Reshuffle latest: Steve Barclay replaces Thérèse Coffey as environment secretary
Steve Barclay has been demoted to the role of environment secretary as Rishi Sunak continues a major shake-up of his cabinet, which has involved Therese Coffey leaving the post. Barclay had served as health secretary since October last year, when Rishi Sunak became prime minister. Coffey, who had served as the head of DEFRA since […]
Barclay latest cabinet minister to distance himself from Braverman’s homelessness comments
Steve Barclay has become the latest senior Conservative to distance himself from the home secretary’s claim that rough sleeping is sometimes a “lifestyle choice”. Suella Braverman claimed that rough sleeping in a tent is a “lifestyle choice” in a tweet over the weekend. The comments came as she appeared to confirm reports that plans were […]
Barclay accuses health unions of ‘increasing militancy’ as ministers consider extending strike law
The health secretary Steve Barclay has this morning accused health unions of “increasing militancy” as he justifies new plans to extend minimum service levels legislation to the NHS. Barclay’s comments come as senior doctors walk out on strike today as part of a long running dispute over pay and conditions. Consultants and junior doctors will […]
Bibby Stockholm should still be used to house asylum seekers, says Barclay – as it happened
The health secretary has said that asylum seekers should still be moved back onto the Bibby Stockholm barge in spite of the row caused by the discovery of Legionella. So far none of the asylum seekers on the barge have shown any symptoms of the disease, according to the Home Office. But Legionella bacteria can cause […]
‘Change is never easy’: Tony Blair’s plan to fix the NHS
Sir Tony Blair has a plan to fix the NHS. On the service’s 75th anniversary, the prime minister from 1997 to 2007 argues for radical change to the health service of which he was once steward. Warning the NHS will “continue down a path of decline” without radical reforms, Blair is today calling on the […]
Health secretary: Austerity has not contributed to NHS woes
Spending restraint in the NHS through the 2010s has not contributed to the health services’ current woes, the health secretary has insisted. Steve Barclay rejected the findings of a King’s Fund report from April, which said the NHS had “declined since 2010, as a result of much lower funding increases, limited funds for capital investment […]
Health secretary: NHS plan is ‘working’ despite government missing waiting list target
A “great deal” of progress has been made on the NHS backlog and the government’s plan to reduce waiting times is “working”, the health secretary has said. However, Steve Barclay did admit that the government had missed its target to eliminate 18-month waits. It comes as there are around 7.3 million people on NHS waiting […]
Barclay says he has ‘no choice’ but to proceed with legal action to stop nurses’ strike
The health secretary has applied to the High Court in an attempt to stop the latest strike action planned by the Royal College of Nursing. The Royal College of Nursing’s (RCN) planned strike action, involving tens of thousands of nurses, is due to take place from 8 pm on Sunday night until 8 pm on […]
Government will not look at ‘current years’ pay award’ for nurses, says minister amid further NHS disruption
The NHS is facing huge disruption today as tens of thousands of nurses and ambulance staff in England walk out. Nurses are beginning a two-day strike today as part of a long-running dispute over pay. They want a new pay offer for the current year amid soaring inflation. The government has insisted that a higher […]
The Westminster Round Up: NHS Recovery | Boris’s Legal Fees | Israeli Government | Independence Pursuit
What has happened in parliament this week? This is a short, summary video, compiling the best of our Commons Today clips and bringing you the highlights from the week in Parliament. This week, the video features Steve Barclay’s NHS recovery statement on emergency services, the Minimum Service Bill, Boris Johnson’s taxpayer-funded legal fees, Scotland’s multi-faceted […]
