Streeting says ‘hell of a lot’ still to do after PM says NHS has met its two million extra appointments pledge – UK politics live | Politics

Conservative opposition chief Kemi Badenoch has asserted that “our nation will not be racist” however that “some cultures are higher than others” in a part of a speech in London the place she mentioned “immigration is much too excessive” and that minds are being “poisoned” in larger training establishments within the UK. She mentioned “British folks should come first”.

Talking on the Alliance for Accountable Citizenship (ARC) convention, which can also be anticipating to listen to from Reform UK chief Nigel Farage, Badenoch mentioned:

A rustic can’t be profitable if its folks and its mental elite don’t imagine in it. This implies coping with the poisoning of minds taking place in larger training.

We’ve got been naive on financial development. We’ve got been naive on points from internet zero to immigration, weakening ourselves and strengthening our opponents.

Immigration is much too excessive. We can not assist all those that want to come to our nation. We’ve got no obligation to take action. The British folks should come first.

We can not preserve racking up debt for our kids, It was fiscal weak point, not simply struggle, that led to the decline of the Roman Empire. We’d like smaller authorities and smarter spending. The assumption that the state and never enterprise creates wealth has turn into normalised.

The world owes nobody a residing. Thousands and thousands of individuals can not simply sit on welfare and anticipate to be paid to take action, and in the event that they don’t prefer it, that’s their drawback, not the state’s.

Our nation will not be racist. We don’t must apologise. We don’t must pay reparations or give away the Chagos islands.

Free speech issues. Some cultures are higher than others, and it’s solely contentious to say this as a result of honesty has turn into not possible.

Most of all, we have to stand up off our knees and begin combating not only for the UK, however for the west and our values.

Badenoch implored the viewers “Don’t hearken to the media class complain about populism. The very essence of democracy is acknowledging the desire of on a regular basis folks after which truly making it occur.”

Talking of her personal mission as the brand new chief of the Conservatives, Badenoch mentioned:

For these of us who search management, we should do higher, and that’s the reason within the UK, my social gathering is beginning the most important renewal of coverage and concepts in a era.

This convention is a part of discovering these solutions, and it fills me with hope.

If we get this proper, we stand on the daybreak of a brand new conservative century with a lot alternative and chance.

If we throw this chance away, due to anger, or self doubt, or weak point, our nation and all of western civilisation shall be misplaced.

ARC was co-founded in 2023 by the Canadian psychologist and self-help writer Jordan Peterson and the Tory peer Philippa Stroud. Monetary backers include Paul Marshall, one of many homeowners of GB Information, and the Legatum Institute libertarian thinktank. It’s anticipated that on Tuesday as a part of the convention Farage shall be interviewed onstage by Peterson.

Kemi Badenoch has accused the prime minister of taking the knee as a part of Black Lives Matter protests as a result of he was “cowed by the mob”.

Talking on the Alliance for Accountable Citizenship convention in London, in a passage through which she praised Michaela Neighborhood College headteacher Katharine Birbalsingh for refusing to supply prayer areas or permitting prayer to happen within the college’s secular surroundings, the Conservative opposition chief mentioned:

Katharine confirmed the way you defend Western civilisation. Distinction this braveness with Keir Starmer, the prime minister who took the knee throughout Black Lives Matter protests in response to an issue that was not in his nation and didn’t apply. Why? As a result of he was cowed by the mob. The issue isn’t liberalism. The issue is weak point.

Earlier within the speech Badenoch praised what she described because the classical liberal values of free speech and freedom of faith.

Badenoch additionally took a swipe on the prime minister over defence spending, saying:

Totalitarian states like Russia, Iran and North Korea are coordinated of their efforts. Failing to spend extra on defence will not be peacemaking, it’s weak point, and it solely emboldens their threats to democracy and international stability.

After 14 years of Conservatives in authorities, defence spending in real terms in 2023/24 was £53.9bn, decrease than the £57.1bn spent in 2009/10 over the past 12 months of the earlier Labour administration.

Kemi Badenoch has been talking on the Alliance for Accountable Citizenship convention in London. The Conservative opposition chief opened her speak by saying “Western civilisation is in disaster.”

She mentioned {that a} “disaster of confidence” has set in “at precisely the identical time that we face existential threats.”

She mentioned “it isn’t liberal values which might be the issue – it’s weak point.”

Citing survey outcomes that counsel massive numbers of younger folks within the UK aren’t proud to be British, and imagine the nation to be racist, and have little religion in parliamentary democracy and would assist “a robust chief”, Badenoch mentioned:

We shouldn’t be shocked. Younger folks see a parliament presiding over stagnation, regardless of making increasingly legal guidelines. A parliament with only some defending our values and lots of extra too scared to problem those that assault what we imagine in.

She mentioned:

So let’s bear in mind what we’re defending right here. Not simply our wealth, however our tradition. A tradition constructed on these values we’ve taken with no consideration. Traditional liberal values. Not left-wing liberalism, however basic liberalism. Of free markets, free speech, free enterprise, freedom of faith, the presumption of innocence, the rule of regulation, and equality underneath it. Irrespective of who you’re or the place you come from.

Because the world turns into extra difficult, we have to bravely combat for these values now.

As a substitute, we’re distracted, too busy critiquing and deconstructing what earlier generations constructed, moderately than ensuring that the easiest of our inheritance is left intact for the subsequent era.

That is the true poison of left-wing progressivism, whether or not it’s pronouns or DEI or local weather activism. These points aren’t about kindness. They’re about management. We’ve got restricted time and each second spent debating what a lady is, is a second misplaced from coping with these challenges.

Requested concerning the influence of migration on NHS providers whereas showing on ITV’s Good Morning Britain, well being secretary Wes Streeting mentioned it was “a combined image”.

Suggesting that the service was “barely over-reliant on abroad staff” he informed viewers:

There’s little doubt that internet migration is putting actual stress on the NHS. However it’s a combined image, as a result of in these figures are additionally people who find themselves coming to work in our NHS and social care providers.

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

And total, we had been investing within the abilities of our nation so we will practice up our personal folks, to scale back our reliance on folks coming from abroad to fill vacancies.

Streeting had been requested “What concerning the stress on the NHS of immigration, authorized and unlawful? We see figures simply this weekend, very excessive. A whole bunch of individuals crossed over the weekend, and it’s February. We’re not even in spring or summer season. That’s placing immense stress on the NHS, isn’t it?”

The well being secretary defended the federal government’s report, 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 nations 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 way of 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 mentioned concerning the NHS, rather a lot executed, a hell of much more nonetheless to do.

Denis Campbell

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 should chase up check outcomes, obtain appointment letters after their appointments and have no idea when their therapy 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 bunch of issues with the way in which the well being service interacts with it customers.

Sixty-four % of individuals in England who used the NHS or organized take care of another person during the last 12 months encountered an issue involving its administration or communication.

Sufferers had been left pissed off by check outcomes going lacking, being unable to vary or cancel appointments or having to pursue the outcomes of a check, scan or X-ray.

You’ll be able to learn extra of Denis Campbell’s report right here: Most NHS users in England affected by dysfunctional admin, report finds

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

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

I wish to say two issues actually. The primary is that now we have 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 executed it seven months early.

So for all these folks on the market watching, and there shall be many, who suppose that politicians speak rather a lot and do little or no, and that politicians don’t persist 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 measurement of the ready lists, the ambulance response occasions, the folks on trolleys in corridors, or the battle folks should get a GP or a dentist appointment. There are huge challenges within the NHS.

We’ve hit the bottom operating. We’re attacking these challenges and looking for to ship 12 months on 12 months enchancment. However you gained’t hear us at the moment going round saying, don’t fear. Job executed. What we’re saying at the moment is we’ve delivered our first step.

So rather a lot executed, 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 ship over two million extra elective care appointments hit early with over 100,000 extra therapies, checks and scans for sufferers every week” and that “Ready lists falls by nearly 160,000 since authorities took workplace, as additional appointments delivered for chemotherapy, radiotherapy, endoscopy, and diagnostic checks.”

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 commitment to put British troops on the ground in Ukraine in a peacekeeping function if required by any peace deal.

Talking on Occasions Radio he mentioned it was “untimely” to speak about what number of British troops could possibly be despatched. PA Media experiences he informed 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] at the moment is necessary. Subsequent week, he’ll be travelling to Washington to satisfy with President Trump, little doubt relaying the end result of a few of these discussions at the moment.

Requested what the size of a possible peacekeeping drive could possibly be and if the Authorities could be ready to hold out a recruitment drive, he mentioned: “I believe it’s untimely to be speaking about numbers.”

He mentioned the federal government was nonetheless “on the trail” 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 revealed in December 2024 acknowledged that “Actual-terms defence spending fell by 22% between 2009/10 and 2016/17 (from £57.1bn to £44.6bn in 2023/24 costs), earlier than beginning to enhance once more to nearer its 2010 ranges.”

Keir Starmer has mentioned 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 saying the potential deployment of British troops within the pages of the Telegraph moderately than in parliament, the prime minister said:

Europe should step up additional to satisfy the calls for of its personal safety. We’ve got obtained to point out we’re actually critical about our personal defence and bearing our personal burden. We’ve got talked about it for too lengthy – and president Trump is correct to demand that we get on with it.

Russia continues to be waging struggle and Ukraine continues to be combating for its freedom, which is why we should not relent in our efforts to get the equipment Ukrainians want for his or her fighters on the entrance line. Whereas the combating continues, we should put Ukraine within the strongest attainable 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 assist for Ukraine’s navy. However it additionally means being prepared and keen to contribute to safety ensures to Ukraine by placing our personal troops on the bottom if needed.

I don’t say that evenly. I really feel very deeply the duty that comes with doubtlessly placing British servicemen and ladies in hurt’s manner. 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 tip of this struggle, when it comes, can not merely turn into a brief pause earlier than Putin assaults once more.”

The prime minister is heading to Paris today for talks with European leaders. My colleague Jakub Krupa writes:

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

Confirming the Paris assembly, France’s international minister, Jean-Noël Barrot, informed France Inter radio on Sunday: “The president will deliver collectively the principle European nations tomorrow for discussions on European safety.” He mentioned there was a wind of unity blowing by way of.

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 mentioned:

The prime minister has welcomed new figures revealed by NHS England which reveal that between July and November final 12 months, the NHS delivered nearly 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 therapies, checks, and scans for sufferers every week, and greater than half 1,000,000 additional diagnostic checks delivered.

Talking to BBC Radio 4’s Right now programme, well being secretary Wes Streeting mentioned: “Have a look at the dimensions of the ready lists total. It’s come down 4 months in a row. That’s progress, however there’s nonetheless much more to do.”

NHS England offered 2.2m extra appointments for deliberate care – together with chemotherapy, radiotherapy and diagnostic checks – 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 additional appointments, well being secretary Wes Streeting has mentioned there’s “a hell of much more to do” to enhance NHS care in England.

Talking on the BBC Radio 4 Right now programme, the MP for Ilford North mentioned:

What we’ve seen within the NHS over the course of winter with ambulance response occasions, 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 mentioned in our manifesto.

However it’s necessary that as we do, we’re reporting again to reassure the general public that politics could make a distinction. That authorities is usually a drive 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 supply two million further NHS elective care appointments in England

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

• Prime minister Keir Starmer has written an op-ed for the Telegraph saying that he’s keen to place British troops on the bottom as a part of a peacekeeping drive 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 higher pay increases to compensate for accelerating inflation

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

• Britain’s poorest households are paying an growing share of their earnings on council tax, according to new analysis

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

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