𝓤𝓷𝓲𝓽𝓮𝓭 𝓝𝓮𝔀𝓼

British graduates training to become doctors or nurses will be given priority over thousands of overseas-trained doctors. Ministers are set to push through legislation which will grow medical education opportunities for people from the UK and Ireland, in a boost for homegrown talent.

Speaking exclusively to the Daily Express, she said: “I have always argued that a strong state must be rooted in work, contribution and fairness. This Government is clear that policies must work for Britain, for our NHS, and for British workers. When they no longer deliver on those tests, it is not only sensible, it is our duty to review them.”

She added: “The taxpayer currently invests over £4billion every year in medical education.”

Ms Gill said the new laws would “do one straightforward thing: it prioritises UK medical graduates for training posts, both foundation and speciality.”

She added: “Putting British workers first is just common sense.”

The announcement is a major shift in NHS workforce policy, acknowledging concerns that British medical graduates have been increasingly competing with overseas-trained doctors for limited training places.

But the plans have been branded as “cynical” by Shadow Health Secretary Stuart Andrew, who accused the government of playing “games with Parliament” to appease striking doctors.

He said it was a “headline commitment designed to appease striking doctors in the here and now, rather than a serious plan to secure the NHS workforce for the future.”

While Mr Andrew backed the idea of training more British doctors, he warned the legislation was being rushed through Parliament “on a highly expedited basis” to affect offers made to graduates this year.

“The Bill comes into force ‘on such day or days as the Secretary of State may by regulations appoint’. This looks like a cynical attempt by the Secretary of State to take Parliament and resident doctors for fools, by unconstitutionally asking MPs to pass a Bill that he does not intend to enact if resident doctors don’t play ball,” Mr Andrew said.

He added: “Workforce shortages can only be solved by action, and that requires an actual plan, not playing games with Parliament.”