Steve Barclay

UK Politics

New environment secretary’s financial ties to climate denial group funder raise concerns

— Environment Secretary Steve Barclay received a £3,000 donation from climate change sceptic Sir Michael Hintze, raising concerns about Barclay’s stance on environmental issues and potential conflicts of interest, prompting scrutiny of the government’s commitment to environmental goals.

COVID-19

The inside story of the vaccine programme’s battles with the Treasury

— A new book exposes the tensions between the Treasury and health officials over the COVID-19 vaccine programme, and alleges that Steve Barclay delayed the approval of the programme due to value-for-money concerns, angering the vaccine taskforce.

Health

40 new hospitals delayed until after 2030 amid safety concerns

— The health secretary has announced a delay in the delivery of the 40 new hospitals in England that Boris Johnson had pledged as Prime Minister until beyond 2030.

NHS Strike

NHS Staff Council accepts Government’s revised pay offer, while other unions reject it

— The NHS Staff Council, representing over a million NHS staff in England, has accepted the government’s revised pay offer for 2022-23 and 2023-24.