Theresa May calls for mental health to be priority

Pic--Theresa May has announced plans for tuition fees - and could still make announcements on school funding
Political&Health reporter(wp/bbc):::

Theresa May, using some of her remaining political authority before leaving office, has called for improvements in preventing mental health problems.

The prime minister wants new teachers to be trained how to spot children with mental health difficulties.

"Too many of us have seen first-hand the devastating consequences of mental illness," says Mrs May.

Labour's Barbara Keeley said the prime minister only offered "warm words".

The shadow minister for mental health said the "reality" was support services being "stretched to breaking point".

'Personal priority'

Mrs May, having stepped away from debates about Brexit, is using her last days in office to focus on what she sees as key domestic issues.

"We should never accept a rise in mental health problems as inevitable," says Mrs May, calling for early intervention.

"Tackling this burning injustice has always been a personal priority for me," said the prime minister, saying that preventing mental illness should get the "urgent attention it deserves".

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She wants teacher training to include lessons in identifying children who might have mental health problems and to address issues such as self-harm.

At university level, there will be £1m for a competition to come up with innovative ideas to tackle mental health problems among students.

NHS staff will be encouraged to take suicide prevention training.

The prime minister also promised the publication of a White Paper setting out the government's response to Sir Simon Wessely's review of the Mental Health Act.

Wait for treatment

Sir Simon will be among those attending a roundtable discussion of his review on Monday, along with Health Secretary Matt Hancock and Simon Stevens, chief executive of NHS England.

The prime minister's efforts were praised by Paul Farmer, chief executive of Mind, the mental health charity."It's particularly positive to see such priority given to young people's mental health - our recent work in schools has shown us the true scale of the need," said Mr Farmer.

But Labour's shadow minister for mental health, Barbara Keeley, accused the prime minister of ignoring the "reality" of over-stretched budgets and delays in treatment.

"We know thousands of children and young people are either turned away from mental health services or have to wait too long for treatment," she said.

School funding

Mrs May, although having stepped down as Conservative party leader, remains as prime minister - and is said to still want to push ahead with ideas and policies that had been held back by Brexit.

Last month she launched the findings of a review into university and further education college funding.

She backed the report's call for a cut in fees to £7,500 in England and an increase in support for further education colleges.

There are believed to be plans for further announcements on education, with suggestions that funding plans to address school and college budget shortages could be brought forward.

Implementation will depend on her successor and the agreement of the Treasury, but Mrs May could still set out her plans for spending more on schools and colleges.

A Number 10 source said suggestions over the prime minister's education spending plans were "speculation".

Tory leadership race: Contenders clash over Brexit

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Contenders to replace Theresa May as Conservative leader have clashed over delivering Brexit during a TV debate.

The MPs argued over whether a new deal could be renegotiated with the EU, and the prospect of a no-deal Brexit.

Leadership hopefuls appeared before a studio audience at a debate hosted by Channel 4 News in east London.

Boris Johnson came under fire for not taking part. He had defended his non-appearance, arguing debates with many guests "can be slightly cacophonous".

Some of the sharpest exchanges came over whether Parliament should be shut down in order to push through a no-deal Brexit by 31 October - something four of the five candidates argued against.

The UK had been due to leave the EU on 29 March, but EU leaders agreed to delay the date to October after MPs repeatedly rejected Theresa May's Brexit deal.

International Development Secretary Rory Stewart said proroguing Parliament was a "deeply disturbing" option and Home Secretary Sajid Javid warned "you don't deliver democracy by trashing our democracy."

However ex-Brexit Secretary Dominic Raab refused to rule it out, saying "every time one of these candidates take an option away… we weaken our chances of getting the best deal."

Who won the debate?

No stand-out winner and a debate that won't trouble the absent frontrunner Boris Johnson.

His team thought there was nothing to be gained from pitching up for this blue-on-blue skirmish which was mostly good natured but repeatedly raised questions the candidates struggled to answer.

How can the next prime minister renegotiate a deal with the EU? How can it be done by October? How could the UK leave without a deal if MPs refuse?

At one end of the debate, Dominic Rabb was rounded on for saying he would be prepared to try and suspend parliament if it was the only way to get the UK out without a deal at the end of October.

In the opposite corner, Rory Stewart was the only one who said a renegotiation with the EU in the next four months was a fantasy promise.

At some point this week one of the five will break out and become the challenger to Boris Johnson for the ballot of Tory members.

No-deal Brexit?

The candidates also argued over whether a no-deal Brexit should be considered.

Sajid Javid said no deal was the "last thing" he wanted but added: "You do plan for no deal precisely because you want a deal."

Dominic Raab said Britain would be able to "manage those risks" associated with leaving the EU without a deal.

However Mr Stewart said "I think a no-deal Brexit is a complete nonsense," adding "it would be deeply damaging for our economy."

BBC reporter Matt Cole said the warmest responses in the room seemed to be for Rory Stewart and the most testy exchanges were over Brexit.The candidates were united in condemnation of the Labour leader with Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt accusing Jeremy Corbyn of being "against aspiration".

Environment Secretary Michael Gove argued he was the candidate Mr Corbyn would be most scared of facing at Prime Minister's Questions.

The UK's next prime minister

'Where's Boris?'

Meanwhile, Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt attacked Mr Johnson for failing to appear at the TV debate.

"Where's Boris," he asked, adding "if his team won't allow him out with five fairly friendly colleagues, how is is he going to deal with 27 European countries".

Rory Stewart also made a pointed dig at his absent colleague, saying he hoped "one of us" - referring to the MPs who had attended the debate - becomes prime minister.

Speaking to Radio 4's World at One earlier, Mr Johnson said he was "pretty bewildered" by claims he was dodging scrutiny and said the public had had "quite a lot of blue-on-blue action, frankly, over the last three years".

He said the best time for a debate was on Tuesday after the second ballot.

Health Secretary Matt Hancock - who withdrew from the leadership race after the first ballot - has backed Mr Johnson "as the best candidate".

Writing in The Times, Mr Hancock said Mr Johnson "is almost certainly going to be our next prime minister" and called on Tory MPs "to unite behind him with a strong team".

Beyond Brexit

The TV debate also saw politicians being asked about their priorities apart from Brexit.

Sajid Javid chose funding education and further education colleges, saying: "We have cut back too much in that space."

Dominic Raab said he wanted to improve state schools and offer more choices for young apprenticeships, while Michael Gove said children would be his top priority and emphasised the importance of protecting the environment for the future.

Jeremy Hunt told the audience "every Conservative has two desires: cut taxes and spend more on public services." He also said he would focus on literacy and the social care system.

Rory Stewart said his central priority would be fixing adult social care, describing the issue as "the great unfinished revolution".

Biggest weakness?

Asked about their weaknesses, Michael Gove said he was impatient, while Dominic Raab said he was "a restless soul" who "always wanted to make things better".

Sajid Javid admitted to being stubborn while Rory Stewart said there were "many things he didn't know about the world". However, he added that "we need leaders who listen" and criticised "macho posturing".

Jeremy Hunt suggested others might say his biggest weakness was "getting my wife's nationality wrong" - referring to a time he got muddled about whether his wife was Chinese or Japanese.

The candidates will now go on to take part in further ballots until only two remain.

The final pair will be put to a vote of the 160,000 members of the Conservative Party from 22 June. The winner is expected to be announced about four weeks later.

On Tuesday 18 June BBC One will host a live election debate, hosted by Emily Maitlis, between the Conservative MPs who remain in the race.

The participants will face questions from viewers across the country via local TV studios.

If you would like to ask the candidates a question live on-air, use the form below. It should be addressed to all of them, not a specific politician.