Former Health Secretary Alan Milburn has 'no doubt' Labour can deliver after watching election count in Northumberland

Alan Milburn, who became Secretary of State for Health under Blair in 1999, felt the health service had never been in such a poor state.

Speaking at the count in Blyth, the Northumberland resident praised the party’s landslide win but cautioned that there was a lot of work to be done.

Mr Milburn, who now lives in Stocksfield, said: “The starting point for health is to acknowledge how bad it is.

“I have been around health policy for 30 years and it has never been as bad as it is now. The state of the system, not just hospitals, is awful.

“There are 7.5m people on waiting lists, massive staff shortages, you name it. However, I have got no doubt that Wes (Streeting) is going to be a first-class health secretary.

“It will be about how we reform the system. When we made progress in the early 2000s, we had very high waiting lists and it was the reforms that made the difference.”

Mr Milburn was also delighted with the party’s performance across the country and in the North East.

He continued: “Nationally, it is a seismic evening. I was fortunate enough to be part of the 1997 government, and it is something on that scale, which is amazing.

“It speaks to the fact that the country is ready for change.

“We cannot take anything for granted. A lot of people have lent us their vote. That support is conditional on the party delivering the goods.”