Keir Starmer promises to roll out mental health hubs for youngsters in every community

The Labour leader said a Labour Government will reform the NHS and cut soaring waiting lists. He will set out his “contract for better health” in a speech at the Fabian Society annual conference

Labour leader Keir Starmer promises to treat mental health as seriously as physical health – unveiling plans to roll out more mental health hubs for youngsters across the UK.

Mr Starmer aims to give Brits access to mental health support in less than a month with extra funding for the sector.

He will set out his contract for better health in a speech at the Fabian Society annual conference on Saturday.

Community mental health services are overstretched as many youngsters were left without help during the pandemic.

Data from NHS Digital shows there was a 69% rise in hospital admissions in England since 2019.

Provisional data from April-October 2021 reveals there were 4,238 hospital admissions for children aged 17 and under, up 41% from 2020.

The Labour leader’s commitment to the NHS will be “as much about prevention as cure”, and will become a key point of his contract with the British people.

Mr Starmer has already promised Brits they will be treated with respect, enjoy a prosperous life and feel safe in their communities.

He will tell the Fabian Conference: “The NHS cannot look after us if we do not look after it. This is a political crusade for us… but this is also a personal crusade for me.”

Reflecting on his childhood years visiting his mum in hospital he will add: “I have never forgotten the care my mum received… the respect with which she was treated.

“I want that level of care for everyone.”

Mr Starmer blasts Boris Johnson’s Government for watching NHS waiting lists soar.

“It is not good enough to blame all this on Covid. This mess has been much longer in the making. Why have we got to this point, where the NHS itself is in a critical condition?”

“We are witnessing the broken spectacle of a Prime Minister mired in deceit and deception, unable to lead.”

Tom Madders, the director of campaigns at YoungMinds, said the NHS figures were “worrying”.

And the pandemic has “left many young people isolated, uncertain about the future and with less control over their lives,” he added.

Labour have held a consistent lead over the Tories in the polls since early December – weeks after the Mirror first revealed stories about lockdown parties held in Downing Street.

As of January 14, Labour held an eight-point lead on the Tories, and took a 40% share of the vote.

It comes as Downing Street apologised to Buckingham Palace after it emerged parties were held in Number 10 the day before Prince Philip’s funeral last year.

Two parties were held at Downing Street, one held for the leaving party of the PM’s former director of communications James Slack and the other for a No 10 photographer.

The Mirror understands the PM didn’t make the apology to the Queen personally.

Instead it was delivered via official channels in a telephone call.