People elected this Labour government to deliver change. Not slogans. Not excuses. Change they could see in their lives. This year and next, step by step, that change is taking shape. That is what the Prime Minister recently told a gathering of Labour council leaders that I attended at 10 Downing Street.
Starmer was relaxed and confident – he needs to do that more – and went on to brief us on the year ahead.
He said that 2026 is the year people need to feel the difference. Not in statistics, but in the rhythm of daily life. In the weekly shop. In monthly bills. In pay packets that finally go further. In communities that feel safer, cleaner and more confident again.
He further pledged:
- Thousands more free breakfast clubs will open.
- 3,000 more neighbourhood police officers will be on our streets
by March. I followed this up with the Ipswich Superintendent last
week. Yes, more police officers will be coming to the Ipswich
area. - Almost 120 community diagnostic centres will be open 7 days a
week across the country, as we bring down waiting lists and
renew our NHS. One will open in Ipswich this year. - New rights for renters and workers will come into effect from
May. Helping over 13,000 households renting privately in
Ipswich - Inflation, interest rates and mortgage costs are falling and are
forecast to keep falling, which is good news for every
household.
Keir Starmer’s brother, Nick, was diagnosed with inoperable lung cancer and passed away on Boxing Day, aged 60. Despite his brother’s terminal diagnosis, Starmer remained private about his health issues and did not use him for political gain. He supported Nick through his illness, visiting him in Leeds hospital and ensuring that he was not alone during his diagnosis, Starmer has expressed his admiration for Nick’s kindness and willingness to help others, despite his own limited means.
Cancer has laid a heavy hand on my family and I’m sure almost all of us will know someone affected by cancer.
Labour’s National Cancer Plan is very welcome, especially that surviving cancer shouldn’t be a lottery based on where you are born. However, the truth is that for some cancers, survival rates in England trail behind Croatia and Romania.
The NHS has not met its main cancer target– that 85% of patients start treatment within 62 days – since 2014. Labour’s radical National Cancer Plan will change this.
Our aim is that three in four cancer patients will survive long-term from 2035. The plan includes:
- Faster diagnosis, with £2.3 billion invested to deliver 9.5 million
additional tests by 2029. - Robot-assisted surgery, to increase to half a million operations by
2035, reducing complications and freeing up hospital beds. - Treatment at specialist centres, so patients with rarer cancers have
their care reviewed from the best doctors.
The plan will see the NHS deliver world-class cancer care, offering renewed hope for millions and making sure the health service is there for patients whenever they need it.
We have also pledged up to £10 million a year to pay for travel costs for children with cancer and their families. No family should face financial hardship while their child fights cancer. This universal fund open to all, removes the barrier of travel costs so families can focus on what matters – being by their child’s side.
Larry the Cat showed me out of 10 Downing Street. A big security guard bellowed “don’t touch the cat!” Not that I was intending too!
Labour is on course to deliver renewal, rebuild confidence, and strengthen both Britain and Ipswich now and for the future.