Category Archives: wes streeting

‘Thank You, Dear Keir’: Reaction To Starmer’s Resignation Rolls In

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Keir Starmer’s decision to stand down was hardly a surprise, but politicians across the political spectrum – and around the world – have rallied to pay tribute to the outgoing prime minister.

The PM declared he was standing down as Labour leader on Monday and set out a timetable for his official departure from No.10.

In an emotional speech, he said he was leaving in “good grace” after accepting that the Parliamentary Labour Party did not want him to lead them into the next general election.

It comes after his greatest rival Andy Burnham won the Makerfield by-election last Friday.

As Labour’s most popular politician, the former Greater Manchester mayor was already expected to challenge the prime minister and win any subsequent leadership contest.

Here’s how Starmer’s Labour colleagues, international allies and domestic opponents responded to his resignation.

Labour Party

Burnham, who has already thrown his hat into the ring to be Starmer’s successor, said: “Keir has given huge service to our country and I want to thank him for his leadership and dedication during such a challenging period.

“His decision marks the beginning of a transition and it is important that this process is conducted in an orderly and responsible way.”

Former health secretary Wes Streeting, who was briefly considered a leadership hopeful, said he backed Burnham as Streeting’s replacement and added that Starmer “has made the right decision to stand down as Leader of the Labour Party that he saved”.

Starmer’s cabinet also paid tribute to him, with deputy prime minister David Lammy saying he “incredibly proud to have played my part” in Starmer’s government.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves praised Starmer for “taking our party from the worst defeat in modern history” to a landslide victory in just four years.

Home secretary Shabana Mahmood said Starmer’s achievements “will never be forgotten” and that he put us “on the path to the change we promised at the last election”.

She added: “A devoted and dedicated public servant, we owe him our deepest thanks.”

Foreign secretary Yvette Cooper echoed this sentiment, saying the country is stronger and fairer “because of what Keir has done over the last six years”.

Former deputy PM Angela Rayner extended her sympathies to Starmer, saying: “History will remember not just the challenges he faced but the achievements he oversaw.”

Energy secretary Ed Miliband said Starmer can be “immensely proud of his achievement” and that his statement showed “great dignity and integrity”.

One of Starmer’s closest allies, the attorney general Lord Hermer, told Sky News that the PM was not “angry” at being forced out of office.

He said: “I would be, but I don’t think he is.

“I think he is someone who is genuinely focused on the country and doing the right thing, and you saw that on the podium today.”

Anna Turley, chair of the Labour Party, wrote in a statement: “I’m sorry that the nature of politics now is so impatient, so unforgiving, and so personally brutal.

“You have shown that in a world of easy promises, irresponsible rhetoric and lazy, dangerous populism, it is still possible to do things the right way – to show duty, decency and the real patriotism of hard work and service.”

Opposition Parties

Leader of the opposition, the Tories’ Kemi Badenoch, was less forgiving.

She wrote on X: “Britain is not ungovernable. Keir Starmer is a terrible Prime Minister.

“But the problem isn’t just Starmer. Labour MPs only want higher taxes to hand out more benefits, as the Welfare Secretary has pointed out. These are Labour’s choices and their values, regardless of who is running the party.”

The Lib Dem leader Ed Davey said: “The British people are sick of being let down by an endless merry-go-round of prime ministers while nothing really changes for them.

“This time must be different. It can’t just be about changing who’s in Number 10, it has to be about changing our broken politics so we can fix our country.”

He added: “Whoever becomes prime minister needs to drop the caution and complacency and show the ambition our country deserves.”

Green Party leader Zack Polanski said: “The country needs a bold change of direction. Starmer lost the confidence of the country because of his abject failure to challenge the power and wealth of an establishment which has taken for themselves while leaving the vast majority in a cost of living crisis and facing the worst impacts of the climate and nature crisis.”

“We are still waiting to see which version of Andy Burnham might going to show up in Downing Street,” he added. “Burnham must be bold or he will be bust.”

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage called for a general election, writing on X: “I’ve had enough of waiting around. Britain needs change – real change, not another washed-up has-been shoved into place by the uniparty.

“If Labour thinks it can shove another professional politician into No 10, it has another thing coming. Reform is ready for an election, and we are ready to deliver radical change.”

SNP leader and Scotland’s first minister John Swinney paid tribute to Starmer in a statement, saying: “On a personal level, I wish the prime minister and his family well.

“Leadership is tough, and can make extraordinary demands both on the leader and their families. Sir Keir Starmer has made the right decision. It was past time for him to face reality and the fact he now has allows some hope that things can change.”

International Allies

Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy thanked Starmer on on X, writing: “The United Kingdom has been, is, and will remain among the world’s leaders.

“Here in Ukraine, we deeply value Britain, and every meeting and every conversation we have had has always been filled with real substance.

“Thank you for always being in touch, always engaged, and always striving to do what is needed and what will truly help.”

He added: “Keir, you are always a welcome guest in Ukraine.”

European Commission president, Ursula von der Leyen, thanked Starmer for his work on rebuilding the UK’s relationship with the EU.

She said: “It can take many leaders years to grow into the statesman you became in just two years.

“European and Ukrainian security is stronger because of you. Thank you, dear Keir.”

Former Czech prime minister Petr Fiala paid tribute to Starmer for his “clear and principled support for Ukraine”, and helped to unlock new levels of UK-EU cooperation.

He added: “Today, rational and decent politicians face an increasingly difficult environment. Starmer moved the Labour Party towards the political centre and strengthened the United Kingdom’s position abroad. In the end, it was not enough.

Australian prime minister Anthony Albanese said in a statement that he considers Starmer “a friend” and notes “politics can also be a harsh business”.

He added: “When the time comes for Keir to leave Downing Street, he can be proud of the contribution he has made to the country he loves and to the Labour party that he led back to government in 2024.”

Listen to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

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Keir Starmer Must Announce When He Is Quitting If Burnham Wins Makerfield By-Election, Says Streeting

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Keir Starmer must announce he is resigning as prime minister if Andy Burnham wins the Makerfield by-election, Wes Streeting has said.

The former health secretary said Starmer must set out a timetable for his departure as soon as possible.

Streeting also insisted that he has the backing of the 81 Labour MPs he needs to stand in any leadership contest.

The PM has repeatedly insisted that he will stand if a Labour leadership contest is triggered.

But speaking in London, Streeting said: “When the results are in, I hope the prime minister will at that stage reflect on his own position and set out a timetable.

“I think that would be a better way forward for everyone.”

Under Labour Party rules, leadership hopefuls need the support of one-fifth of its MPs to trigger a contest, which is 81 on the current numbers.

Asked if he had already had them signed up, Streeting said: “Yes I have the support I need to be on the ballot. Yes, I think we will be better served if that is a contest and a battle of ideas, not just of personalities.”

Voters in Makerfield go to the polls on Thursday, and Burnham appears on course to beat Reform’s Robert Kenyon.

He has also said that he will stand in any leadership contest.

Speaking earlier this month, he said: “I think Wes Streeting seems to have launched a leadership contest, so if that is running, I would seek to join it.”

But at the G7 summit in France on Tuesday, Starmer once again insisted he will not walk away from the job.

He said: “They said it’s not possible to turn the Labour Party around. It’s not possible to win an election.

“It’s not possible if you do win an election to invest in your public services and stabilise the economy – wrong every time, and that’s why I intend not to walk away from this, but to carry on with what I was elected to do, which is to serve this country, bring back the change that people desperately need in their lives.”

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Minister Slaps Down Wes Streeting’s Call For ‘Wealth Tax That Works’

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A minister has slapped down Wes Streeting’s suggestion of a “wealth tax that works”.

Streeting resigned as the health secretary within Keir Starmer’s cabinet last week, accusing the prime minister of offering a “vacuum” instead of a vision for governing.

Starmer has so far resisted dozens of calls from his own MPs to resign and a leadership contest is yet to be triggered.

But Streeting has claimed he would seek to enter any potential competition.

The backbencher now appears to have laid out parts of his policy agenda, telling the BBC’s Political Thinking podcast that he would introduce a wealth tax which could raise £12 billion a year.

He said his plan for a “wealth tax that works” includes reforms to capital gains tax, a levy on the profit made after selling an asset.

He wants to encourage investment by offering lower rates to “genuine” entrepreneurs.

Streeting claimed this would address the unfair system which is “penalising work”.

The annual tax-free allowance for the levy is £3,000 right now. Anything above this is taxed at rates depending on each individual’s income band.

Higher or additional rate taxpayers must pay 24% on gains in the current financial year, but Streeting wants those rates to mirror income tax bands (20%, 40% and 45%).

The ex-health secretary – usually seen to be on the right of the Labour Party – suggested closing loopholes which allow people to conceal income from work as capital gains.

This is a clear appeal to those on the left of the party.

But, it is very different to the Green Party’s proposal of an annual tax of 1% on assets above £10 million and 2% on assets above £1 billion.

Even so, chief secretary to the Treasury Lucy Rigby rejected Streeting’s idea outright.

She told BBC Radio 4′s Today programme: “We already tax wealth in this country.

“The chancellor introduced a host of measures in her first budget, and then further measures in the last budget as well, that try and make sure that tax is as progressive and fair as possible.”

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Streeting Throws Down Brexit Gauntlet To Burnham As Rivals Vie To Replace Starmer

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Wes Streeting vowed that the UK will one day rejoin the European Union as Labour Brexit splits burst into the open again.

The former health secretary, who quit the cabinet last week in protest at Keir Starmer’s leadership, said the decision to quit the EU had been a “catastrophic mistake”.

He told an event run by the centre-left thing-tank Progress: “The biggest economic opportunity we have is on our doorstep.

“We need a new special relationship with the EU, because Britain’s future lies with Europe – and one day back in the European Union.”

His comments are potentially awkward for Andy Burnham, who he could face in a battle for the Labour leadership within weeks.

Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, has said in the past that he wants to rejoin the EU.

However, he is set to be Labour’s candidate in the upcoming by-election in Makerfield, where the majority of voters backed Brexit in the 2016 referendum.

Asked by ITV on Saturday whether he was still in favour of rejoining the EU, Burnham dodged the question.

He said: “I’ve said in the long term there is a case for that, but I’m not advocating that in this by-election.

“In fact, what I am saying is focus now domestically, Britain has got to focus very much on the here and now and the issues that are affecting people.”

Tory chairman Kevin Hollinrake said: “Whilst Labour relitigate Brexit, Britain is not being governed.

“This is yet another distraction from the day job at a time when families and businesses want the Government focused on the cost of living, the economy, public services and Britain’s defence.”

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey meanwhile said Mr Streeting must “offer something more than the same failed red lines as Keir Starmer” if he is to succeed the Prime Minister, and called for negotiations on a customs union with the EU to be opened.

Starmer has said he wants to see much closer ties with Europe, but insisted Labour will stick to its manifesto red lines of not rejoining the EU single market and customs union, or bringing back freedom of movement.

Culture secretary Lisa Nandy slapped down Streeting over his comments.

She told Sky News: “If rejoining the EU is the answer to what we were just told loud and clear by the country and parts of the country like mine, where we lost 25 out of 25 wards, 24 of them to Reform.

“If rejoining the EU is the answer, then essentially what we’re saying to people is life was fine in 2015, we just need to go back there. I know Wes is coming up to campaign in the by-election quite soon.

“He will hear loud and clear from people in places like Wigan, Ashton, Winstanley, across Makerfield, that that is absolutely not the case.”

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Lisa Nandy Slaps Down Wes Streeting For Saying UK Should Rejoin European Union

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The Labour leadership hopeful added: “Britain’s future lies with Europe – and one day back in the European Union.”

But on Sky News on Sunday, Wigan MP Nandy described Streeting’s comments as “a bit odd”.

“If rejoining the EU is the answer to what we were just told loud and clear by the country and parts of the country like mine, where we lost 25 out of 25 wards, 24 of them to Reform,” the culture secretary said.

“If rejoining the EU is the answer, then essentially what we’re saying to people is life was fine in 2015, we just need to go back there. I know Wes is coming up to campaign in the [Makerfield] by-election quite soon.

“He will hear loud and clear from people in places like Wigan, Ashton, Winstanley, across Makerfield, that that is absolutely not the case.

“The answer has to be bigger, it has to be the sort of things this government is focusing on around good jobs, housing, living standards, cost of energy, opportunities for young people and that’s why the prime minister is right. We need to get on with it.”

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‘He Has The Numbers’: Wes Streeting Allies Insist He Will Run In Labour Leadership Contest

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Wes Streeting will definitely run in the upcoming Labour leadership contest, his allies have told HuffPost UK.

It is the first confirmation that he plans to mount a bid to replace Keir Starmer as prime minister.

Supporters of Starmer have claimed that the former health secretary – who resigned with a ferocious attack on the prime minister yesterday – does not have enough support from Labour MPs to mount a challenge.

Under Labour Party rules, any candidate must have the support of at least 20% of its MPs to make it onto the ballot paper. At the moment, that is 81 MPs.

Starmer allies have claimed that Streeting currently only has 43 names, leaving him well short of the number required.

They said that was why he did not formally trigger a contest when he quit the cabinet, as had been expected.

But a source close to Streeting told HuffPost UK: “He has the numbers and will be a candidate when there’s a contest.”

In his resignation letter, Streeting stopped short of saying he would challenge the PM.

But he said: “It is now clear that you will not lead the Labour Party into the next general election and that Labour MPs and Labour unions want the debate about what comes next to be a battle of ideas, not of personalities or petty factionalism.

“It needs to be broad, and it needs the best possible field of candidates. I support that approach and I hope that you will facilitate this.”

A leadership contest appears inevitable, despite Starmer insisting he “won’t walk away” from No.10.

Cabinet ministers, including home secretary Shabana Mahmood and foreign secretary Yvette Cooper, have personally told the PM to set out a timetable for his departure.

More than 90 Labour MPs have so far publicly called on him to quit, while four junior ministers have also resigned from the government.

Andy Burnham kicked off his own attempt to be the next PM when it was announced that Labour MP Josh Simons is standing down to let the Greater Manchester mayor stand in his Makerfield seat.

Labour’s ruling national executive committee (NEC) is not expected to block Burnham’s bid to be the party’s candidate in the resulting by-election.

However, he faces a huge challenge to see off Reform UK and be elected the new MP for the constituency.

If Burnham wins, he is expected to immediately challenge Starmer, triggering a full leadership contest.

Others who could throw their hats into the ring include former deputy PM Angela Rayner, defence secretary John Healey, energy secretary Ed Miliband, Mahmood, Cooper and junior defence minister Al Carns

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Fleeting Streeting: Health Secretary’s Showdown With PM Lasts Barely 15 Minutes

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Labour leadership hopeful Wes Streeting’s big showdown meeting in Downing Street with Keir Starmer lasted barely 15 minutes.

The grim-faced health secretary said nothing to waiting reporters as he left No.10 shortly less than 20 minutes after walking in.

Both the prime minister’s and Streeting’s teams were remaining tight-lipped about the talks as they do not want to overshadow the King’s Speech later this morning.

Streeting had been expected to demand answers from the PM on how he plans to turn around Labour’s fortunes after the party suffered a drubbing in last week’s elections.

The health secretary has made no public comments since Starmer told his cabinet rivals to put up or shut up at their weekly meeting on Tuesday amid mounting speculation he was set to face a leadership challenge.

Starmer said: “The country expects us to get on with governing. That is what I am doing and what we must do as a cabinet.”

More than 80 Labour MPs have called on the PM to quit, and four of his ministers resigned on Tuesday.

They included junior health minister Zubir Ahmed, a former aide to Streeting.

On Radio 4′s Today programme this morning, he called on cabinet ministers to speak publicly about their true opinions of Starmer.

He said: “I think it’s very telling – just as ministers in the junior ministerial ranks have stepped forward to articulate their dissatisfaction, some of us publicly but more of us privately – that the whole of the cabinet has not, on this occasion, been able to articulate support for the prime minister in the full-throated way that would have perhaps had happen in the past.

“I think there is a responsibility on all of us in parliament and ministerial office to be honest with ourselves and the prime minister at this time.”

Cabinet Office minister Nick Thomas-Symonds, a close ally of the PM, told the same programme that none of Starmer’s rivals have the required amount ofd support from Labour MPs to challenge him.

He said: “The evidence of the last two days is there isn’t an alternative candidate with those 81 names.”

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Keir Starmer Slaps Down Wes Streeting After Health Secretary Releases Mandelson Messages

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Keir Starmer has slapped down Wes Streeting after the health secretary chose to release his own message exchanges with disgraced peer Peter Mandelson.

Police are currently looking into the former UK ambassador to the US over allegations of misconduct in a public office.

It comes after unearthed emails suggest Mandelson sent convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein confidential government information when he was the business secretary between 2008 and 2010.

A Commons motion is also set to force the release of government documents related to Mandelson’s appointment as the ambassador to the US.

But Streeting chose to preemptively release his personal exchanges with his former ally Mandelson on Monday.

He shared a transcript of messages from August 2024 to October 2025 to address what the minister described as the “smear and innuendo” from the weekend which suggested he had something to hide.

The messages showed the health secretary feared the government had “no growth strategy” and that he would be “toast” at the next general election.

Starmer rejected these concerns from Streeting when asked by the media, insisting chancellor Rachel Reeves is “turning the economy around”.

He added: “Now we have to nurture that. We have to make sure that this is for real, and it’s felt in people’s pockets.”

The prime minister continued: “The issue of text messages and all information that’s being gathered as a result of the humble address last week, that needs to be a managed process, both in government and obviously, there’s a police element to it.”

Asked specifically if he had reprimanded Streeting for releasing his Mandelson messages, the prime minister said: “I’m not going to comment on the health secretary’s disclosure of those messages, that’s for him.”

But he added: “I do think that we all need to ensure that we’re all acting together in this, because all the information needs to be pulled together.”

Scotland Yard encouraged members of the government not to share documents which could be used in their investigation on Tuesday, saying it was “vital due process is followed” and that its probe is not jeopardised.

“An investigation into alleged misconduct in public office is under way and it is vital due process is followed so that our criminal investigation and any potential prosecution is not compromised,” the Metropolitan Police said in a statement.

“As part of our inquiries, we will review material identified and provided to us by the Cabinet Office to assess whether publication is likely to have a detrimental impact on our investigation or any subsequent prosecution.

“We will work alongside the Cabinet Office to review relevant documents over the weeks ahead. The process to decide which documents should ultimately be published remains a matter for government and parliament.

“As we have stated previously, this investigation may be complex but we are focused on a timely and thorough process so that justice is served in this case, or future ones linked to the Epstein files.”

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No.10 Dismisses Wes Streeting’s Thinly-Veiled Attack Against ‘Technocratic’ Starmer

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No.10 has downplayed speculation that Wes Streeting had attacked Keir Starmer after warning against the government’s “technocratic” approach.

The health secretary is rumoured to be considering throwing his hat into the ring to replace Starmer, as his premiership looks increasingly unsteady – although Streeting has repeatedly denied any such accusations.

But, the cabinet minister still told the New Statesman he was “pretty frustrated” right now, and believes that the “huge amount” of work Labour has done since getting into office is “not reflected in the polls” or their storytelling.

He added: “I think we sell ourselves short.”

The health secretary claimed Labour is at risk of presenting itself as the “maintenance department of the country”, too.

He added: “The problem with that kind of practical, technocratic approach is that if someone else comes along and says, ‘Well, I’ve got a maintenance company too, and mine’s cheaper,’ why wouldn’t people go, ‘OK, well, we’ll give that maintenance team a try’?”

He notably did not mention his boss by name in the interview, but Starmer has been criticised for being too technocratic in the past.

Streeting also insisted he would not to “indulge” in questions about potentially becoming the prime minister in 2026, responding only with a pantomime style answer: “Oh no, he’s not.”

Starmer’s official spokesperson then side-stepped questions about Streeting’s dig during Thursday’s press briefing.

“I think what the health secretary is setting out is that the public voted for change. That’s what they want to see delivered, and again, that is exactly what the government is focused on doing. The government is united behind a manifesto of change,” he said.

When pushed again on the PM’s thoughts over Streeting’s interview, the spokesperson said: “The inheritance is clear, the public services are on their knees, a stagnant economy and families facing a cost of living crisis.

“That’s what the government is determined to do in terms of the action we take,” he said.

Asked if Starmer was embarrassed about the cabinet briefing against him, his representative insisted: “The government is focused on delivering change.”

Streeting is known for being outspoken about the direction of the government.

He caused a stir in October when he piled more pressure on the PM in the wake of Labour’s by-election defeat in Caerphilly, comparing the loss to a day in 2021 when Starmer almost quit as Labour leader.

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Wes Streeting Is Wrong. ADHD Is Not Overdiagnosed, I Should Know.

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Yesterday (Dec 4), Health Secretary Wes Streeting announced that he would be launching an independent review into rising demand for mental health, ADHD, and autism services in England.

On the surface, this might seem like a good thing – mental health and neurodivergence healthcare is stretched thin in the UK, people are crying out for help, so what we need to do is find a way to improve those services so that people can get the support they need, right?

Unfortunately, no.

In fact, the headline aim of this review is to see whether there is evidence of over-diagnosis, with the BBC reporting that the government “believes there are people being referred onto waiting lists who do not need treatment.”

Streeting himself said these conditions were being over-diagnosed earlier this year, though he has since claimed in a piece for The Guardian that those remarks were “divisive” and had “failed to capture the complexity of this problem”.

He wrote: “The truth is there has been a massive growth in mental health and behavioural issues and there isn’t a consensus within the mental health clinical community on what is driving it. We must look at this through a strictly clinical lens to get an evidence-based understanding… That’s the only way we can ensure everyone gets timely access to accurate diagnosis and effective support.”

But, despite Streeting’s attempts to roll back his earlier comments about over-diagnosis, an emphasis on questioning what is “driving” an increase in mental health and neurodivergent diagnoses rather than how to support that increase is both erroneous and borderline offensive.

There is already widespread and growing stigma about conditions like ADHD, with regular discourse online and among politicians about whether those diagnosed are “truly” struggling, and language about finding “evidence” for what is behind this surge in demand only adds to that rhetoric.

I was diagnosed with ADHD nearly two years ago, after waiting 1.5 years for a diagnosis. To many, that might not sound like too long – in some places, there can be up to a 10-year wait for diagnosis – but I was battling with my symptoms long before I was first referred to a Right to Choose provider for assessment. I spent years struggling with basic household tasks, relationships, and school and work, finding myself unable to focus for long periods, and berating myself for not being “normal” like everyone else around me.

This was particularly bad during university when I had a lack of structure and was forced to discipline myself – something that people with ADHD notoriously find difficult – leading to me being diagnosed with severe anxiety and depression. It turns out that the deterioration in my mental health was a result of not knowing about my ADHD and therefore not dealing with it in the right way.

I also battled with internalised stigma about having ADHD, overrun by narratives that people are lying about having the condition, conning themselves into believing they have ADHD, or that it’s not so serious that it even requires diagnosis and intervention.

Many people with ADHD grapple with similar difficulties, meaning they are reluctant to seek a diagnosis or are not believed when they do. Receiving a formal diagnosis was important to me both to feel validated in how I approached work, relationships, and life itself in the past as well as to ensure that I was legally entitled to receive specialist support for the condition. Without a diagnosis, that can be much harder.

At one previous job, for example, I was unable to obtain reasonable adjustments – and received zero empathy from my line manager – until I received a formal diagnosis, meaning I was protected under the 2010 Equality Act.

The current system we operate under does leave many people being “written off”, like Streeting said, but not in the way he might think. It is not due to over-diagnosis but rather chronic underfunding and complex healthcare systems that are not fit-for-purpose, that leaves people in the dust.

Streeting’s review is also looking to “raise the healthiest generation, increase healthy life expectancy, and reduce suicide”, but further stigmatisation of these conditions is in direct conflict with that goal.

People with ADHD are in fact more at risk of suicide and have a lower life expectancy than those who are neurotypical, with 1 in 4 women, and 1 in 10 men, with ADHD will at some time try to take their own lives, while people with ADHD are likely to die between seven and nine years younger than their peers. This is why it is so important for people to be able to access mental health and neurodivergent diagnoses and support.

For Streeting to suggest that the rise in demand requires any intervention apart from additional funding as well as empathy for those struggling, is ridiculous.

I am not the only one who thinks so. Henry Shelford, CEO of campaigning organisation ADHD UK, told HuffPost UK: “ADHD is not overdiagnosed. A recent Lancet study published research that analysed 9 million GP records and showed just 0.32% of patients have a diagnosis of ADHD. That’s nudging just 10% of the 3-4% of the population who have ADHD.

“We’re underdiagnosed, not overdiagnosed. In addition, a BBC study showed the average wait for an ADHD diagnosis in England is 8 years. The idea that you can achieve overdiagnosis with an average wait of nearly a decade is just preposterous.”

If Streeting wants fewer people to be struggling with ADHD, autism, and associated mental health conditions, then the answer is to invest in those services and support the people who need it rather than blaming them for getting diagnosed in the first place. Focusing on “overdiagnosis”, and refusing to acknowledge just how broken our system is, will push more and more people to breaking point – and the whole country will be worse-for-wear as a result.

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