Beware of Streeting’s selective statistics as he bids for top job

Wes Streeting’s widely-expected letter of resignation to Keir Starmer begins with a predictable ritual breast-beating on the achievements during his 32 months as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care.

Beware of Streeting’s selective statistics as he bids for top job. Wes Streeting’s widely-expected letter of resignation to Keir Starmer begins with a predictable ritual breast-beating on the achievements during his 32 months as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. He says: “The results are in, and I am pleased to report that I have delivered against the ambitious targets you set for me when I became your Secretary of State for Health and Social Care. Today’s figures confirm that we surpassed our waiting times target despite strikes, and that waiting lists fell by 110,000 in March – the biggest monthly drop outside of Covid since 2008 – meaning that we are on track to achieve the fastest improvement in NHS waiting times in history. [...] “A&E waiting times are improving, with four-hour waiting figures also the best in five years...