Berger given key mental health role by Labour a year after rejoining

Luciana Berger has been given a key role in Labour's mental health strategy five years after she left the party over its handling of antisemitism cases.

- Aletha Adu

The former MP for Liverpool Wavertree has been appointed to lead a cross-government strategy focused on lowering suicide rates by appointing thousands of mental health professionals to support people who self harm.

Keir Starmer announced Berger's new role at the Jewish Labour Movement (JLM) conference as he assured members he would "never let antisemitism sneak back into the Labour party undercover".

He told the conference: "I see no greater cause in my leadership than this. This is my role." Berger said Labour had turned a significant corner under Starmer's leadership and expressed her excitement about leading the initiative.

"Millions of people are experiencing poor mental health, without the necessary support to recover," she said. "The absence of a proper plan to address the causes of poor mental health requires urgent attention.