Wes Streeting has stated that NHS waiting lists need to be "millions lower" by the next general election in 2029 and is willing to do whatever it takes to bring them down.

The health secretary also shared that he would use spare capacity in the private sector to help do this.

Speaking with Trevor Phillips on Sky News' Sunday Morning programme, Mr Streeting outlined his ideas for the health service.

He said he wants to end the "two-tier system" where those who can afford it go private "and those who can't are being left behind", Sky News reports.

However, he added where there is spare capacity in the private sector the NHS should use that to get waiting lists down.

Mr Streeting explained: "Rebuilding that [the NHS] takes time.

"So in the meantime, I'm looking to pull every single lever I can to make sure that people get treated as fast as possible and as safely as possible.

"And you can get those waiting lists down, get people back to health, back to work, or back to enjoying their lives in retirement."

He added that his centre-left principles mean he cannot leave "working class people waiting longer even where there is spare capacity in the private sector that we could use via the NHS to get those people treated faster".

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Wes Streeting questioned on if GPs will get pay rise

Back in August GPs asked for an 11% pay rise, and Mr Streeting would not confirm if this will be delivered.

Instead, he said he has been in negotiations with the British Medical Association (BMA) GP committee and met them "many times" since becoming health secretary.

However, he said said he did want to "set expectations in the wrong places" as he cited cutting the winter fuel allowance for pensioners not claiming pension credit.

"There are difficult balances to strike in the public finances," he said.