Jack Burgess
Live reporter

Thank you for joining us for this morning's live page on Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg.

And what a busy morning it's been.

We've heard from Labour's shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves and the Health Secretary Victoria Atkins, and we've also seen a moving interview with Del Amitri's frontman Justin Currie about his Parkinson's diagnosis.

We're about to close this page but you can carrying on reading here:

• Rachel Reeves: Labour won't be able to turn things around immediately
• Laura Kuenssberg: Rachel Reeves could be our next chancellor - but what's she really like?

This live page was written by Gabriela Pomeroy and Pippa Allen-Kinross, and edited by me.

See you next Sunday.

Image source, PA Media

Another politician making the headlines in recent days is Education Secretary Gillian Keegan, who told an audience of head teachers that she would have "probably punched” Ofsted inspectors who recently visited a school in her constituency.

She has told the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) conference in Liverpool that inspectors were "really rude" during their visit to the school in Chichester and she has been “shocked” by the school's account of its Ofsted inspection.

Asked about Keegan’s remarks, Ofsted's chief inspector Sir Martyn Oliver said inspectors and school staff alike "should act with professionalism, courtesy, empathy and respect".

Mike Short, head of education at the Unison union, has said Keegan's words were "not becoming of a government minister" and accused her of making light of violence in schools.

Our full story on Keegan’s comments is here.

Image source, Getty

Elsewhere in the political world this weekend, two ministers have publicly urged the government to increase defence spending to above 2.5% of national income.

Anne-Marie Trevelyan and Tom Tugendhat say the UK needs to "lead the way" and invest at a "much greater pace".

Their article, posted on LinkedIn, follows criticism of last Wednesday's Budget for failing to boost defence spending.

Delivering the Budget, Chancellor Jeremy Hunt said spending was above 2% - Nato's target - and would rise to 2.5% "as soon as economic conditions allow".

But Trevelyan, a Foreign Office minister, and Tugendhat, the Security Minister, say the global risk posed by countries like Russia and China means there is no time for delay.

Read more on this story.

There was a lot to talk about in that programme!

Here's a quick look at what the main political guests have been speaking about on this morning's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg:

Rachel Reeves - the shadow chancellor was asked if there would be cuts to government spending if Labour wins the next election.

• Reeves admitted Labour would not be able to turn things around straight away - but has said there would be an "initial injection of cash" into public services
• Asked about Labour ditching its £28bn green pledge, Reeves blamed former PM Liz Truss and ex-Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng's mini-Budget for affecting what an incoming Labour government can do and also said she's working with businesses to find investment
• When asked by a Labour voter what the difference is between Labour and the Conservatives' fiscal policies, Reeves said her party plans to close tax loopholes to inject cash into public services

Victoria Atkins- the health secretary was asked if she agreed with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak's admission that the government had failed to bring down NHS waiting lists.

• Atkins said waiting lists have come down in the last three months but admits the government wants to do more

• Asked by Laura why the NHS is less productive now than before the pandemic, the health secretary pointed to the productivity plans announced in last week's Budget
• When asked why there is a repairs backlog of £11bn in the NHS, Atkins acknowledged problems at some older hospital buildings but said the government has new plans to deal with the issue
• Atkins was also questioned about obesity and the delays to plans to ban multi-buy offers on foods high in fat and salt. The health secretary has said the government will be setting out a prevention strategy which will include obesity

Here's a key moment you may have missed from Laura Kuenssberg's interview with Health Secretary Victoria Atkins earlier.

When questioned about the safety of maternity services in the UK, Atkins said as health secretary she has "prioritised women's health" but also admitted there are some "darker corners" of the NHS where a light needs to be shone.

The health secretary has told Laura that the government is investing in more midwives and training for neonatal resuscitation.

Last November England's healthcare regulator has told BBC News that maternity units currently have the poorest safety ratings of any hospital service it inspects.

By the way, if you want to read more from Laura - sign up for the Off Air with Laura K newsletter.

Get Laura's expert insight and insider stories every week, emailed directly to you.

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The programme has now finished and the panel have been sharing their final thoughts with Laura.

Sharon White - the John Lewis CEO says if she was in the government's shoes, with so little money to spend, her priority would be to tackle planning reform.

"To get Britain building again and homes for our young people; that's what I would come out of the blocks with on day one," White says.

Lord Michael Howard - the former Conservative leader says planning is a "very difficult issue", and says "productivity is the key to all of this".

He says we cannot keep putting taxpayers' money into public services without improved performance and adds that he was "heartened" by the amount of money Chancellor Jeremy Hunt made available in the Budget to improve use of technology in the NHS.

Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall - the celebrity chef says taxpayers' money needs to be spent more wisely, and part of that is spending it on the green economy. He criticises both Labour and the Conservatives for not doing enough on this.

We'll be bringing a round-up of the show's key moments shortly.

Laura turns to strikes and asks if there will be a new pay deal with junior doctors soon. "Will you give them more money?"

The health secretary says junior doctors need to come back with some reasonable expectations.

"I want to do a deal" she says, saying it was "regrettable" that junior doctors "walked out" of negotiations last year.

She calls for "realism" about what the taxpayer can afford to pay in boosting doctors' salaries.

And that's it from the health secretary.

Laura next turns to tackling obesity and helping people look after their health.

She brings in panellist Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, who says obesity is the "single biggest factor in the ailing health of the nation" and that the estimated cost to the economy of obesity is £100bn a year.

He tells Atkins she has done "next to nothing" about it.

Atkins says she has been in post for three months, and she will be setting out a prevention strategy which will include obesity.

She adds that she wants to take a strategic approach to intervention.

Laura asks about delays on plans to ban junk food adverts pre-watershed and banning multi-buy offers on foods high in fat and salt - "there is a list of moments where you almost acted and you decided not to", she says.

Atkins says the government has to reflect the society in which they serve and the NHS serves.

Laura asks about the government announcing it will invest £35m to boost maternity care safety after a number of high-profile failures at hospitals trusts around the country.

There is a "shocking" number of cases of women dying, Laura says, adding: "Are you ashamed that has been allowed to happen?"

The health secretary says she's prioritising women's care and admits there are some "darker corners" of the NHS where a light needs to be shone.

Atkins argues the rate of neonatal and stillbirths is declining, and that the government is investing in more midwives and training for neonatal resuscitation.

Laura says there is a repairs backlog of £11bn in the NHS, and there are hospitals where buckets are out catching drips and scaffolding is holding up roofs. Was it a mistake for successive Tory governments to take money from the capital budget in order to put it onto day-to-day spending, she asks.

Atkins says she acknowledges the problems that some older buildings have, and says the new hospitals programme is building 40 new hospitals - but Laura interjects and says that it's not.

Atkins says there is a specific programme to try and drive RAAC - a form of lightweight concrete - out of hospitals, and the government has committed £4.2bn into maintenance and infrastructure.

Laura asks the health secretary why the NHS is less productive now than before the pandemic.

The NHS is doing less and getting more money, Laura asks, saying: "What's gone wrong?"

Atkins replies that we have more nurses, doctors and midwives now in the NHS, adding that the chancellor announced tax cuts for millions of workers last week.

He also announced a productivity plan for the NHS, she says.

Laura's first question to Atkins is on NHS waiting lists and whether she agrees with comments from Prime Minister Rishi Sunak that the Conservatives have "failed" on bringing them down.

Atkins says she "absolutely understands" why people are so worried about it, and says waiting lists have come down over the last three months but the government wants to do more.

She adds that the longest waits are concentrated in 15 trusts, and they are supporting those trusts to bring down the waits. She also mentions the impacts of strikes on waiting times.

The government’s health secretary is up now.

Laura will be grilling Victoria Atkins about the government's plans for the NHS, cuts to National Insurance, and evidence that there is a growing number of people off work due to long-term illness.

Stay tuned.

Laura now mentions Back To The Future star Michael J Fox, who is living with Parkinson's disease, and who made a surprise appearance at the Baftas last month.

She says Fox has recently talked about how he thinks Parkinson’s disease has “been a gift to him” and asks what Currie thinks about that.

“Yeah, I can see the argument,” he says, and continues by saying “it’s already changed my personality, not necessarily in negative ways”.

When Laura asks “how so”, Currie replies with “you become a bit more aware; you're maybe a bit less – maybe I’m a bit less selfish”.

“Although, I shouldn’t say that, because I’m still very, very selfish”, he adds.

He says there are “bleaker days” but also “surprisingly long moments of reprieve”.

Currie adds that his band have been “incredibly supportive, sort of emotionally and professionally”.

Image source, .

Currie says after getting his diagnosis he became "really depressed".

Laura asks him why he decided to make a documentary about his illness.

Currie says he always writes a diary when he goes on tour and the band’s manager Andy suggested during their last American tour that he should write about Parkinson’s instead.

The aim was “just kind of talking about Parkinson’s” and then making ”a podcasty thing or a radio show, or something, when we came back”, he adds.

“I’ve adopted a bit of a head in the sand approach, thus far,” Justin Currie starts by saying, in reference to his Parkinson’s diagnosis.

He adds that he’s had the “classic symptoms” of a shaky right hand and very stiff shoulder.

But Currie says he was really alerted to the disease when he toured after lockdown and found everything difficult on stage.

“There were certain songs on the guitar I just couldn’t play, and my plectrum was getting stuck in the strings, so that was a bit of a red flag,” he says.

Currie adds that he went straight to his GP at the end of the tour.

Next up on the show, singer Justin Currie from Glaswegian rock band Del Amitri.

The group’s frontman recently revealed his Parkinson’s disease diagnosis and has spoken about his illness on BBC Radio 4’s Tremolo programme.

Del Amitri scored hits in the 1980s and 90s with songs including Kiss This Thing Goodbye, Nothing Ever Happens and Always The Last to Know.

News of his diagnosis comes ahead of a major tour for the band.

In the BBC interview, the singer-songwriter said he first suspected something wasn't right when he began having trouble grasping his guitar plectrum.

Parkinson's disease is a condition that affects the brain and causes problems like shaking and stiffness that get worse over time.

Read more on this story

Image source, Getty Images

Laura says we're a long way from an election but if Labour wins, Reeves' life is going to change a lot. Laura asks her is she is "going to live above the shop if you are lucky enough to win?" That is, No 11 Downing Street.

Reeve says "it will be a big change for my family".

She adds she just wants the chance to do what she believes she can do well - which is run the economy of the public finances and UK.

And that's the end of her interview.

Reeves continues that she is "under no illusions" about the "scale of the inheritance" Labour would be faced with if they win the next election and it will take time to turn things around, but said she would "relish the chance".

Asked if spending rules should be more flexible, Reeves says fiscal rules and "making sure the sums add up" are "incredibly important".

She adds that business investment in the UK is lower than in any other G7 economy and says growth is the number one priority for Labour.