12 Feb 2026
This open letter was sent to Wes Streeting's office on Thursday 12th February, following his release of his messages with Peter Mandelson. It is signed by eight organisations (listed below) that campaign against privatisation of NHS services and for proper investment into the health service.
You can make sure that this letter reaches him by sending it to him via email at dhsc.publicenquiries@dhsc.gov.uk and wes.streeting.mp@parliament.uk. Or you can share it on Twitter or Instagram - tag him in your share text using @wesstreeting.
Dear Rt Hon. Wes Streeting MP,
Thank you for publishing your WhatsApp messages with Lord Mandelson in order to be transparent about the nature of your relationship. This step was particularly important because his lobbying firm, Global Counsel, has worked for Palantir and other firms that have a direct interest in government policy, including policy affecting the health service, which he was likely influencing.
We the undersigned are writing to ask you to extend this important step toward transparency to persons who have donated to you and with whom you have discussed health policy, DHSC announcements and NHS contracts.
With 60% of your donations coming either from the private healthcare sector, or from individuals with a financial interest in the private healthcare sector, you can demonstrate that your NHS reforms are driven by principle, rather than unaccountable lobbying.
In April 2025, the Good Law Project revealed that you received donations from private health companies or individuals with interests in private healthcare at a rate of £10,000 per month. Up to 60% of your donations since 2015, totalling £372,000, came from these sources.
We are therefore asking you to release your messages with the following persons:
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Peter Hearn, whose healthcare workers’ recruitment firms MPM Connect and OPD Group have given you a total of £197,900. He has also given you £40,000 in his personal capacity;
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John Armitage, a hedge fund manager with investments of half a billion dollars in United Health, the US’s largest health insurance company, has given you £95,000;
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Sir Trevor Chinn, a senior advisor to a firm holding investments in several private health companies, gave you £18,500;
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Kevin Craig, founder and CEO of PLMR a political consultancy that advises a firm that provides temporary staff to the NHS, has given you £13,000, and
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Red Capital Ltd, controlled by a sitting director of Europa Healthcare Group, Lord Jonathan Mendelsohn, has given you £5,000.
Releasing to the public your messages with these donors (relating to health policy, DHSC announcements and NHS contracts) would help assure the public that your policy of increasing the use of the private sector for the provision of NHS services, is not driven by a quid pro quo relationship.
We would be also grateful for an opportunity to meet with you to discuss this matter further.
We look forward to hearing back from you soon.
Kind regards
Cat Hobbs - director, We Own It
Linda Burnip - Disabled People Against Cuts
John Puntis - co-chair, Keep Our NHS Public
Mark Ladbrooke - chair, Socialist Health Association
Jan Shortt - General Secretary, National Pensioners Convention
Dr Ellen Welch - co-chair, Doctors Association UK
Dr Julia Grace Patterson - director, Every Doctor
Diarmaid McDonald - director, Just Treatment
