STORY
James Murray has been appointed Secretary of State for Health and Social Care following the resignation of Wes Streeting from the Government. Downing Street said the King had approved Murray’s appointment as part of a small ministerial reshuffle announced on 14 May. Streeting, who had served as Health Secretary, has left the Government after saying he had lost confidence in Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership.
Murray takes over one of the most politically sensitive jobs in Government, with the NHS still central to Labour’s claim that it can deliver change in office. His appointment comes shortly after the Government pointed to improvements in waiting lists, ambulance response times and NHS productivity, figures that both Starmer and Streeting had cited as evidence of progress before Streeting’s departure.
The new Health Secretary will inherit a demanding policy agenda, including the Government’s 10 Year Health Plan, reforms to social care, the National Cancer Plan and further work on mental health, maternity care and life sciences. Starmer said in his reply to Streeting that those programmes were part of the difference a Labour Government was making, but the change at the top of the department creates immediate pressure for Murray to show continuity.