Wes Streeting issued the demand this morning (Image: Getty)
Wes Streeting has begged Sir Keir Starmer to stop U-turning on policies, at the same time as the government prepares to make its 13th humiliating U-turn.The top cabinet minister was speaking at a conference in London this morning when he issued a demand to other ministers to get their policies right “the first time”.
He suggested frustration at the trend from his government of making major announcements only to have to commit embarrassing volte faces later on. Mr Streeting told the conference: “In the NHS, we have an initiative called GIRFT: get it right first time. That should be our new year’s resolution for 2026, let’s try and get it right first time.”
The call came at the exact same time reports emerged that Sir Keir and David Lammy are preparing to make a major climbdown over plans to abolish jury trials in England and Wales.
Read more: Keir Starmer set for yet another humiliating U-turn as Labour MPs erupt
Starmer and Lammy are preparing the government’s latest u-turn (Image: Getty)
Senior government figures are now examining whether to quell the rebellion by offering a major concession over the policy. This includes looking at whether two magistrates could sit alongside a judge to provide further oversight and balance in any conviction decisions.
The proposal was first suggested in an official report by Sir Brian Leveson last year, which the government used a precursor to push its policy of scrapping juries.
An official told the Financial Times: “We’ve had U-turns in recent months on inheritance tax for farmers and business rates for pubs, there is a risk that the next one is going to have to be jury trials. Going back to the Leveson proposals is where we would probably end up. And that would include having two lay magistrates sit with judges for trials.”
Mr Streeting’s comments are merely the latest damning intervention by the Health Secretary as Westminster rumours run wild that he is plotting a leadership coup.
In December he publicly slammed Sir Keir’s leadership as “technocratic”, adding he is “pretty frustrated” with the government.
He insisted that while Labour has done “a huge amount” since gaining power last year, “that’s not reflected in the polls, and I don’t think it’s even reflected in our storytelling. I think we sell ourselves short.”
Without criticising the Prime Minister directly, the top Cabinet minister lashed out at the government’s “practical, technocratic approach” to leadership. He warned that Labour is in danger of presenting itself as the “maintenance department for the country.”
“The problem with that kind of practical, technocratic approach is that if someone else comes along and says, ‘Well, I’ve got a maintenance company too, and mine’s cheaper,’ why wouldn’t people go, ‘OK, well, we’ll give that maintenance team a try’?”
According to the Conservative Party’s u-turn tracker, the government has already committed 12 major reversals of policy, with jury trials looking like their 13th.
These include: the Family Farm Tax; Employment Rights Bill Day One Rights; Keeping the two-child benefit cap; Personal allowance threshold freeze; Welfare reforms; No more tax rises; Grooming gangs inquiry; Winter fuel payments; National insurance rises; Help for WASPI women; Defence spending; and Business rates changes.
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said of the jury trials reports: “I hope these rumours of another u-turn are correct but I will believe it when I see it. If Keir Starmer had a backbone he would stand up to his Justice Secretary and cancel this mad idea to scrap jury trials.
“Conservatives believe trial by jury is a cornerstone of justice and we will fight to protect it.”