'Nothing off table' over NHS reform, Starmer says

BBCCopyright: BBC

Keir Starmer told me this morning he never wanted to be prime minister when he became an MP.

But now, he certainly looks and sounds like a leader who believes he is well on his way.

He told me his approach of the last three years has been "vindicated", although claimed he tells his team every week to act as if Labour is still five points behind.

But there were clear signs this morning that he’s going to ditch another of the promises he made originally when running for his job.

He wouldn’t repeat his vow to abolish tuition fees for students, another of his pledges that might be on the way out.

And while he tried to avoid controversy over the heated subject of trans rights, he said that 16 was too young to change gender - a direct disagreement with the plan that his MSPs in Scotland have just backed.

He wouldn’t be drawn on whether the government should take the nuclear option and block the legislation, nor did he rule it out, ahead of what might be a huge constitutional bust up between Westminster and Holyrood in the next few days.

Laura Kuenssberg's Sunday show has now finished - but stay with us as we bring you more analysis on this week's programme.

Howard Davies says if he were in the opposition, he would be keeping his powder dry for now over what they would do to tackle the economy in the next general election.

This is because there's a "huge level of uncertainty" - we don't know how inflation will go, the World Bank has warned of a shrinking global economy and there's a war on which could have very unpredictable consequences, he says.

Asked if he thinks taxes may go, up he says yes because the flexibility the government has got while meeting a stable position on the economy over the medium term is very small.

Tory backbencher Caroline Nokes has been asked about how the next general election will play out, with the Conservatives grappling with a lot of issues and an increasingly confident Labour party.

She says we haven't seen Labour's policies yet and there are lots of voters who don't know who they will vote for.

Nokes adds that her hope over the coming months is that the Tories pull together and we hear less from those sowing division within the party ranks "for the sake of it".

BBCCopyright: BBC

The transport secretary is now asked about the gender self-identification laws being changed in Scotland.

He says "we are not proposing to make those changes for England", adding that a detailed analysis about how it relates to the rest of the UK is needed ​before that decision is taken.

"These are subjects that are best approached with care - there are conflicting rights involved in this discussion," Harper says.

He says transgender people have received abuse and their rights should be respected but women also have worries about risks to their safety.

JK Rowling has said some very reasonable things that people are entitled to say and she's been treated very unfairly, he says.

Mark Harper is next asked about the news that schools could begin their own strikes over pay.

He says we don't know the result of the strike ballot of teachers and other education staff, adding that any child missing out on education would be regrettable.

Harper says the government has been talking to the trade unions and they want to have a "sensible dialogue" with them to avoid industrial action, adding that the education secretary is in communication with them.

Kuenssberg pushes the transport secretary on whether there will be a deal with rail unions this week.

Harper says he hopes there will be a deal and it's for the two sides to hammer it out.

That's for them to do, I've facilitated an offer and brought both sides together with the rail minister and it's for them to get to a place they can agree, he says.

Mark Harper is asked if he can confirm if more money has been put on the table to end the railway strikes.

He says he made sure there was a better deal on the table when he met with rail union leaders.

But the transport secretary adds that it is important to remember that reform of the rail industry is needed, saying he wants a proper seven day rail service in the future.

BBCCopyright: BBC

The transport secretary is in the hot seat now and Laura Kuenssberg gets straight to the topic of rail strikes asking if there could be a deal this week.

Harper says he does not want to put an artificial timetable on it.

But since becoming transport secretary, he says he wanted to change the tone of discussions and he and the rail minister have met all three union leaders.

There have been detailed talks this week and that's how ultimately you get a deal, he says.

Brian Cox is asked if he is frustrated that Nicola Sturgeon may be going back on her promise to use the general election as a referendum for Scottish independence.

He says it is frustrating but she is being "very canny" and rightly so, given that the issue is a "hot potato".

She has to be "very, very careful" that we are doing it the right way, he says.

It's a very frustrating situation, Cox says, adding that while he thinks Scottish independence is a possible albeit an overwhelming feat, Sturgeon is the right person for the job and she will get there in the end.

NatWest's chairman Howard Davies says the issue with scrapping tuition fees is that they would be difficult to fund through government spending.

He says Keir Starmer is right to be a bit cautious on making big spending pledges, noting the increased government borrowing costs since what Davies calls the "Truss-Kwarteng adventure" of the mini-budget last autumn.

Tory MP Caroline Nokes is asked whether the UK government should block a law change on gender self-identification.

She says there are real legal and constitutional implications for the law.

Nokes says she is very uncomfortable about gender or culture wars and wants to have a debate that recognises some people are born in the wrong body.

Her committee has taken evidence from transgender people and listening to the abuse they face, she believes we need to make the process of gender self-identification simpler and kinder - but she does not want to use it as a way to sow division.

BBCCopyright: BBC

Brian Cox says he is "very proud" of Scotland for changing the law on gender identification, but questions the age of transition.

He is asked about the way author JK Rowling is being treated, since getting involved in the debate.

He says he doesn't like how she has been treated, adding that she is entitled to her opinion.

"As a woman, she's very much entitled to say what she feels about her own body - and there's nobody better to say that," Cox adds.

Laura Kuenssberg has finished up quizzing Keir Starmer and it's over to the panel now.

NatWest's chairman Howard Davies says the reality is the economy is smaller as a result of Brexit - which is a significant handicap for the UK.

He notes the UK is at the bottom of the tables of economic growth for comparable countries.

Davies says we haven't recovered our GDP since before the pandemic and adds the country has "brought it on ourselves".

BBCCopyright: BBC

When I was a child I didn't dream of being PM, Starmer continues, but says he now has a duty and obligation to serve our country.

There's nothing worse than being in opposition, we vote, we lose we don't change lives we need to be a party that is capable of going into power, he says.

He's had a strategy and told his cabinet to fight like we're behind in the polls, he says.

"I hope my approach will get us from worst election result since 1935 into a position where we can form a Labour government," he says.

Back to party politics, and Starmer is asked: "Is your strategy as Labour leader paying off?"

He says he believes so, noting that he's had "no end of advice" from people who think they could do his job better.

Starmer says he had to be "single minded" in his course of action, exposing the government as unfit and ensuring he transforms the Labour Party for the better.

"I've pushed the noise to one side and concentrated on the job," he adds.

Starmer goes on to say that the party "is now fit to serve our country" following the changes since he became leader.

Kuenssberg moves the conversation to the recent controversy surrounding the Royal Family and asks Starmer if he would agree to intervening, as former Prime Minister John Major once was.

Starmer says no, and that he doesn't think politicians wading in is very helpful.

"I think it's very sad that the Royal Family is going through this anguish, not least because of the passing of the late Queen," he says.