Assessing Keir Starmer’s Progress on Key Promises

Following significant electoral setbacks, Keir Starmer is encountering pressure from within his own party to either resign or provide a clear schedule for stepping down. Nevertheless, in a recent address, the Prime Minister emphasized that he accepts "responsibility for the change we promised for a stronger and fairer Britain." Back in December 2024, he outlined several "measurable milestones" aimed at improving housing construction, reducing hospital wait times, and boosting living standards. The question now is: how is his administration tracking against these goals?

Housing Construction

The government’s objective is to deliver 1.5 million "safe and decent homes" across England by the conclusion of the current parliamentary term in 2029. Progress is assessed by monitoring net additional dwellings, which calculates the difference between newly built or converted properties and those demolished. While there are no specific annual quotas, achieving the 1.5 million total would require an average of 300,000 homes per year. Currently, Labour is adding just over 200,000 annually.

Ministers argue that the pace is intended to accelerate in the latter half of the Parliament. However, current delivery rates remain lower than those recorded in the final years of the previous Conservative administration. Furthermore, escalating costs for construction materials and increased energy prices, exacerbated by the conflict in Iran, present additional hurdles to meeting this target.

When will we know? Official statistics for the year ending in March will be released in November. In the interim, BBC Verify’s housebuilding tracker offers a more immediate indicator by counting new homes that receive their first Energy Performance Certificate (EPC). These data points are published approximately one month after the close of each quarter.

Hospital Waiting Times

Regarding healthcare, the administration has pledged that 92% of patients in England will be seen within 18 weeks by the end of the Parliament. This benchmark was last achieved in 2015. Recent data suggests some improvement: in February 2026, 62.6% of patients awaiting procedures were treated within the 18-week window, up from 58.8% when Labour assumed office in July 2024. The government has established an interim goal of reaching 65% by March 2026, with this specific figure to be announced on Thursday, 14 May.

When will we know? Waiting list data is typically released about six weeks after the end of the relevant month. Readers can monitor local waiting times using the provided tracker.

Living Standards

Starmer’s agenda includes a commitment to "raising living standards in every part of the United Kingdom." The government tracks this through Real Household Disposable Income (RHDI) per person, a metric that accounts for taxes, benefits, and inflation. Notably, RHDI failed to grow during the 2019–2024 parliamentary term, marking the first such stagnation since the 1950–51 Parliament, according to the Resolution Foundation.

In the first year of the current government (2024–25), RHDI per person rose significantly by 3.1%. However, projections from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), released in March 2026 shortly after the onset of the Iran war, suggest a sharp slowdown. Forecasts indicate a mere 0.1% growth for 2025–26, followed by an annual increase of approximately 0.5% over the subsequent five years.

Additionally, the government monitors GDP per head as a barometer of economic health. The Office for National Statistics reports that GDP per capita expanded by 1.1% in 2025, reversing the zero growth seen in 2024.

When will we know? RHDI statistics are published roughly three months after the end of each quarter. GDP per capita data follows a similar timeline, released about six weeks after the quarter concludes.

Police Numbers

The Prime Minister has pledged to restore police presence on the streets by recruiting 13,000 additional officers, police community support officers (PCSOs), and volunteer special constables for neighborhood policing roles in England and Wales by the end of the Parliament. The Home Office has not provided a detailed breakdown of this recruitment figure, stating only that...

Source: BBC News Generated at: 2026-05-12 07:59:13 UTC