Labour’s decision to launch its 10-year health plan at the Sir Ludwig Guttmann centre in Stratford this morning made sense as a bid to exemplify the unit’s multi-service approach. On health grounds, however, there seemed a real chance the presser might push up NHS waiting lists as spectators fought to remain conscious in the suffocating heat. It wasn’t just the fainting risk that was concerning attendees: the appearance of Rachel Reeves was a surprise after her teary PMQs session yesterday, with the Chancellor having to smile nonchalantly through countless variations of ‘are you alright?’. 

Labour needs to be in power for three terms to see its plans through

Health Secretary Wes Streeting kicked off proceedings with a jab at those on the ‘right’ sceptical about the viability of a free-at-the-point-of-use system, while the usually staid Keir Starmer was tasked with explaining just how radical his government’s health reforms would be. The 77th birthday of the NHS finds the service in its worst state yet, the Prime Minister admitted, but Labour isn’t giving up on a free-for-all approach quite yet. Funded by £29 billion from the Treasury, Streeting’s reforms can be broadly separated into three categories: firstly, focusing on preventing disease before it becomes too late; secondly, improving community healthcare services to help reduce pressure on hospitals; and thirdly embracing the tech revolution to bring the NHS into the ‘digital age’. 

Much of today’s announcement was leaked in advance, with Labour’s ‘neighbourhood health service’ and AI plans widely........

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