on it.
The Deputy PM gave a tearful interview and blamed her lawyers for giving her dodgy tax advice.
The waterworks didn’t stop Parliament’s sleazebuster from finding her at fault, and Angie quit in disgrace, forcing Keir to carry out a panicked Cabinet reshuffle.
But, like a killed-off EastEnders character, could Angie make a comeback?
VILLAIN OF THE YEAR
IN Opposition, Rachel Reeves promised to be an “Iron Chancellor” with a firm grip on the nation’s purse strings.
Yet in power she has been doling out bumper public sector pay rises to her union mates and hiked taxes to their highest level since World War Two.
But 2025 was the year her credibility was shot to pieces after she was accused of lying and exaggerating the dire state of the country’s finances in the run-up to the Budget.
Loathed by struggling businesses and barred from her local boozer, most people think Keir will give her the boot within months.
POLITICAL BREAK-UP OF THE YEAR
THE Tory Party suffered more break-ups than Taylor Swift has songs about them, as a growing number of Conservatives defected to join Nigel Farage’s Reform party.
Respected MP Danny Kruger became the first sitting Tory MP to tear up his membership card and cross the floor.
But the big question is who else might join him in 2026?
All eyes are on Robert Jenrick — the runner-up for Tory leader and social media crime-flighter.
If he jumps too then the Conservative Party really will look like a sinking ship.
POLITICAL DUST-UP OF THE YEAR
WHEN Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana announced they were setting up a new left-wing political party called Your Party, even their allies predicted it would end in tears.
But the spectacular falling out we have witnessed between the pair has surpassed anyone’s wildest dreams. First there was a row about the name.
Then Zarah was accused of delaying the transfer of £800,000 in donations to the party.
A furious Zarah hit back saying she was the victim of a “sexist boys’ club” and accusing party insiders of launching a “witch hunt” against her.
In farcical scenes, she even boycotted the first day of the party’s launch conference.
Surely a political divorce is on the cards in 2026?
BLUNDER OF THE YEAR
DAVID LAMMY’S first appearance covering for Keir Starmer at PMQs descended into chaos when he refused to answer questions about a prisoner who had been accidentally freed from jail.
The farcical scenes helped earn the Deputy PM the nickname Calamity Lammy and went down in the history books as one of the worst debuts at PMQs ever.
I can’t imagine Sir Keir will be in a hurry to miss another PMQs after that horror show.
U-TURN OF THE YEAR
THE Government committed so many screeching U-turns in 2025 that you can smell the burning rubber all the way in Timbuktu.
There was Rachel Reeves’ decision to break Labour’s manifesto and raise income tax, abandoned at the 11th hour.
Then we heard ministers had watered down the farmers inheritance tax raid after months of tractor protests in Whitehall.
But by far the biggest U-turn of the year was the decision to lift the two-child benefit cap.
Keir and Rachel decided to splurge £3.5billion on the welfare handout after an astonishing rebellion by Labour MPs.
But despite the handout, there is still plenty of bad blood between the PM and his backbenchers.
TROUBLEMAKER OF THE YEAR
HE may be the so-called “King of the North” — but Andy Burnham has spent most of 2025 lusting after power in Westminster.
The Mayor of Greater Manchester has made no secret of his desire to oust Keir Starmer from No10 and take the Labour crown for himself.
But his quest to become PM has been met by one major obstacle — he isn’t an MP.
Could 2026 be the year Andy finally persuades one of his mates to give up their parliamentary seat so he can make a long-awaited comeback?
FUTURE PLOT TWIST
TALKING of leadership plots, the Westminster rumour mill has turned to a new possible challenger to Keir Starmer’s premiership: Wes Streeting.
The charismatic Health Secretary has launched his unofficial campaign for the top job.
He has given lots of profile-raising interviews, suggested Britain should rejoin the EU customs union and said taxes are too high.
If Wes showed any more ankle to Labour’s membership he would be wearing a mini skirt.
NEWCOMER OF THE YEAR
ZACK POLANSKI’S election as leader of the Green Party sent shockwaves through Westminster.
Before he got into politics, Polanski was best known for being a hypnotist who claimed he could “enlarge” women’s breasts with the power of his mind.
Since then, he has become a leftie podcaster who has managed to swell the Green Party’s membership ranks to 170,000 people.
Many Labour MPs are terrified the Greens are eating into their support and could cost them their seats.
So, can Polanski enlarge the party’s voter numbers? Or is this podcaster-turned-politician offering up more bogus promises?
