A fresh start? Party leaders' new year messages

It's a gloomy new year for the main party leaders as they assess their prospects in 2012.

Both the coalition heads are facing another difficult year as the economy is forecast to continue stagnating, at least until the autumn.

With high unemployment it will be difficult for them to maintain their popularity, but the opposition's leader Ed Miliband is struggling in the polls and faces his own challenges in the new year.

New year messages are usually quoted back at leaders in the final prime minister's questions of the year, as happened a couple of weeks ago to both Mr Cameron and Mr Miliband.

All three leaders will be careful they are not too upbeat looking ahead as a result. At least there is the Olympics to look forward to, though.

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