Luciana Berger returns to key role for Labour overseeing mental health strategy
She had previously left the party amid its antisemitism scandal.
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Your support makes all the difference.Luciana Berger will oversee Labour’s mental health strategy five years after leaving the party amid its antisemitism scandal, the party has announced.
Ms Berger, the former MP for Liverpool Wavertree, has been appointed by Sir Keir Starmer to oversee a cross-government strategy to tackle mental health issues.
Under the plan, thousands of mental health professionals would be specially trained to support people who self-harm to drive down suicide rates.
Her return to a key Labour role came as Sir Keir sought to assure Jewish Labour members at the one-day Jewish Labour Movement (JLM) conference that he continues to remain vigilant about antisemitism within the party ranks.
Ms Berger claimed Labour had “turned a significant corner” under Sir Keir’s leadership.
She added: “Millions of people are experiencing poor mental health, without the necessary support to recover.
“The absence of a proper plan to address the causes of poor mental health requires urgent attention.
“Labour’s commitment to deliver a cross-government long-term strategy to tackle mental ill-health is an important step towards gripping this issue, and I am really excited to be leading this work.”
Ms Berger, who served as a shadow health minister between 2013 and 2016, will present recommendations ahead of the next election about how to achieve Labour’s plans to prevent mental ill-health.
The former MP left Labour in 2019 to join new political party Change UK, amid dissatisfaction with Jeremy Corbyn’s response to the party’s antisemitism crisis and after facing antisemitic abuse.
She stood for the Lib Dems in the 2019 general election but lost, and re-joined Labour in February 2023 following an apology from Sir Keir.
Sir Keir said he was “proud to welcome Luciana back”.
He added: “The Labour Party has changed beyond recognition since she was forced out, and we will be a richer party for having her working with us again.
“It will be the mission of my Labour government to make sure fewer lives are lost to suicide, with timely support available to all who need it.
“Luciana is a fierce advocate for mental health and her work will contribute to achieving that mission in government.”
Speaking at the JLM conference, Sir Keir insisted Labour had “changed irrevocably” under his leadership.
He went on: “I know there are many members of this community who still need to see more from us, and the work goes on.
“But I am proud of the steps we have taken so far, proud of the journey that JLM has led the party on.”
The Labour leader has pledged to provide specialist self-harm training to the 8,500 additional mental health staff he committed to recruiting if his party wins the general election this year.
The overall policy would cost £440 million, according to Labour, and would be paid for by scrapping a private equity loophole it believes would raise up to £600 million.
The Government has insisted it is taking action to reduce “the number of tragic suicides”, with an extra £2.3 billion a year going into mental health services to help two million more people, as well as £150 million invested in crisis services.
– For mental health support, contact the Samaritans on 116 123, email them at jo@samaritans.org or visit samaritans.org to find your nearest branch.