The dominant topic in the specified period was the National Health Service (NHS). A significant volume of posts from the Department of Health and Social Care and Health Secretary Wes Streeting focused on falling waiting lists and improvements in patient care.
The post with the highest engagement was from Keir Starmer on the topic of online safety, which garnered over 187,000 views.
Three Major Themes
- NHS Waiting Lists: Health Secretary Wes Streeting and the Department of Health and Social Care announced that NHS waiting lists have fallen by over 312,000 since July 2024, with an 86,000 drop in November alone. Separately, Wes Streeting stated this progress is the “result of record investment and modernisation”, while the Department of Health and Social Care noted “Community Diagnostic Centres are helping cut waiting lists”.
- Online Safety: Keir Starmer stated that “Free speech is not the freedom to violate consent” and welcomed action from social media platform X to ensure compliance with UK law. Separately, Liz Kendall welcomed the move but noted she expects Ofcom’s investigation to establish the facts, while the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology reiterated that platforms have a legal duty under the Online Safety Act.
- Welsh Energy Projects: Jo Stevens and the Wales Office announced that new clean energy projects off the coast of Pembrokeshire and North Wales have been awarded contracts. Stevens stated the projects will help deliver clean energy by 2030, bring down bills, and create jobs, noting they were the “first successful Welsh projects in over 10 years”.
The Wales Office announced that new clean energy projects off Pembrokeshire and North Wales have been awarded contracts to deliver home-grown power. Jo Stevens stated this is part of the government’s mission to deliver clean energy by 2030 and that they were the “first successful Welsh projects in over 10 years”. Separately, Rachel Reeves stated she makes “no apologies for our commitment to investing in the North of England”.
On policing, Shabana Mahmood MP commented on findings regarding West Midlands Police, stating there has been a “failure of leadership”. She also stated her intention to restore the Home Secretary’s powers to sack chief constables, noting the Conservatives had removed these powers in 2011. In other matters, Emma Reynolds stated she is asking Ofwat to review if South East Water is operating in line with its licence following a water outage.
In foreign affairs, John Healey welcomed @FedorovMykhailo as Ukraine’s new Defence Minister and paid tribute to @Denys_Shmyhal. The Ministry of Defence noted that John Healey was in Stockholm to meet with allies, stating that “keeping the UK safe means working with allies who share the same threats”. The Cabinet Office also reported that Minister Nick Torfaen met with a Portuguese minister to discuss deepening the UK-Portugal relationship.
A series of announcements were made regarding the NHS. Health Secretary Wes Streeting stated that waiting lists are down by more than 312,000 since Labour came into government, with an 86,000 drop in November alone. The Department of Health and Social Care confirmed that since July 2024, waiting lists have fallen by 312,000. Streeting added that compared to July 2024, 340,000 fewer patients are waiting more than 18 weeks for treatment. Both Streeting and the department credited Community Diagnostic Centres for providing tests close to home. The Health Secretary concluded that while there is “far more to do”, Labour is getting the NHS back on its feet.
On the topic of online safety, Keir Starmer stated, “Free speech is not the freedom to violate consent” and welcomed action from platform X to ensure compliance with UK law. Liz Kendall also welcomed the move from X but stated she will expect facts to be established by Ofcom’s investigation. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology posted that social media platforms have a “legal duty to make sure that users are protected” under the Online Safety Act.
In other announcements, Yvette Cooper reported speaking with Finnish ministers about Moscow’s hybrid threats in the Arctic. Bridget Phillipson highlighted a new campaign featuring people whose lives were transformed by technical education. David Lammy commented that a “revolving door defection” proves Kemi Badenoch’s Conservatives and Nigel Farage’s Reform are the same. The Wales Office announced that S4C content will now have more visibility on the BBC’s iPlayer.
Outlook / Emerging Trends
Shabana Mahmood MP stated, “I will restore it” the Home Secretary’s powers to sack chief constables. Separately, the House of Lords announced its schedule for the day, which included discussion on the #CrimeandPolicingBill, and the Department for Culture, Media and Sport noted that its Ministers would be answering questions in the House of Commons from 09.30am.
