With Keir 2-year anniversary special： Replying to your comments one last time

Thank you all for all of your comments and questions. I've really enjoyed going through them. And here are my answers. There are many favourite moments when you're Prime Minister because you get to represent your country, to be able to pay tribute to so many talented and brilliant people in all walks of life, whether that's our brilliant athletes, our sports people, whether it's those who serve our country, Which is an incredible privilege to be able to thank. Those coming off our nuclear submarines after many days at sea, those that have been on our aircraft carriers, those that are flying in the sky to defend our allies, these are really important, significant moments as Prime Minister. Of course, there's also the great joy of watching the lionesses win the Euros and feeling really proud of our country because, of course, they did bring it home. Unlike some of the others and they gave me a signed shirt, a lionesses shirt and we're not allowed to make too many changes in Downing Street to the pictures that hang in the various rooms and hallways but that lionesses shirt hangs proudly in the main hallway so these are all very proud moments as Prime Minister of our country. The most difficult thing about being Prime Minister is undoubtedly... Not having enough time with my family, with my fantastic wife, Vic, and our two children. So my boy is now 18, actually, just a few days ago. My girl is 15, really important ages. And it is just inevitable, if you're prime minister, that you have to spend so long dealing with work issues that it impacts on the time that I can spend with them. And I found that really difficult because... They're my pride and joy, and I think like every parent, I wish I could have spent more time with them. Young people have benefited from the government in a number of ways and I'll try and put it into sort of three chunks or baskets if you like. The first is we all say that we want every child and young person to go as far as their talent or ability will take them. It's a fantastic idea but it's never going to work if you don't do the basics and the first of those basics is making sure that children don't grow up in poverty because there's no way young people going as far as their talent or ability will take them if they've grown up in poverty. So we've done a huge amount to deal with child poverty and to reduce child poverty, whether that's free school meals, free breakfast clubs, free child care, which is really important, and of course, lifting the two-child benefit limit so that children grow up with better prospects. The second thing, Ian, is to champion... Technical excellence colleges to give children, young people the opportunity either to go to university if that's what they want to do, but equally to have a fair chance if that's not what they want to do, if they want to use their skills, their brain in a different way. So those technical excellence colleges are really important and pushing that side. And that's why I actually took down the target in relation to the number of young people going to university and put up a different target. Which is that two thirds of young people should either go to university or go on to a high level qualification. And then the third thing where they've benefited under this government is we've really pushed apprenticeships for young people. We've tilted the way apprenticeships are done so that they're more orientated to young people. And really champion them and to really make the argument that going to university is good and look, I did, it benefited me, no doubt. So I'm not going to belittle that in any shape or form. But on the other hand, we need to treat apprenticeships in the same way, with the same regard and give them equal value. And that's what we've been doing in government. So they're the three main ways I'd say young people have benefited under this government. The best things we've done... are the things that have been focused on those that we're here to serve and I say many times but I mean it, in politics what matters almost more than anything is who do you have in your mind's eye when you make your decisions and that's why the work we've done with children and young people in our mind's eye is really important. Lifting half a million children out of poverty, and that's something that will be felt not just this year, next year, over the next few years, but for the rest of their lives. It will have a huge impact on them. Protecting young people from social media was really important, I think, parents and young people. I'm really worried about the amount of time that's being spent on social media and some of the addictive algorithms that are being used. And so bringing in measures to protect them is hugely important. We'll give them better and different futures as we go forward. Equally, the work we've done on the economy and public services has been really important. The NHS is almost like a religion in the United Kingdom. But when we came into government, the NHS was on its knees. And we invested heavily, picked it up, and now... Waiting lists are coming down at the fastest rate for 17 years. And that makes a difference, not just to the statistics, but the people who are waiting for an operation who now know they're getting that more quickly. And more generally, people feeling the NHS is working better than it has done in the past. We've introduced really important rights at work under our employment rights legislation, which is about giving people protection and dignity and respect at work, which really matters. Things like bereavement leave, which you may not think is the most important thing, but it's hugely important. Anyone who's lost someone dear will know that having a bit of breathing space is really important and having the right to that is important. We introduced renters' rights legislation to protect renters, and that's 11 million people across the country will be protected from the ever-increasing rents. Going up and up and up, only in one direction, and conditions not necessarily being as good as they should. And, of course, protection from eviction through no fault of their own. Hugely important there. Alongside that, we've taken a number of measures on the cost of living. I'm And then to go to sort of the international, starting we have rebuilt our reputation globally With our EU partners. to be sure, but also across the world to and I'm very proud of the fact that when it came speak to the Coalition of the Willing in Ukraine or the coalition that we've put together to deal with the Strait of Hormuz, it's the UK that's leading and the fact that now other now. countries look to us for that leadership is something I'm really proud of having delivered in the two years we've had in government. There are a number of moments when I've been really, really proud. The first was walking out the street. The day after the general election, my first day as prime minister, and I can't overstate what a privilege it is to be prime minister of the United Kingdom, to lead your country is an enormous privilege. Thank And so there's huge pride that day. And it was really great that my family were able to see that. I'm very sad that unfortunately, my mum and dad weren't able to see it. But that was a really proud day. But equally, the day we announced that we were lifting the two-child benefit cap and therefore starting lifting hundreds you. of thousands of children out of poverty was a really proud moment because I know that for them... That will be lifelong and give them chances they wouldn't otherwise have. Yeah, yeah. You know, not just this year, next year, but measured in decades. So I would pick out those as my two proudest moments. I think there is a number of things that we've been able to do in two years that will have long term impact. I would take, first and foremost. Stabilising the economy, because as the last government shows, if you lose control of the economy, it's people up and down the country that pay the price. So by stabilising the economy... We've built the foundation for many years to come on which people can do the things in life that they want to do with a bit more comfort and a bit more security. I'd also say rebuilding the NHS. My mum worked in the NHS, my wife works in the NHS and so it runs through my DNA and I was very sad to see the state it was in when we came into government. Now we've picked it up. Put it back on its feet. There's more to do, of course there is, but that will have lasting effect with the NHS, once more the service that we all want and we all are entitled to, and for everyone to know that it's there when they need it or their family member needs it. I think the other thing that will have long-term impact is the work we've done on child poverty and young people, because when you lift a record number of children... children out of poverty, and it will be a record number under this government, you are impacting in a positive way their lives for decades to come. And finally, I'd mention the international work we've done, because I'm proud of our country. I want the United Kingdom to be respected across the world, and I want the United Kingdom to be one of those countries that others look to for leadership. and example and that's where we've restored the United Kingdom and that's hugely important so in all of those respects I'm very proud of what we've achieved and in a way the test for an outgoing prime minister is, have you left the country in a better state than you found it? Thank And I say that on a number of levels, in a number of different ways, we have definitely left this country in a better state than we found it. And I want whatever comes next to be a huge success as you well. So I've been asked what hair gel I use. very Now, you may or may not know that for Very high-level government secrets. There's a rule that the information is so sensitive much. that it can't be released for 30 years. So I'm going to have to come back to this one in some time. Or I could just say that the hair gel I use is... I think whenever anybody looks back on a period like the last two years, there's always things that you wish you could have done more quickly because we're here to change the country for the better and that requires an urgency. The truth is it takes time. As anybody who's turned around a business or a school or any organisation will know, it takes time. We've made huge progress in the last two years. But of course, I think the change that we need to improve the lives of millions of people across the country can't come soon enough, frankly. And therefore, that urgency needs to always be there. Will England win the World Cup? I hope so. I think we've got a great squad. We made a bit of hard work of it so far, but I've got faith in this team and I want them to bring it home. So come on, England.