Keir Starmer to call for ‘better way of working’ on UK-wide trip, as he turns to key Blair ally to fix ‘broken’ NHS
7 July 2024, 07:46
Sir Keir Starmer is set to call for a "different and better" way of working between the devolved nations, as he embarks on a UK-wide trip on Sunday after becoming Prime Minister.
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Sir Keir said he would launch "an immediate reset" of the relationships between the Prime Minister and the devolved leadership of Scotland ahead of a trip north of the border.
It comes as reports emerged that he also plans to hire Alan Milburn, a Health Secretary under Tony Blair, for a government role to help work on the NHS, which his current counterpart Wes Streeting recently described as "broken".
Sir Keir begins his trip across the UK with a visit to Edinburgh on Sunday, where he will say he wants to "turn disagreement into co-operation" with the SNP, who lost 38 seats in the General Election, giving them just nine MPs.
The Prime Minister will say: "People across the United Kingdom are bound by shared beliefs. Fundamental values of respect, service and community which define us as a great nation.
"That begins today with an immediate reset of my Government's approach to working with the First and deputy First Ministers, because meaningful co-operation centred on respect will be key to delivering change across our United Kingdom.
"Together we can begin the work to rebuild our country with a resolute focus on serving working people once again."
"Our UK Government will place Scotland back at the beating heart of everything we do."
He said later: "To the people of Scotland, my message is simple and clear: You are at the heart of how we unleash prosperity across the country. We will rebuild a strong Scotland at the forefront of our decade of national renewal.
"My offer to the Scottish Government is the same. We can turn disagreement into co-operation and, through meaningful co-operation and a genuine seat at the table, deliver change for a generation.
Sir Keir's whistlestop tour of the four nations comes ahead of a packed first week in office, with little time to settle in at Number 10 as he prepares to head to the Nato summit in Washington on Tuesday.
Using his first 24 hours in office to set the tone for his new Government, Sir Keir has promised to turn his back on "tribalism" in politics and usher in an era of "stability" and "moderation".
Part of that will be an effort to "push power and resource out of Whitehall", and open his door to those with "skin in the game" who know what is best for their communities, the new Prime Minister has suggested.
Sir Keir has raised eyebrows in some quarters by appointing unelected people to government jobs, with CEO of key-cutting giant and prison reformer James Timpson made prisons minister, and Covid-era chief science officer Patrick Vallance made science minister.
LBC's Aggie Chambre on the appointment of James Timpson as prisons minister
And this is set to continue with the appointment of two Tony Blair-era Cabinet ministers to government jobs, according to reporters.
Sir Tony Blair's former health secretary Alan Milburn has been tipped for a role in government helping to drive NHS waiting lists down.
Mr Milburn, who was health secretary from 1999 to 2003, is said to have already been in talks with Mr Streeting over how to reform the NHS.
A Labour source told the Telegraph: "In opposition, he has been incredibly helpful to Wes and his team to make sure we are ready to hit the ground running.
"Particularly in the last six weeks, he has been working really closely with the team on a daily basis to make sure we have the plans in place to hit the ground running."
Sir Keir said on Saturday that fixing the NHS needs "raw honesty".
Caller believes there'll be more 'compassion' from the new Labour government
Former home secretary Jacqui Smith, who served in Gordon Brown's Cabinet, will enter the Lords as an education minister.
Douglas Alexander, who recently re-entered the House of Commons after nine years away, was appointed as a business minister.
Sir Keir held his first Cabinet meeting on Saturday, telling reporters afterwards that the mindset of government had changed.
The Prime Minister said: "It's a mindset of service. Of country first, party second. That's not a slogan, that is the test for all of our decisions."
He added: "I am restless for change and I think and hope that what you've already seen demonstrates that."
