Tag: 2026

PRESS RELEASE : Government and Wayve sign partnership to accelerate Britain’s self driving future [May 2026]
The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 12 May 2026.

Partnership will put the UK at the forefront of next generation self-driving technology.
- New agreement strengthens UK leadership in automated vehicles.
- Partnership focuses on shared research to bring forward responsible deployment of self‑driving cars.
- Deal backs innovative UK scale‑ups and helps make Britain the best place to grow a business.
A partnership that will put the UK at the forefront of next generation self-driving technology has been signed by the Government today with one of the country’s leading scale ups.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Wayve, a company pioneering AI for autonomous driving will deepen collaboration on next‑generation self‑driving technologies and back the scale‑up as it continues to grow in Britain.

The agreement brings government and industry together around shared research interests, supporting responsible deployment of automated vehicles while reinforcing the UK’s global leadership in autonomous and AI‑enabled mobility.

By linking cutting‑edge AI research with real‑world deployment and manufacturing, the partnership aims to act as a catalyst for new investment, skilled jobs and long‑term growth across the UK automotive ecosystem, sending a clear signal that the UK is the best place for ambitious tech companies to scale up.

Business Secretary Peter Kyle said:

“This partnership with Wayve shows how government is backing high‑growth British scale‑ups through our Modern Industrial Strategy to turn world‑leading research into real‑world deployment.

“By working hand‑in‑hand with innovative companies, we are accelerating self‑driving technology while anchoring jobs, investment and manufacturing here in the UK — making Britain the best place to start, scale and grow a business.”

Alex Kendall, Co-Founder and CEO, Wayve said:

“I’m delighted to deepen our collaboration with the Department for Business and Trade. We share the Government’s ambition to drive economic growth through the development of the self-driving vehicle sector in the UK and globally.

“Strengthening domestic capabilities will anchor high-value manufacturing in the UK, create thousands of skilled jobs across the supply chain, and support the future of the automotive industry. This is in addition to the transformative benefits to road safety to be gained from self-driving vehicles deployed at scale.

“Wayve has a proud history of developing our technology in the UK. We look forward to working with DBT on a shared set of priorities to ensure the UK continues to lead and that the full set of benefits is realised across the country.”

Science and Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said:

“Wayve is a true British AI success story, putting the UK at the forefront of self-driving technology.

“This agreement will help secure high-skilled tech and advanced manufacturing jobs in this country.

“By working with companies such as Wayve we are rebuilding Britain for the modern age and sending a clear signal that the UK is the best place for ambitious tech firms to start up and scale up.”

The MoU sets out how DBT and Wayve will collaborate on research that helps move automated vehicles from prototype to large‑scale, commercially viable services operating on UK roads.

This includes work on safety assurance, simulation at scale and integration of full self‑driving technology into production‑ready vehicle platforms, helping the UK lead internationally on responsible deployment.

The partnership also reinforces the UK’s ambition to be a global hub for automated vehicle manufacturing, strengthening domestic supply chains in areas such as AI, systems integration and advanced automotive hardware.

Wayve will share insights from real‑world trials with government and regulators, supporting learning that can unlock national roll-out of self-driving services and inform future regulations and standards.

Through closer collaboration with industry and local partners, the agreement supports the revival and evolution of UK automotive manufacturing while demonstrating the government’s commitment to helping fast‑growing British companies scale at home rather than overseas.

Through its Modern Industrial Strategy, the UK Government has already set the stage to crowd in vital private investment into key growth sectors like advanced manufacturing, building on over £360 billion and 120,000 jobs we have secured since publication. 
May 12, 2026
Jess Phillips – 2026 Resignation as Minister

The resignation letter written by Jess Phillips, the Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley, on 12 May 2026.

Dear Keir

I want to start by first saying that we have worked closely together on Violence Against Women and Girls for many years and I have no doubt you have genuine knowledge and desire to rectify this dreadful social ill. We have started to make steps towards change whilst in government and I have been grateful for your support.

However, it would be remiss of me not to say that real change and direction in this area usually came from threats made by me in light of catastrophic mistakes. The Mandelson saga whenever it bubbled up made Number 10 kick into gear on the subject in order to prove our credentials. I will never waste a crisis to make advancements for women and girls and so demands were made and some were met.

I think you are a good man fundamentally, who cares about the right things however I have seen first-hand how that is not enough. The desire not to have an argument means we rarely make an argument, leaving opportunities for progress stalled and delayed.

Over a year ago I presented solutions, long worked on by brilliant civil servants that would end the ability for children in the UK to take naked images of themselves. 91% of online child sex abuse is self-generated by children groomed, tricked and exploited in to abuse. The technology exists to stop children being able to take naked images of themselves. We could make this possible on every phone and device in the country. We could stop this abuse. It has taken me a year to get you to agree to even threaten to legislate in this space. Not legislate, just threaten. This is the definition of incremental change. Nothing bold about it. The announcement was meant to be in March, I’m still on a promise this will happen in June, I’ve given up believing it. How many children were left without a safety net in the time we dilly dallied and worried about tech bosses?

This is just one example.

Labour governments come around rarely is the constant refrain at the moment. It’s true they are precious. Every Labour government in my and my family’s lifetime has forged progress that changed our country and the world for the better. I know you care deeply, but deeds, not words are what matter. I’m not sure we are grasping this rare opportunity with the gusto that’s needed and I cannot keep waiting around for a crisis to push for faster progress.

Decency is vital, calm curiosity is also needed, but so too are fight and drive required. Have a row, push back, make arguments, bring people along. Standing up and being counted can’t always be workshopped. Politics is as much about feelings as policy, especially at the moment.

I want a Labour government to work and I will strive as I always have for its success and popularity, but I’m not seeing the change I think I, and the country expect, and so cannot continue to serve as a minister under the current leadership.

Best wishes

Jess Phillips

May 12, 2026
PRESS RELEASE : Government steps up action to strengthen cyber defences as UK cyber industry continues to grow [May 2026]
The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 12 May 2026.

UK businesses are being urged to strengthen their cyber defences against fast-evolving AI-enabled threats.
- Businesses encouraged to sign Cyber Resilience Pledge to strengthen defences against fast-evolving AI-enabled threats
- New figures show UK cyber security sector revenue has risen 11% to £14.7 billion, with firms up 20% to 2,603
- Cyber Security and Resilience Bill to continue through Parliament following the King’s Speech, demonstrating the government’s long-term commitment to strengthen Britain’s foundations and build a more resilient country
Businesses across the UK are being urged to strengthen their cyber defences, as the government takes action to protect the economy and essential services people rely on every day from fast-evolving cyber threats.

As part of a wider push to shore up the UK’s cyber defences, ministers are urging organisations across the economy to boost their resilience by signing up to a Cyber Resilience Pledge.

The pledge, launching later this year, sets out 3 concrete actions organisations can take to improve their cyber security:
- making cyber security a board-level responsibility
- signing up to the National Cyber Security Centre’s free Early Warning Service
- require Cyber Essentials certification across their supply chains – the UK government-backed cyber security standard that blocks the most common cyber threats.
Together, these steps help businesses reduce risk, protect customers and build confidence across the wider economy.

Ministers have written directly to some of the UK’s leading companies inviting them to sign up to the Cyber Resilience Pledge, and organisations are now encouraged to review the requirements and commit. The government is backing this shift with £90 million towards improving cyber resilience across the economy.

The push comes as the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill will continue its passage through Parliament following the King’s Speech, demonstrating the government’s long-term commitment to protect critical national infrastructure, support economic growth and reduce the risk of disruption to essential services such as energy, water, healthcare and data centres.

New figures published today also show the strength of the UK’s cyber security sector, which grew 11% last year to £14.7 billion, with the number of firms rising by 20% to 2,603 – underlining the UK’s position as a global cyber security leader and a fast‑growing engine of the economy.

The sector created 2,300 jobs in the past year alone, reflecting rising demand for British cyber expertise as businesses and public services invest in stronger protection against increasingly sophisticated threats, including those enabled by AI.

Ministers have warned that the threats businesses face in cyber space are changing, and the way they respond must change with it. A new generation of AI models is lowering the barrier for cyber criminals, enabling them to find vulnerabilities and carry out attacks at a speed and scale that would have been impossible even a year ago. Recent figures show 43% of UK businesses experienced a cyber breach or attack in the past year, underlining the urgency of action.

The importance of taking action has been highlighted by recent research by the AI Security Institute, looking at frontier models like Mythos and GPT 5.5. Ministers are warning that traditional cyber protections alone are no longer enough. As AI accelerates the pace and scale of cyber attacks, organisations must now invest in smarter, more resilient systems that can limit the impact of breaches and keep ahead of attackers – rather than constantly reacting after the damage is done.

The UK is not standing still in response to this threat. We have built the AI Security Institute, the most advanced capability of any government in the world for understanding frontier AI systems. This ensures that your government can have an independently verified, robust assessment of current capabilities.

More broadly, the National Cyber Security Centre, part of GCHQ, is world-leading in defending the UK online, and continues to publish practical guidance every business can use.

Cyber Security Minister Baroness Lloyd said:

Cyber security is now fundamental to economic growth, job creation and the resilience of the services people rely on every day.

The UK has a world‑class cyber sector that is creating skilled jobs and protecting our economy – and government is doing more by investing in its own defences, legislating to require more of essential services and setting clear national standards.

As threats evolve, businesses of all sizes need to step up and take practical action now. The Cyber Resilience Pledge is a clear call for companies to strengthen their defences, protect their customers and play their part in keeping the UK secure and competitive.

CEOs are urged to harness the expertise and innovation of UK cyber startups, building partnerships that drive the development and adoption of advanced solutions, such as memory-safe systems that are significantly less vulnerable, to keep our economy ahead of adversaries.

Cyber security for AI is itself also an emerging growth area, with the number of UK firms offering cyber security products or services for AI up 68% in 2025 compared to the previous year – reinforcing the UK’s position as both a leader in innovation and a responder to new threats.
May 12, 2026
James Cleverly – 2026 Comments on Labour’s Leadership

The comments made by James Cleverly, the Conservative MP for Braintree, on 12 May 2026.

Starmer cannot survive this, and doesn’t deserve to. He did not have a plan for government. He had no mandate for winter fuel payment cuts, working tax increases, business tas increases, huge benefits increases, family farm tax etc. His political and personal judgement is shockingly poor. He thinks the rules don’t apply to him, he blames everyone else but takes no responsibility himself. Hence the list of people that he appointed and then fired, Mandelson being just the highest profile. The chaos within the Government, the Labour Party, and the country are his fault. Whether he stands down today, or clings on for a while longer, it is clear he won’t lead Labour into the next General Election. Whoever takes over needs to put the country before party and sort this Starmer created mess out.

May 12, 2026
John McDonnell – 2026 Comments on Wes Streeting

The comments made by John McDonnell, the Labour MP for Hayes and Harlington, on 12 May 2026.

I called for time for serious discussion, no precipitous coup & fully democratic process if leadership election.Instead Wes Streeting has launched coup for fear of a democratic process & whilst candidates are blocked. Handing leadership to Mandelson’s protege is gift to Reform.

May 12, 2026
Paul Foster – 2026 Comments about Keir Starmer’s Leadership

The comments made by Paul Foster, the Labour MP for South Ribble, on 12 May 2026.

I want to see Keir Starmer succeed, because if he succeeds, then the country succeeds too.

Under his leadership, we have seen real successes. He brought stability after a turbulent period in British politics and has been a steady pair of hands during challenging economic and international times. For that, and for his service to both the party and the country, he deserves genuine thanks and respect.

But last week’s heartbreaking election results sent a clear message from the public that we cannot ignore.

Politics is ultimately about listening to the people we serve, even when the message is difficult to hear. The results showed that too many voters feel disconnected from my party and its values, and they are unconvinced that we fully understand their frustrations and concerns.

Unfortunately, after much reflection, the Prime Minister’s speech yesterday did little to reassure me that he has the vision needed to reconnect with the country and rebuild public confidence under his leadership.

We need a leader with the vision to take us into the next chapter; someone who can rebuild trust, reconnect with communities across the country and provide the sense of optimism and hope that people are crying out for, while delivering the change we promised in our manifesto.

It pains me to say this because I am a loyal person by nature, and I do not come to this conclusion lightly. But it is with great regret that I believe the party now needs a change of direction and, ultimately, a new leader.

May 12, 2026
Miatta Fahnbulleh – 2026 Resignation and Comments about Keir Starmer’s Leadership

The comments made by Miatta Fahnbulleh, the Labour MP for Peckham, on 12 May 2026.

Dear Prime Minister,

I am writing to tender my resignation as Minister for Devolution, Faith and Communities.

I am proud of the work that I have done in this Government. First as the Minister for Energy Consumers where I secured energy bill discounts for 6 million families and kick started our Warm Homes Plan; and in my current role where I have rolled out our transformational Pride in Place Programme, delivered a generational shift in power through our English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act, and led our critical work on tackling the rising tide of hate and division in our communities. It has been a privilege to play my part in a government that is working hard at every level to deliver the change that our country needs.

Whilst progress has been made, we have not acted with the vision, pace and ambition that our mandate for change demands of us. Nor have we governed as a Labour Party clear about our values and strong in our convictions. Mistakes such as the winter fuel payment and cuts to the support provided to disabled people have left too many of my constituents doubting our mission. And the message on the doorstep was clear: you, Prime Minister, have lost the trust and confidence of the public.

Our country faces enormous challenges and people are crying out for the scale of change that this requires. The public does not believe that you can lead this change – and nor do I. Therefore, I urge you to do the right thing for the country and the Party and set a timetable for an orderly transition so that a new team can deliver the change we promised the country.

Yours sincerely,

Miatta Fahnbulleh, MP for Peckham

May 12, 2026
John Slinger – 2026 Comments about Keir Starmer’s Leadership

The comments made by John Slinger, the Labour MP for Rugby, on 11 May 2026.

I haven’t ever equivocated or hedged my bets about whether Keir Starmer should remain Prime Minister.

I’ve always been clear: he must stay.

Here’s why.

Keir was the right person to lead Labour after Jeremy Corbyn, the right leader to change the Labour Party and make us electable again, and definitely the right leader in government.

I’ve not supported the Prime Minister for personal gain, nor because I’ve been told to, and certainly not to make myself popular either within the Labour Party or with the public. I’ve done so, and continue to do so, because I believe, sincerely, that Keir is the right person to lead our country.

I completely understand that some colleagues in the Parliamentary Labour Party, the wider party and many members of the public don’t share my view. I respect their views, but I want people to understand why I support Keir Starmer. As a party, and as a country, we need to learn to disagree agreeably. We must set a good example at this difficult time.

What the Prime Minister’s speech told us

Over the last few days, following the local election results, and before the PM’s speech today, I set out my thinking in LabourList and on my Substack. Keir’s speech today has only reinforced my belief that he should stay as Prime Minister.

In the Prime Minister’s speech we saw more of the person, a man from a working class background, who has committed himself to public service. We saw passion, someone who knows that this isn’t just the fight of his political life, but one far more important than that. He said he will “never stop fighting for the decent, respectful, diverse country that I love, I will never give up on the hope we can unlock in this country.” He has accepted responsibility as a leader, but rightly acknowledges that taking responsibility must include responsibility for taking action to resolve things. And finally, the plan: whether on the vital need for us as a country not to go back to the status quo ante after this recent Iran war-related crisis, but to make the long term changes we need to make, or closer ties to Europe, or much more support for our younger and future generations, with far more to come on Wednesday.

A complete break with the past

In moving beyond the status quo, in his speech today, the PM set out that we need a “complete break” with the past. He set out that we need to build a stronger and fairer country. He mentioned renationalising British Steel, he spoke of strengthening ever further our vital relationship with the European Union, and he spoke movingly about the need to offer a brighter future for our young people, in which every young person can realise their potential.

This last point has been one of my priorities since becoming an MP. As long ago as January 2025 I called for a Youth Triple Lock and for more resources and attention to be directed towards young people. I’ve been calling for this repeatedly since then, as well as for a Cabinet level Minister for the Younger and Future Generations.

Action this day

We’ll hear more from the Prime Minister and the government on Wednesday with the King’s Speech, which will set out our legislative programme for the next session of Parliament. The Prime Minister was clear in his speech that we must bring the same urgency with which the government acted over the Scunthorpe steelworks to “everything now”. This is something I wholeheartedly agree with, and I myself called for an “action this day” approach to government that takes a wartime mentality, much like the one that Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones spoke about recently when he said we need the Covid vaccine taskforce model to be applied across Whitehall.

The mainstream parties such as Labour must be able to demonstrate clearly to the public that democratic government should, can and will change their lives for the better, and that impediments to this will be overcome.

Why I oppose calls for the Prime Minister to resign

In addition to what I’ve already written about the Labour leadership, here’s why I support Keir Starmer as Prime Minister and oppose calls for him to resign, or to set out a timetable to resign.

Despite being hugely talented, and potentially being leadership material, none of the alternative leaders mentioned have set out their stall effectively enough on how to resolve the deep-set problems facing our country. What is at stake is the political leadership of the fifth largest economy in the world. The public expect us to treat this accordingly. We seem to be talking about the leadership of the Labour Party as if it’s something that can just be given to people relatively casually, rather like the presidency of a debating society.

Keir Starmer is not an accidental leader. He won a leadership election, reformed the Labour Party to ensure it was electable again, led us through opposition into an election campaign, won a huge majority and has led the country through a difficult period.

Why I wouldn’t support a challenge, even if there were credible alternatives
Even if there were a phalanx of alternatives, of “big beasts”, each capable of being Prime Minister and having set out their strategic vision, I would still not support a leadership challenge. Why?

Firstly, Keir Starmer has been a good leader, a good Prime Minister, who has begun the mammoth task of rebuilding a country reeling from years of underinvestment, deep-set structural problems and a deeply unstable international environment. He’s led a government that has stabilised and grown the economy, invested in public services, begun to carry out the long-term strategic reforms of our health system and our infrastructure, brought down NHS waiting lists, increased workers’ rights and the minimum and national living wage, and much more.

Secondly, the public would not forgive us for plunging the country back into the chaos that beset the last Conservative government, when they thought that replacing Prime Ministers would solve the country’s problems. We need stability and we need a grown-up approach to governing, and also to levelling with the public about the challenges that we face and what will be necessary to resolve them.

Another reason is how this must make us look internationally at a time of great peril overseas. Leaders and populations of foreign countries must be looking on aghast as some of my colleagues consider defenestrating a leader who won a major majority pretty much at the first sign of trouble, less than two years after he won big.

The political moment demands seriousness

We mustn’t replicate in politics, when the stakes are so high, some of the worst elements of the modern age: doomscrolling on social media, doom-headlining in the media, unrealistic demands for simple solutions to complex problems, looking to blame others rather than accept our own responsibility, a lack of decorum in political debate, or allowing frustration to turn into destructive anger and recrimination rather than into resolve to tackle challenges and unlock opportunities.

Pinning all our current problems as a government or as a country on the Prime Minister is unreasonable. It’s about all of us in the Parliamentary Labour Party, and in the wider labour movement, pulling together and accepting our responsibility. The Prime Minister has a responsibility, but so do cabinet ministers, ministers and MPs to set out the vision of this Labour government and to persuade the public about what we are doing. More widely, all of us in the party should now pull together, rally behind this Labour Prime Minister, and this Labour government, which is already delivering huge change in our country.

That is what I will be focused on, in supporting the Prime Minister in doing.

May 11, 2026
PRESS RELEASE : PM vows to tear up “status quo” that failed young people on apprenticeships and skills [May 2026]
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 11 May 2026.

The Prime Minister will meet with apprentices to underline the Government’s drive to overhaul the apprenticeship system, break down barriers to opportunity for young people and ensure the economy works for people in every part of the country.
- Apprenticeships put on an equal footing with university degrees as PM vows to “tear up the status quo” that held young people back
- Small businesses can take on young apprentices with training fully funded from August, reversing years of underinvestment that locked young people out of opportunity
- Part of the Prime Minister’s plan to build a stronger, fairer Britain by backing young people with real opportunities into work
The Prime Minister will meet with apprentices today [Tuesday 12 May] to underline the Government’s drive to overhaul the apprenticeship system, break down barriers to opportunity for young people and ensure the economy works for people in every part of the country.

Apprenticeships are being placed at the heart of a new approach to skills, giving young people more ways to build secure careers and offering employers the workforce they need to grow.

The Government is now making it even easier for young people to find and access opportunities in one place through JobHelp – bringing together online support on jobs, skills, apprenticeships and training. JobHelp is designed to help young people navigate the system more easily and find routes into work that fit around their needs.

The visit follows the Prime Minister’s speech yesterday, where he set out how the Government is not just fixing what went wrong, but changing how the country works and who it works for. Despite strong headline growth in recent years, too many communities and families have not felt the benefits, and too many young people were left without a clear route into secure, skilled jobs.

For decades, underinvestment in apprenticeships and technical education drove too many young people away from opportunity and left employers without the skills they need. This Government is determined to reverse that failure and place apprenticeships at the heart of a fairer economy.

Central to that mission is the Prime Minister’s ambition for more young people to take part in higher‑level learning – whether academic, technical or through apprenticeships – so that success is no longer defined by a single path, and talent and hard work are recognised in all their forms.

That ambition is now being delivered through a major, previously announced package of reforms to the apprenticeship and skills system. A £1 billion investment will support 50,000 more young people into apprenticeships and high‑quality training over the next three years, helping tackle youth unemployment while boosting economic growth.

Secretary of State for the Department for Work and Pensions Pat McFadden said:

“Too many young people have been locked out of good work and real opportunity. We are changing that and we are already making good on that promise.

“Through apprenticeships, training and the new JobHelp service, we are opening up clear, supported routes into work for young people in every part of the country.

“A stronger, fairer economy is one where every young person has a real chance to succeed, and this Government is delivering that.”

Secretary of State for Education Bridget Phillipson said:

“For too long, young people have been let down by a system that offered too few routes into skilled, well-paid work. That is changing as more people learn the skills and get the hands-on experience that will help them build their careers.

“I believe talent exists everywhere, and opportunity should too. We are building a system that works for every young person, wherever they live and whatever path they choose.”

A cornerstone of the reforms is removing the financial barriers that have held back opportunity for years. The Government will be covering the full cost of apprenticeship training for eligible under‑25s at smaller businesses, by abolishing the 5% co‑investment rate. This change opens up thousands of new opportunities for young people and makes it easier for local employers to grow their workforce and invest in young talent.

The government is also offering businesses £3,000 for every young person aged 18–24 they hire who has been on Universal Credit and looking for work for six months which is expected to support 60,000 young people into work over three years.

This comes alongside a £2,000 Apprenticeship Incentive for each new 16–24‑year‑old taken on by a smaller will help drive progress towards the Government’s ambition of creating 50,000 more apprenticeships for young people.

The Jobs Guarantee is also being expanded from 18–21 to 18–24, creating more than 35,000 additional subsidised jobs and taking the total number of opportunities supported through the scheme to over 90,000 in the next three years. 

In March, the government launched a major youth employment drive, backed by a further £1 billion investment in young people. This takes the total investment into the Youth Guarantee and the additional investment in the Growth and Skills Levy to £2.5 billion over the next three years. This will support almost one million young people and help deliver up to 500,000 opportunities to earn and learn.

The package also includes £140 million for new regional pilots, giving mayors the power to connect young people, including those not in education, employment or training – with apprenticeship opportunities at local employers. Working with regional leaders who understand their economies will ensure training meets real local skills needs. 

Employers and learners will benefit from a more flexible system, with new short training courses launched last month in areas such as AI, engineering and digital skills. The Government is also working closely with the defence sector to develop new work‑based training routes, helping build the critical skills needed for the future.

Alongside this, new waves of foundation apprenticeships are being rolled out in sectors including hospitality and retail, creating more entry‑level routes for young people to earn, learn and progress. Taken together, the reforms are simplifying and modernising the apprenticeship system, making it quicker, more flexible and more responsive to employers and learners.

Today’s visit underlines the Government’s commitment to breaking down barriers for young people, restoring pride in place and ensuring that growth and opportunity are felt all across the country.
May 11, 2026
Sam Rushworth – 2026 Comments about Keir Starmer’s Leadership

The comments made by Sam Rushworth, the Labour MP for Bishop Auckland, on 11 May 2026.

As the Labour MP elected for Bishop Auckland with a majority of just over 1,500 votes, I know something about the difficult political landscape facing Labour in the North East. I speak to constituents every week who are struggling with the cost of living, who are worried about public services, and who desperately want to see change after years of Conservative failure.

The Labour Government has already done important things in its first two years. We have delivered the biggest expansion of workers’ rights in a generation, taken serious steps to tackle child poverty, brought rail franchises back into public ownership, set up Great British Energy and started to rebuild the NHS. In County Durham, we have seen investment in our high streets, support for our schools, and a renewed focus on jobs and growth.

But I also know that many people feel impatient. They want change to come faster, and they want to feel that politics is on their side. That is why the message from last week’s elections must be taken seriously. Voters are not giving us a free pass. They are telling us to listen harder, move quicker and make sure that the benefits of a Labour Government are felt in every town and village.

I do not believe the answer is to turn inwards or to spend the next few months arguing with ourselves. The country needs a Labour Government that is focused on delivery, not division. Keir Starmer led our party from its worst defeat in modern times to a landslide general election victory, and he deserves the chance to finish the job of changing Britain.

There will be difficult conversations ahead, and there should be. Labour MPs have a duty to be honest about what is working and what is not. But those conversations must be rooted in the interests of the people we represent, not in Westminster speculation or personal ambition.

My focus remains on Bishop Auckland, the villages and communities across our constituency, and making sure that this Labour Government delivers the change people voted for.

May 11, 2026