Streeting says ‘hell of a lot’ nonetheless to do after PM says NHS has met its two million further appointments pledge – UK politics reside

Requested concerning the impression of migration on NHS companies whereas showing on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, well being secretary Wes Streeting stated it was “a mixed picture”.

Suggesting that the service was “slightly over-reliant on overseas workers” he advised viewers:

There’s little question that web migration is inserting actual stress on the NHS. However it’s a blended image, as a result of in these figures are additionally people who find themselves coming to work in our NHS and social care companies.

So we’re, I believe, barely over-reliant on abroad employees to workers our well being and care companies. And I believe it’s partly my job to assist the house secretary scale back these web migration figures.

And total, we had been investing within the expertise of our nation so we are able to practice up our personal individuals, to cut back our reliance on individuals coming from abroad to fill vacancies.

Streeting had been requested “What about the pressure on the NHS of immigration, legal and illegal? We see figures just this weekend, very high. Hundreds of people crossed over the weekend, and it’s February. We’re not even in spring or summer. That’s putting immense pressure on the NHS, isn’t it?”

The well being secretary defended the federal government’s document, saying:

On the query of unlawful migration, in frequent with different challenges throughout authorities, we’ve made progress within the first seven months, particularly on deportations of people that shouldn’t be right here.

And the house secretary and the prime minister have been working ferociously with our allies throughout Europe, significantly international locations like Italy, the place that is additionally a problem, to begin coping with our border safety points.

And simply final week, we put laws by parliament to arrange our safe border command, which, sadly, the Conservatives and Reform voted towards. However we’re making progress. And in frequent with what I stated concerning the NHS, so much performed, a hell of much more nonetheless to do.

Keir Starmer’s announcement by way of the Telegraph that he was ready to place British peacekeeping troops on the bottom in Ukraine was additionally described by Conservative MP and shadow cupboard spokesperson Alicia Kearns as not the best precedence. She advised viewers of Sky Information “his priority should be today talking about defence spending.”

It was put to her that by Sky’s Wilfred Frost that “you’re trying to criticise the state of defence spending six months into their government, when this is a long-term issue, after 14 years [of Conservatives being] in power.”

Kearns responded by saying:

I’ve at all times been very clear. I used to be vital of my very own authorities. However what I’m saying is, since July, a call was made to aspect with the Treasury, to not give the rise in defence spending. We would have liked to proceed to replenish shares. Replenishing shares must be the precedence in order that we’re prepared if we do want to offer peacekeeping companies, if we do want to offer extra help to Ukraine.

One other one that raised the difficulty of the price related to Starmer’s announcement and broader defence spending was Richard Dannatt, chief of the final workers between 2006 and 2009, who advised BBC Breakfast:

My response is the prime minister is doing the best factor. However, in fact, doing the best factor comes at a worth. If the prime minister is severe about desirous to deploy British troops, put boots on the bottom in Ukraine as a part of a peacekeeping pressure, he’s received to understand that’s going to come back at a substantial value.

Frankly, we haven’t received the numbers and we haven’t received the tools to place a big pressure onto the bottom for an prolonged time period at the moment second. We’ve received to have the best variety of individuals with the best tools and the best coaching, and begin to fund that now.

Conservative MP for Rutland and Stamford, Alicia Kearns, who acts as a shadow cupboard spokesperson, was additionally on the media spherical this morning, and advised viewers of Sky Information that whereas her celebration stood “shoulder to shoulder” with Ukraine, she was “quite cautious” about Keir Starmer’s announcement within the pages of the Telegraph that he was ready to place British troops on the bottom as a part of a peacekeeping pressure.

She stated:

I’m fairly cautious, as a result of we’re not a spot through which we perceive the phrases or the situations or the numbers or the best way through which we’ve been deploying our individuals, and we must always at all times be sure that we’re making choices primarily based on as a lot data as doable.

The truth is that Ukraine continues to be preventing for its freedom. Russia has taken round 600 sq. miles of territory over the previous couple of months. We’re not in a spot as but the place I believe we may be making these commitments … issues are going to alter over the subsequent few hours, not to mention the subsequent few days, weeks and months.

I’m used to seeing what it’s like out the place we have now individuals deployed. I don’t wish to deal in hypotheticals on the subject of placing our women and men on the bottom, preventing for individuals, as a result of I’ve seen how harmful it may be on the bottom and the way vital these choices are.

On the prospects of a US-Russia brokered peace deal with out together with Ukraine or European voices in negotiations, Kearns stated:

We’ll at all times give Ukraine the help they want. We’ll stand shoulder to shoulder with them. We’ll combat for them to find out the phrases of this peace.

And in addition, it’s vital to notice, this will’t simply be that we’ve managed to cease the taking pictures and homicide, and due to this fact we’ve received peace. We’d like a peace deal that can finish the risk to our European neighbours and to us, one that can make us safer from a state that’s at the moment behaving like a terrorist.

Whereas well being secretary Wes Streeting has been doing the media spherical boasting about making progress on the NHS in England, my colleague Denis Campbell has this report stating that NHS sufferers in England are affected by dysfunctional admin. He writes:

Sufferers routinely must chase up take a look at outcomes, obtain appointment letters after their appointments and have no idea when their remedy will happen as a result of the NHS is so “dysfunctional”.

That’s the conclusion of analysis by two main sufferers’ organisations and the King’s Fund, which lays naked a number of issues with the best way the well being service interacts with it customers.

Sixty-four p.c of individuals in England who used the NHS or organized look after another person during the last 12 months encountered an issue involving its administration or communication.

Sufferers had been left annoyed by take a look at outcomes going lacking, being unable to alter or cancel appointments or having to pursue the outcomes of a take a look at, scan or X-ray.

You possibly can learn extra of Denis Campbell’s report right here: Most NHS customers in England affected by dysfunctional admin, report finds

The well being secretary has stated that he hopes the federal government’s announcement on extra NHS appointments in England will go some solution to rebuilding the “shattered confidence” in politicians conserving their guarantees.

Showing on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, Wes Streeting advised viewers:

I need to say two issues actually. The primary is that we have now delivered that first step. We promise to ship two million extra appointments a 12 months to chop NHS ready lists [in England], and we’ve performed it seven months early.

So for all these individuals on the market watching, and there shall be many, who suppose that politicians discuss so much and do little or no, and that politicians don’t stick with our guarantees, I hope this begins to rebuild your shattered confidence that we’re sticking to our guarantees. In order that’s the primary level.

The second level, although, I’m not doing victory laps. The prime minister isn’t doing victory laps. We all know there’s a hell of much more to do … whether or not it’s the dimension of the ready lists, the ambulance response instances, the individuals on trolleys in corridors, or the battle individuals must get a GP or a dentist appointment. There are huge challenges within the NHS.

We’ve hit the bottom working. We’re attacking these challenges and looking for to ship 12 months on 12 months enchancment. However you received’t hear us in the present day going round saying, don’t fear. Job performed. What we’re saying in the present day is we’ve delivered our first step.

So so much performed, however a hell of much more to do. And I hope it simply rebuilds a little bit of confidence that we’re delivering our guarantees and that issues will get higher and brighter.

The federal government has introduced that it has hit an election promise to ship extra NHS appoints in England. In a press release it claimed “Pledge to deliver over two million more elective care appointments hit early with over 100,000 more treatments, tests and scans for patients each week” and that “Waiting lists falls by almost 160,000 since government took office, as extra appointments delivered for chemotherapy, radiotherapy, endoscopy, and diagnostic tests.”

Well being secretary Wes Streeting has been on the media spherical for the federal government this morning, and has been requested about Keir Starmer’s dedication to place British troops on the bottom in Ukraine in a peacekeeping function if required by any peace deal.

Talking on Occasions Radio he stated it was “premature” to speak about what number of British troops may very well be despatched. PA Media stories he advised listeners:

The prime minister shall be travelling to France to satisfy with different European Nato leaders to debate what’s a once-in-a-generation second for the collective safety of our continent, which isn’t nearly the way forward for Ukraine, it’s an existential query for Europe as a complete.

That’s why the gathering [in Paris] in the present day is vital. Subsequent week, he’ll be travelling to Washington to satisfy with President Trump, little question relaying the end result of a few of these discussions in the present day.

Requested what the size of a possible peacekeeping pressure may very well be and if the Authorities can be ready to hold out a recruitment drive, he stated: “I think it’s premature to be talking about numbers.”

He stated the federal government was nonetheless “on the path” to spending 2.5% of GDP on defence, though the federal government doesn’t have a date for reaching the goal.

In keeping with Home of Commons library figures, within the 2023/24 monetary 12 months, the UK spent £53.9bn on defence. A report printed in December 2024 said that “Real-terms defence spending fell by 22% between 2009/10 and 2016/17 (from £57.1bn to £44.6bn in 2023/24 prices), before starting to increase again to nearer its 2010 levels.”

Keir Starmer has stated he’s ready to place British troops on the bottom in Ukraine in a peacekeeping function as a part of any peace deal.

Taking the bizarre step of asserting the potential deployment of British troops within the pages of the Telegraph relatively than in parliament, the prime minister stated:

Europe should step up additional to satisfy the calls for of its personal safety. We’ve received to indicate we’re really severe about our personal defence and bearing our personal burden. We’ve talked about it for too lengthy – and president Trump is true to demand that we get on with it.

Russia continues to be waging warfare and Ukraine continues to be preventing for its freedom, which is why we should not relent in our efforts to get the package Ukrainians want for his or her fighters on the entrance line. Whereas the preventing continues, we should put Ukraine within the strongest doable place forward of any talks.

The UK is able to play a number one function in accelerating work on safety ensures for Ukraine. This contains additional help for Ukraine’s army. However it additionally means being prepared and prepared to contribute to safety ensures to Ukraine by placing our personal troops on the bottom if crucial.

I don’t say that evenly. I really feel very deeply the accountability that comes with probably placing British servicemen and ladies in hurt’s approach. However any function in serving to to ensure Ukraine’s safety helps to ensure the safety of our continent, and the safety of this nation.

Starmer continued by saying “The end of this war, when it comes, cannot merely become a temporary pause before Putin attacks again.”

The prime minister is heading to Paris in the present day for talks with European leaders. My colleague Jakub Krupa writes:

The Paris assembly will goal to stipulate a European motion plan after days of chaotic briefing by the Trump administration. The summit may even must determine how to answer a request by the US to spell out whether or not leaders are ready to commit troops to a stabilisation pressure within the occasion of a ceasefire.

Confirming the Paris assembly, France’s overseas minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, advised France Inter radio on Sunday: “The president will bring together the main European countries tomorrow for discussions on European security.” He stated there was a wind of unity blowing by.

Well being secretary Wes Streeting has stated he stays open to “serious proposals” for personal funding within the NHS.

Talking on BBC Radio 4’s In the present day programme, Streeting stated:

I actually need extra affected person alternative, extra affected person energy, extra affected person management over the place they’re seen, how they’re handled, the character of their appointments. The NHS must be as responsive as another organisation that we use.

I believe there’s a function for personal funding, however the phrases of these preparations, that’s the place you’ve received to tread actually fastidiously. However I’m open to severe proposals from the NHS, or certainly anybody else.

The federal government has claimed that it has delivered early on an election pledge to supply an additional two million NHS appointments in England inside a 12 months.

In a press release, the federal government stated:

The prime minister has welcomed new figures printed by NHS England which reveal that between July and November final 12 months, the NHS delivered virtually 2.2 million extra elective care appointments in comparison with the identical interval the earlier 12 months – delivering on the federal government’s mission to repair the NHS as a part of the plan for change.

The brand new information confirms the federal government reached the goal seven months sooner than promised – with 100,000 extra remedies, exams, and scans for sufferers every week, and greater than half one million further diagnostic exams delivered.

Chatting with BBC Radio 4’s In the present day programme, well being secretary Wes Streeting stated: “Look at the size of the waiting lists overall. It’s come down four months in a row. That’s progress, but there’s still a lot more to do.”

NHS England supplied 2.2m extra appointments for deliberate care – together with chemotherapy, radiotherapy and diagnostic exams – between July and November final 12 months than throughout the identical interval the 12 months earlier than.

Regardless of the announcement that the federal government claims to have hit its goal of two million further appointments, well being secretary Wes Streeting has stated there’s “a hell of a lot more to do” to enhance NHS care in England.

Talking on the BBC Radio 4 In the present day programme, the MP for Ilford North stated:

What we’ve seen within the NHS over the course of winter with ambulance response instances, and hall care, [there’s] a hell of much more to do there. Psychological well being is in a dire state. There’s an enormous quantity extra to do there.

And on every of these fronts, in fact, we’re going to ship what we stated in our manifesto.

However it’s vital that as we do, we’re reporting again to reassure the general public that politics could make a distinction. That authorities could be a pressure for good.

Good morning, and welcome to our rolling protection of UK politics for Monday. Listed below are the headlines.

• The federal government has claimed that it has already delivered on its election pledge to offer two million extra NHS elective care appointments in England

• Well being secretary Wes Streeting stated there’s “a hell of a lot more to do” to enhance care within the NHS in England, singling out ambulance response instances and hall care as points

• Prime minister Keir Starmer has written an op-ed for the Telegraph saying that he’s prepared to place British troops on the bottom as a part of a peacekeeping pressure on the bottom in Ukraine if required as a part of any peace deal

• Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been warned public sector unions will demand increased pay will increase to compensate for accelerating inflation

• UK employers are reported to be getting ready for the largest redundancy spherical in a decade amid collapsing enterprise confidence as companies brace for tax will increase from April

• Britain’s poorest households are paying an rising share of their revenue on council tax, based on new evaluation

• Conservative opposition chief Kemi Badenoch, and Nigel Farage, chief of Reform UK, are anticipated to attend the Alliance for Accountable Citizenship (ARC) convention in London

It’s Martin Belam with you in the present day. You may get in contact with me at martin.belam@theguardian.com.