Labour have been in power in the UK since 5 July 2024, when Keir Starmer became prime minister after winning the general election, so as of January 2026 they have been in government for about 18 months.

Quick timeline

  • The Labour Party won a landslide victory in the UK general election held on 4 July 2024, ending 14 years of Conservative government.
  • Keir Starmer officially became prime minister on 5 July 2024, marking the start of the current Labour government.
  • By late 2025 reports were already describing Starmer as having been in office for roughly a year and a half, which matches Labour being in power for about 18 months by early 2026.

So if the question is “how long have Labour been in power” right now, the answer is roughly one and a half years since July 2024.