Attenting A Briefing At Downing Street with the PM, Sir Keir Starmer

Life is certainly never boring here, and I while I would hate to sound nonchalant in any way, I was invited back (yes, back) to Downing Street last Thursday-after interviewing the PM, Sir Keir Starmer on the roll out of Breakfast Clubs in schools, last October, and subsequently visited 10 Downing Street for a meeting and private tour, in January. 

This time, the briefing the PM held was specifically for creators and focused on the situation in the Middle East and how the government is supporting people during this time with the cost of living – their number one priority. 

When I asked Sir Keir Starmer how he and the government are supporting families already struggling with the cost of living, he answered, 

‘My government’s first priority is easing the cost of living by stabilising the economy and reducing pressure on household bills. That’s why I’m working, as the British Prime Minister, for an end to the conflict in the Middle East and a re-opening of the Strait of Hormuz – because that is the quickest way to support people with the cost of living here. And we’ve already action to ease the cost of living for people in the UK, including; increasing the National Living and Minimum Wages, worth up to £900 a year for millions of workers; cutting and capping energy bills, saving the average household £117; freezing rail fares; ending the two‑child benefit cap to help lift nearly half a million children out of poverty; and providing 30 hours of free childcare a week for working parents. With global instability continuing to drive up costs, particularly energy, my government is taking action to prevent shocks becoming permanent, while strengthening home‑grown energy security and continuing to act at home to ease pressure on families’.

I’ve also included how the government is helping the UK below (reference).

It was reassuring to hear how committed the PM and the government are in helping those in desperate need. 

NHS

• Secured £400m investment to boost clinical trials, improving NHS services and driving growth.
• Announced that over 1,000 more GPs will be recruited this year, supporting NHS services.
• Set out the long-term plan to rebuild our NHS for good and transform services over the next 10 years.

Transport

• Ended train strikes, delivering for passengers.
• Launched new legislation to bring the UK’s railways back into public ownership which will improve rail services.
• Given communities more power over their local bus services.

Housing

• Banned no-fault evictions and introduced new protections for renters.
• Delivered planning reform to build the homes we need.
• Announced ‘Homes for Heroes’ – a programme to ensure all UK Armed Forces Veterans as well as domestic abuse survivors and care leavers have a roof over their head.

Crime and Border Security

• Kickstarted a plan to restore neighbourhood policing.
• Scrapped the wasteful Rwanda scheme and launched a Border Security Command to smash the criminal smuggling gangs and improve the UK’s border security.

Education

• Launched a Curriculum and Assessment Review to help improve schools.
• Started the drive to recruit 6,500 teachers nationally, improving the education system.
• Launched Skills England to transform opportunities and drive growth.
• Scrapped single headline Ofsted grades in schools in landmark school reform.
• Overhauled apprenticeships through a new Growth and Skills Levy.
• Supported parents by announcing the first stage of the government’s plan to deliver 3,000 school-based nurseries.
• Announced the Children’s Wellbeing bill which will remove barriers to opportunity and make sure the school system is fair for every child.
• Kickstarted the rollout of free breakfast clubs for all primary school children through an early adopters scheme.

Economy and employment

• Unveiled new measures to support small businesses impacted by late payments.
• Scrapped the ban on onshore wind and unblocked solar schemes to deliver lower bills and good jobs.
• Announced improved employment rights for workers, with a package of reforms that will Make Work Pay – including ending exploitative zero hour contracts, providing statutory sick pay from day one, and ending fire and rehire.
• Secured a record 131 new green infrastructure projects which will create jobs and drive growth.
• Announced a new National Wealth Fund to unlock private investment.
• Introduced a new Fiscal Lock Law to deliver economic stability and protect family finances.
• Announced a new Covid Corruption Commissioner to get back what is owed to people.
• Launched landmark pensions review to support pensioners.

Environment

• Launched a new Floods Resilience Taskforce to turbocharge flood preparedness and support delivery of flood defences.
• Delivered new measures to penalise water bosses who pollute waters.
• Announced a new deal for farmers, which will go further to support farmers, boosting rural economic growth and strengthening Britain’s food security.

Cost of living

• Launched the Warm Homes Plan to deliver lower energy bills and lift over one million households out of fuel poverty.
• Established the Child Poverty Taskforce, working across government departments to tackle child poverty.
• Working to drive up Pension Credit applications.
• Extended the Household Support Fund to support struggling households with bills and essential costs over winter.

Defence

• Launched a new Armed Forces Commissioner who will be a strong, independent champion to improve life for UK service personnel and their families.
• Awarded our armed forces the largest pay increase in decades which will renew the nation’s contract with those who serve.

It would be great to hear your thoughts.