Ben Wealthy

Looking forward to 2nd draft then!

Not least, undertaking a multi-decade shift in spending from treatment to prevention and wellbeing.

Valuable read.

We need to ask is, what are we trying to achieve? Then comes the follow up issues of how much would that cost, how much can we afford and where should the money go.

I suspect, if our overall objective was to improve health and wellbeing, we would be making some different choices.

‘You call it a shitshow – I say it’s unforgivable’: Lisa Nandy on Epstein, Mandelson and Labour’s torrid week The culture secretary talks about secret briefings, the need for solidarity and why the government must recognise its big moment of reckoning

"In this country, one of the biggest challenges we face is that we’ve lost the ability to understand one another.”

Thoughtful, sparky and hopeful interview with Lisa Nandy - there are many talented Labour people in Parliament.

www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

Many thanks for this analysis both. I feel we, as a country, have continued to pressed snooze on the public health wake up call we heard and saw during Covid-19 instead of jumping out of bed and seizing the change moment. Funding, or lack of, is one example. Modest progress under Labour to be fair.

The complex story of public health and prevention spending in local government | The King's Fund What do longer term trends in local government spending tell us about the government’s commitment to the prevention shift?

Signs of a #prevention #shift? #really? What the latest #localgov #publichealth #allocations and wider trends tell us from me and Danielle Jefferies for @thekingsfund.bsky.social www.kingsfund.org.uk/insight-and-...

Your points are entirely fair Ed, I also want the government to articulate a clearer vision and sense of purpose. The organiser in me is always very nervous about endless leadership speculation and division.

The pandemic was a wake-up call. Just as the financial crisis exposed wealth and income inequality, the pandemic exposed health inequalities. There does need to be a bolder agenda to create more health and wellbeing across society. Being well and happy is the greatest freedom of all.

Overall some important steps have been taken on public health such as around junk food advertising, breakfast clubs, lifting the two child benefit cap, expanding the sugar tax etc. What is lacking is real cross-government leadership on health and wellbeing, in terms of funding, politics and policy.

The government has announced a three-year settlement for the public health grant to local councils. Longer-term allocations support planning and help deliver value for money. The overall amount is up, but that has to be viewed in the context of a decade of cuts, inflation and high need.

Every government has an ongoing task of renewal, made harder today by the noise and pace of social media and the understandable impatience to see and feel the country improving. I hope Labour ups its game, I think it can and will. If change is necessary it should be in a calm and considered way.

The shortcomings are of a much lower magnitude than the catalogue of failures that came before, from austerity and Brexit to covid chaos (both in terms of policy and personal conduct) and economic incompetence. Not to say serious mistakes haven't been made but hardly comparable in scale.

Political leadership is tough and no human has the full range of skills and qualities. It is clear that Keir Starmer is a thoughtful and serious man. The government has many notable achievements - employment rights, renters' rights, new trade deals, lifting children out of poverty, breakfast clubs.

Global economy must move past GDP to avoid planetary disaster, warns UN chief Exclusive: António Guterres says world’s accounting systems should place true value on the environment

Significant work happening at UN level to encourage and support countries to measure their success in respect not just of GDP, but of human and environmental wellbeing.

Wellbeing of the economy, people and planet is an exciting new vision for the good society.

www.theguardian.com/environment/...

Lidos are key to Britain's great outdoor renaissance Not many people would associate politics with lidos, yet they are steeped in political history.

"Bringing lidos back isn’t about nostalgia – it’s an investment in wellbeing, joy and community life."

@drbeccycoopermp.bsky.social on the renaissance of the great British lido. Enjoyable read.

www.politicshome.com/opinion/arti... @thehousemag.bsky.social

Many thanks for flagging here, absolutely on the same page about a national wellbeing measurement programme for young people - lets keep campaigning on this!

Healthy places APPG banner

Yesterday we attend the APPG on Healthy Places today chaired by @drbeccycoopermp.bsky.social & talk all things wellbeing measurement! Insightful contributions from @benwealthy.bsky.social & Ben Franklin

National wellbeing measure for young people would transform how local & national policy is made

The secretariat for the APPG on Wellbeing Economics is provided by the World Wellbeing Movement.

You can find out more here: wellbeingeconomics.co.uk

'If the government is serious about economic growth, it must get serious about improving wellbeing.'

Ahead of the Budget, this is the message from @delivering4crawley.bsky.social and Lord Gus O'Donnell, Chair and Co-Chair of the APPG on Wellbeing Economics.

Via @thehousemag.bsky.social

I walked passed the National Covid Memorial Wall earlier. There is not a day that goes by when I don't think about the lost lives and potential, and the deep sadness and illness that many still face.

In terms of the future. We need to ensure 1) Closer links for public health experts into govt and an ability to sound the alarm and be heard 2) An institutional bias towards scaling up and resourcing existing systems and structures, not reinventing the wheel...

In terms of the future. We need to ensure 1) Closer links for public health experts into govt and an ability to sound the alarm and be heard 2) An institutional bias towards scaling up and resourcing existing systems and structures, not reinventing the wheel...

As someone who had the opportunity to make a small contribution to the public health policy response to the pandemic, I am clear that the government was too slow to act.

I think there was an ideological aversion to decisive action - Ministers were too slow to get the science.

Look forward to reading in detail the Covid Inquiry Report on political decision-making.

It is really important that everyone digests what is said in detail and avoids sweeping statements.

This was one of the gravest challenges faced by any government outside of war.

NHS failing to cut waiting times as promised in recovery plan, report warns Public accounts committee finds Labour’s progress ‘appears to have stalled’ despite billions of pounds in investment

Think it is unfair on the NHS - and destined to fail - if we focus success purely on managing down waiting lists.

Have to look wider and actually improve public health to reduce severity of demand and costs on health services.

www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

The Good Life This post develops remarks I made at the Health Creation Alliance Summit on Tuesday 21st October about wellbeing.

My first Substack piece is here - it is about Alan Partridge, happiness and politics (with a little inspiration from my old friend Cicero)

benwealthy.substack.com/p/the-good-l...

The UK’s gambling industry is worth £15.6bn, yet gambling-related harms burden our health services, public resources & communities.

I joined fellow MPs urging the Govt to levy this billion-pound industry to tackle child poverty and transform life chances across the country.

'Fatberg' weighing 100 tonnes removed from London sewer - BBC News The removal of the "fatberg" from a sewer in Feltham was "hugely complex", Thames Water says.

Interested in framing more policy challenges as part of ‘rights and responsibilities agenda.’

Water is a good case study. Expensive bills, polluted waterways and aging infrastructure.

The industry needs to clean up its act, or be nationalised. But we all have a role.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

Many thanks to Peter for stepping up to serve as Chair of the APPG on Wellbeing Economics.

The World Wellbeing Movement is delighted to be providing the secretariat - very much looking forward to working with Parliamentarians and others to promote ideas that will improve wellbeing in the UK.

Wellbeing economics provides an idealistic and pragmatic framework for addressing some of our biggest policy challenges – find out more about the revived APPG on Wellbeing Economics here wellbeingeconomics.co.uk or drop me a message.