UK

The National Health Service is “addicted to overspending”, Wes Streeting has said, indicating that the abolition of NHS England was just the beginning of efficiencies being made to the health service. The health secretary also admitted there would be significant job losses, adding that he was “genuinely sorry” that people working for NHS England would be “deeply anxious” about their jobs.It comes after Sir Keir Starmer announced the abolition of NHS England on Thursday, as part of an attempt to cut bureaucracy and save money – with up to 10,000 jobs at risk. Mr Streeting has since suggested hundreds more quangos could be in the firing line, warning that scrapping NHS England was “the beginning, not the end”. Ministers said the plans would help deliver savings of hundreds of millions of pounds every year, which would be used to cut waiting times by slashing red tape to help speed up improvements in the health service.Speaking to Sky News, the health secretary said that integrated care boards were being required to make 50 per cent cuts “with a particular focus on management costs”.Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the NHS ‘is not up for grabs’ (Jonathan Brady/PA) More

Disabled people will have the right to try employment without the risk of losing their benefits under plans set to be announced as part of the government’s welfare reforms.The concession comes as Sir Keir Starmer attempts to quell growing disquiet within his party and around the cabinet table over plans to cut the welfare bill. Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall is expected to announce legislation to introduce a “right to try guarantee” that will prevent people receiving health-related benefits from having their entitlements automatically reassessed if they enter employment.The move is said to be in response to surveys suggesting disabled people and those with long-term health conditions fear they will not get their benefits back if they try employment, but it does not work out.It comes amid growing concern over plans for sweeping welfare cuts expected to be announced by the government next week, as charities warn that thousands of disabled people could be forced into poverty. As the prime minister attempts to persuade cabinet ministers and Labour MPs alike that there is a “moral case” for cutting the welfare bill, there are growing fears that as many as 1 million people could see their benefits reduced. According to The Times, the overhaul will deny payments to people with mental health conditions and those who struggle with washing, dressing themselves and eating. Rachel Reeves is expected to curtail welfare spending in her spring statement later this month More

Sir Keir Starmer has declared that plans to put a peacekeeping force in Ukraine have now entered an “operational phase”, as Britain prepares to host military chiefs from a group of Western countries ready to support a ceasefire. Sending the strongest signal yet that the “coalition of the willing” is pressing ahead with the pledge to back a ceasefire deal with troops on the ground, the PM said allies would be prepared to “help secure Ukraine on the land, at sea and in the sky”.“We won’t sit back and wait for Putin to act,” the prime minister warned, vowing to “keep pushing forward” with the plan for peace. Sir Keir Starmer said planning for a peacekeeping force would move to an ‘operational phase’ More

Controversial plans to freeze some disability benefits may be dropped as ministers consider abandoning the plans to avoid a potentially damaging vote in the Commons. Initial reports had suggested that Personal Independence Payments (PIP) would be frozen from rising in line with inflation for a year, but the plan has been met with strong opposition. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall is set to lay out the reforms to our current welfare system next week, with the government expected to announce billions of pounds worth of cuts. However, plans for the PIP not to rise in line with inflation for a year, could be dropped, as reported by the BBC.It was one of several elements of a wider package to welfare cuts that are designed to save between £5bn and £6bn, but it has drawn the ire of several Labour MPs and peers. Work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall is set to lay out the reforms on Tuesday More

Watch as Sir Keir Starmer held a press conference after hosting a meeting with world leaders to discuss peace in Ukraine on Saturday, 15 March.The prime minister urged countries in his “coalition of the willing” to keep pressure on Moscow after he warned Vladimir Putin not to “play games” over a ceasefire deal.Around 25 world leaders joined Sir Keir for a virtual call on Saturday, including Emmanuel Macron, Volodymyr Zelensky and Nato secretary general Mark Rutte.The meeting was aimed at discussing plans for a peacekeeping force in Ukraine in the event of a ceasefire.Sir Keir has accused Putin of having “complete disregard” for 30-day ceasefire proposals put forward by Ukraine and the US earlier in the week.Despite Donald Trump describing “good and productive” talks with Russia on Friday, Mr Putin has been accused of using delaying tactics by raising “nuances” and further questions, as well as suggesting that Ukraine would not be permitted to rearm, mobilise or receive Western military aid during the truce. More

Rachel Reeves reportedly accepted free tickets to a Sabrina Carpenter concert last week, in a move which threatens to reignite the freebies row which rocked the government last year. According to the i, the chancellor sat in a corporate box last weekend to watch the O2 arena show, for which some resale tickets cost almost £1000, as the Cabinet geared up to announce sweeping cuts to disability benefits. There is no suggestion the chancellor broke any rules, as it is not against lobbying rules for ministers to accept free tickets if declared in the normal way. Chancellor Rachel Reeves (Yui Mok/PA) More

Sir Keir Starmer has warned Vladimir Putin to get serious about peace in Ukraine as he urged Western leaders to ramp up economic pressure to force him to the negotiating table. The prime minister accused the Russian leader of “playing games” over peace talks, as he prepared to host a virtual summit of around 25 countries on Saturday. The countries in the “coalition of the willing”, which include Britain, France, Australia and Canada, will discuss how to help Kyiv deter future Russian aggression in the event of any peace deal.Starmer has accused Putin of playing games More