Keir Starmer presents united front with Chancellor after tears in UK Parliament

London, Jul 3 (PTI) British Prime Minister Keir Starmer on Thursday presented a united front with his Chancellor Rachel Reeves, a day after her tearful appearance in Parliament sparked much speculation over the future of the top tier of the Labour Party government as they complete one year since being elected in July last year.
    While Starmer stressed that Reeves will remain in her job handling the nation’s finances for “many years to come”, the Chancellor told reporters that it was a “personal issue” that had caused her very public tears and that she remains focussed on “cracking on with the job” as head of the UK Treasury.
    The duo was joined by Health Secretary Wes Streeting at Sir Ludwig Guttman Health & Wellbeing Centre in east London as they launched the government's flagship ‘10 Year Health Plan’ to “future-proof” the taxpayer-funded National Health Service (NHS).
    “It’s all down to the foundation we laid this year, all down to the path of renewal that we chose, the decisions made by the Chancellor, by Rachel Reeves, which mean we can invest record amounts in the NHS,” said Starmer.
    “I think it is just fantastic that she [Reeves] is here. None of this would be happening if she hadn’t taken the decisions that she has taken. She took those decisions and she will be taking them for many years to come,” he said, as he launched a new “Neighbourhood Health Service” to set up community-based teams of health workers to “dramatically improve” access to the NHS.
    “Our 10-Year Health Plan will fundamentally rewire and future-proof our NHS so that it puts care on people’s doorsteps, harnesses game-changing tech and prevents illness in the first place,” added Starmer.
    Reeves said that the government’s NHS plan, launched to mark the 77th birth anniversary of the health service on July 5, will ensure that it will “always be there for those who need it for the next 77 years and many more beyond that too”.
    On her being caught on camera shedding tears during the Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) session in the House of Commons on Wednesday, she told reporters: “Clearly I was upset yesterday and everyone could see that. It was a personal issue and I’m not going to go into the details of that.
    “My job as Chancellor at 12 o’clock on a Wednesday is to be at PMQs next to the Prime Minister, supporting the government and that’s what I tried to do. I guess the thing that maybe is a bit different between my job and many of your viewers’ is that when I’m having a tough day it’s on the telly and most people don’t have to deal with that.”
    Wes Streeting also offered his backing to his Cabinet colleague as he welcomed the 10-year plan of “fundamental changes” in the way healthcare is delivered.
    “By shifting from hospital to community, we will finally bring down devastating hospital waiting lists and stop patients going from pillar to post to get treated. This government’s Plan for Change is creating an NHS truly fit for the future, keeping patients healthy and out of hospital, with care closer to home and in the home,” said the Health Secretary.
    The ministerial outing was clearly intended to move the narrative along from speculation over a crisis at the heart of the government and a brewing leadership challenge being faced by Starmer just a year into office as PM.
    “They’ve got no clue where the money’s coming from, are U-turning every five mins and we’re all going to pay to fix the mess they’ve made,” Opposition Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch said in a social media statement.
    It follows days of upheaval over an internal Labour Party disagreements over a government plan to introduce social welfare reforms through changes to state benefits accessed by the disabled.
    Earlier this week, Starmer was forced to offer several concessions to the government’s Universal Credit and Personal Independent Payment Bill in order to avert a full-scale rebellion in his party ranks. It has left Chancellor Rachel Reeves with a budgetary hole to fill, causing much of the mayhem at the one-year mark which is usually considered smooth-sailing for a government elected with a landslide as Starmer-led Labour was in the July 4, 2024, general election. 

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)