Rishi Sunak is set to address the biggest problems facing the NHS in a major speech at 2pm today.
As the health service tackles a winter crisis while further staff strikes loom, the prime minister is expected to put forward plans to deal with ambulance delays and the backlog of millions of people waiting for treatment.
Briefings of the speech revealed that Mr Sunak will also take the opportunity to warn that Britain cannot afford to meet the pay demands of striking workers and confirm his plans to bring new laws to limit industrial action.
It will be the first major speech of his premiership and Mr Sunak will use it to fix his name to a major new policy: Making maths education compulsory for all up to age 18.
He will argue the prevalence of data and statistics in the modern world makes stronger numeracy vital.
The prime minster, educated at Winchester College, is expected to say: “This is personal for me. Every opportunity I’ve had in life began with the education I was so fortunate to receive.”
