Streeting’s ‘shock’ at scale of NHS struggles inspires big political gamble

Health secretary consistently rejected notion of axing NHS England on the basis of legal challenge he must now tackle

Since Labour won power last July, Keir Starmer has repeatedly affirmed his deep affection for the NHS, close family ties to it, intention to “fix” it – and also his determination to change it.

In a speech last September, he said the health service in England is in such dire straits that “it’s reform or die” and his government’s plans to overhaul how it works “could amount to the biggest reimagining of our NHS since its birth” in 1948.