Keir Starmer pledges to tackle ‘bureaucratic nonsense’ to save NHS

Labour leader sets out views on health service, saying if we don't get real about reform, the NHS will die'

Keir Starmer has said Labour is prepared to reform the NHS to prevent it dying, as he said the current system of GP visits isn't working".

The Labour leader said his party was going to tackle bureaucratic nonsense" in the NHS and argued people should be able to self-refer themselves to a physio for back pain or to order a test for internal bleeding" rather than having to see a GP.

He had concerns" about Scotland's laws to allow people legally to change their gender without medical diagnosis, saying he did not agree that those aged 16 should be able to do this. The UK government is considering whether to block the legislation in a constitutionally controversial move.

He had never dreamed of wanting to be prime minister when younger or when he first entered parliament, but his mission as Labour leader was now motivated by duty".

He could not guarantee his leadership pledge that Labour would abolish tuition fees because the political landscape had changed after the Covid pandemic.

Labour would not take the UK back into the EU or the single market, and he resisted the idea that Brexit was to blame for the country's financial troubles.