Summary

  • New data from NHS England shows hospital waiting lists rose in May, for the second month in a row

  • An estimated 7.6 million treatments were waiting to be carried out at the end of May, relating to 6.38 million patients

  • Health Secretary Wes Streeting has announced an investigation into NHS performance - saying the health service has been "wrecked"

  • Prime Minister Keir Starmer tells the BBC we “should mark the occasion” if England win Euro 2024 on Sunday, but won’t commit to granting an extra bank holiday

  • Later, Environment Secretary Steve Reed is due to meet 16 water bosses on Thursday, as a 21% increase in water bills over five years is announced

  • Chancellor Rachel Reeves says economic growth is "our national mission", after new figures showed GDP growth of 0.4% in May

  • And after three days, all 650 MPs have now been sworn into Parliament ahead of its state opening next Wednesday

Live Reporting

Edited by Nadia Ragozhina and Jamie Whitehead

  1. What's coming up today?

    Francesca Gillett
    Live reporter

    Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria disembark from their plane in the dark with photograph behind them taking pictureReuters

    Starmer and his wife, Victoria, pictured landing in Washington DC last night

    • Starmer abroad: He's landed in Washington DC ahead of talks with Joe Biden and other world leaders later, at his first Nato summit. On the way, he said his plan to raise defence spending to 2.5% of national income was "cast iron" - but refused to say when he'll hit the target
    • Ukraine spending talks: Starmer also suggested he's going to push Nato members to increase defence spending, saying the package of support for Ukraine the UK was seeking to advance at the Nato summit “goes beyond the support that's been put in before"
    • Tory blame game: The Conservatives have not yet announced when they'll pick their next leader, but some MPs - including potential candidate Suella Braverman - have already been speaking out about what they think went wrong. In an article this morning for the Times, however, shadow home secretary James Cleverly took a different tone, calling for "a sensible post-mortem" which must not descend into "bitter infighting"
    • MPs sworn in: The new cohort of MPs will continue being sworn in today. We spoke to some of the newbies yesterday, about what it feels like taking up their new jobs

  2. Starmer's 2.5% pledge isn't likely to be reached particularly quickly

    Chris Mason
    Political editor

    The prime minister has told us the government will begin a strategic defence review next week.

    It will aim to establish the defence capabilities the UK will need in the future and what officials describe as “the roadmap” to reaching the funding target for defence of 2.5% of national income.

    In other words, that number isn’t likely to be reached particularly quickly.

    Nato wants its members to spend 2%, a proportion the UK exceeds, but the government has promised to go further, but without putting a deadline on its pledge.

    Sir Keir Starmer says the review must come first, and any uptick must be affordable - but critics accuse the new government of dawdling.

    Nato gathers for this 75th anniversary meeting keenly aware of the dangerous world it confronts.

    The deaths, injuries and damage inflicted on a children’s hospital in Kiev in Ukraine this week was, the prime minister says, “shocking”, “appalling” and a “very important if tragic backdrop to this summit.”

  3. PM says defence spending commitment 'cast iron' - but no timeline

    Starmer surrounded by photographers on the planeReuters

    Reporters accompanied Starmer on the plane to the US

    The main news this morning is that the prime minister has arrived in Washington for the Nato summit – his first overseas trip since taking office last week.

    Sir Keir Starmer, accompanied by his wife Victoria, will visit the White House later to meet President Biden.

    On the plane, Starmer told reporters the new government had what he called a “cast iron commitment” to spend 2.5% of national income on defence - but he is still refusing to say when that promise will be delivered.

    While at the summit he will also push for other Nato countries to spend more on defence, saying it will help tackle the nature of today's threats.

    More here.

  4. Starmer faces first big international test as PM

    Good morning and welcome to our live coverage, as Sir Keir Starmer is in Washington to join world leaders for the 75th Nato summit.

    It's a visit of many firsts for the PM, but it will also prove to be one where his leadership skills are put to the test - and on an international stage.

    We're still a few hours away from Starmer's first face-to-face meeting with his US counterpart - one of the PM's first calls in office was to President Joe Biden - but we'll be bringing you all the live updates from that meeting in the White House when it happens.

    Meanwhile, on this side of the pond, MPs will continue to be sworn-in from 11:30 BST.

    There will be a lot of zigzagging across the Atlantic as we bring you updates from both the domestic and international front, but we'll do our best to keep things clear and your head screwed on right (promise).