Oral Answers to Questions

Neil Hudson Excerpts

Wednesday 26th February 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

I thank my hon. Friend for raising that tragic case. My thoughts, and I am sure those of the House, are with the family, friends and teammates of Mike at Warrington Wolves. She is right that one death by suicide is one too many and reducing the number is a vital part of our health mission. We are recruiting an additional 8,500 mental health workers who are especially trained to support people at risk of suicide. We are committed to taking forward the suicide prevention strategy for England and I am sure the whole House supports that.

[Dr Neil Hudson (Epping Forest) (Con)]

Q3.  I welcome the Prime Minister’s statement committing us to increased defence spending and reaffirming the UK’s support for Ukraine and its democratically elected leader, President Zelensky. He is a wartime leader like Winston Churchill, who also had to delay elections because his country faced an existential threat. As the Prime Minister travels to Washington, with this House and the country willing him to succeed, will he invoke the legacy of Churchill in making the case for the UK to be the key in bridging transatlantic relations, to bring us all together for the sake of freedom and democracy across the world?

[The Prime Minister]

I thank the hon. Member for his question, and may I pick up on both elements? First, President Zelensky is a democratically elected leader and suspending elections was precisely what we did in this country when we were fighting in the second world war. Secondly, yes, the UK has successfully been a bridge between the US and Europe for many years. It is vital that we continue in that role. That is why my message to President Trump is that the relationship between our two countries needs to go from strength to strength—it is already strong—while we work at the same time with our European allies.