Day 690 of the Labour government26 May 202617.23 GMT

0 British deaths since you opened this page0 in the policy gap

The Tribune

A standing record of UK government failure.

66,527

preventable British deaths in 2026 so far, across road safety, air quality, and preventative health.

651 on roads · 11,977 from polluted air · 53,898 from preventable conditions

By year end on present trajectory: 166,633 — more than the population of Oxford. An estimated 19,000 would not have happened with best-in-class governance. Eleven tracked Labour commitments. Two delivered. Day 690.

Today's wire

14 May— Wes Streeting resigns as Health Secretary. James Murray appointed.
Wes Streeting resigned as Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, citing 'lost confidence' in PM Starmer. James Murray (Ealing North) was appointed in his place — the third Health Secretary of this parliament.
29 Apr— Tobacco and Vapes Act receives Royal Assent. Cross-party origin.
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill received Royal Assent, creating a 'smoke-free generation' by progressively raising the legal age of sale of tobacco. The policy was first proposed by Conservative PM Rishi Sunak in October 2023 and carried forward by Labour.
5 Jan— Junk food ad ban comes into force, with brand exemption loophole.
The junk food advertising restrictions came into force, banning HFSS product ads on TV before 9pm and paid online. A brand-advertising exemption loophole allows companies to continue advertising their brands as a whole — flagged by the Food Foundation and others.
21 Jan— Full Fact: Labour's million potholes pledge unlikely to be met in 2025/26.
Full Fact analysis of 85 council reports found no projected increase in pothole repairs in 2025/26 versus 2024/25, suggesting Labour's manifesto pledge to fix one million potholes a year is unlikely to be met. Funding for the pledge was to come from deferring the A27 Arundel bypass.

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Issue one

Road safety

UK Parliament

Heidi Alexander, Secretary of State for Transport · day 540 in post

651

road deaths in 2026 so far · ~50,300 casualties on present trajectory.

live · updated just now

deaths per 100k

Sweden1.5

Norway1.6

Netherlands1.9

United Kingdom2.4

France2.8

If the UK matched Norway's rate, an estimated 540 road deaths a year would not happen. Over a five-year parliament that is ~2,700 British lives.

Days since substantive action: No record. No comprehensive strategy published, scoped or budgeted in 688 days.

Promised: “maintain and renew our road network, to ensure it serves drivers, cyclists and other road users, remains safe” — Labour Manifesto 2024.
Delivered: nothing of record.

Notable: Labour dropped its 2019 Vision Zero commitment from the 2024 manifesto.

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Issue two

Air quality

UK Parliament + devolved

Emma Reynolds, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs · day 260 in post

11,977

premature deaths from polluted air in 2026 so far · 99% of Britons breathing above WHO guidance.

live · updated just now

PM2.5 µg/m³

Sweden5.4

Finland5.6

Netherlands9.2

United Kingdom10.5

Germany11.4

Matching Sweden by 2030 would prevent an estimated ~14,400 premature deaths a year.

Days since substantive action: No record. No legally binding interim targets to WHO guidance tabled.

Promised: “no direct commitment on air quality in the 2024 manifesto. Only 'meet the targets set in the Environment Act'” — Labour Manifesto 2024.
Delivered: partial measures, 2010 NO₂ targets still missed.

Notable: Labour's 2023 draft policy committed to a Clean Air Act. Dropped from the final manifesto.

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Issue three

Preventative health

UK Parliament + devolved

James Murray, Secretary of State for Health and Social Care · day 9 in post (succeeded Wes Streeting, resigned 14 May 2026)

53,898

preventable and treatable deaths in 2026 so far · estimated £19bn annual cost to NHS and economy.

live · updated just now

per 100k working-age

Japan78

Switzerland84

Finland101

United Kingdom152

United States194

Closing half the gap to Finland over a decade would prevent an estimated ~33,000 working-age deaths a year.

Days since prevention plan: 312. Counting from the date of the manifesto commitment.

Promised: “from sickness to prevention — one of the three big shifts in our 10-year plan for the NHS” — Labour Manifesto 2024.
Delivered: mixed. Junk food ad ban delivered. 10-year plan partially published. No comprehensive prevention strategy budgeted..

Notable: Wes Streeting resigned 9 days ago. Junk food ad ban for under-16s passed May 2025.

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The standing record, day 688

~93,673

cumulative deaths in the policy gap since this government took office, 688 days ago.

2 / 11

of Labour's tracked 2024 commitments on these three issues delivered to date.

delivered partial in progress not delivered

Larger than the entire population of Maidstone.

Your move

1,247 letters sent this week · 23 MPs have responded

Write to your MP.

A letter to your MP on any of the three counts, pre-filled with the evidence above. Anonymous by default — your name is never published.

Letter preview · updates as you choose an issue

Dear your MP,

I am writing about the 640 preventable road deaths in Britain so far in 2026 — and the 1,633 that will happen by year end if nothing changes. The UK rate is now 50% above Norway's.

Labour's 2024 manifesto promised to keep our roads "safe", but no road safety strategy has been published, scoped, or budgeted in 540 days under Heidi Alexander. Labour also dropped its 2019 Vision Zero commitment from the 2024 manifesto.

I am asking you to press the government to publish a comprehensive road safety strategy with statutory targets, matching the standards of Norway and Sweden.

Yours sincerely,
[your name]

Drafting your statement

Dear your MP, I am writing about the 640 preventable road deaths in Britain so far in 2026 — and the 1,633 that will happen by year end if nothing changes. The UK rate is now 50% above Norway's. Labour's 2024 manifesto promised to keep our roads "safe", but no road safety strategy has been published, scoped, or budgeted in 540 days under Heidi Alexander. Labour also dropped its 2019 Vision Zero commitment from the 2024 manifesto. I am asking you to press the government to publish a comprehensive road safety strategy with statutory targets, matching the standards of Norway and Sweden. Yours sincerely, [your name]

Routing to

Your MP for —