Whenever I think about the scale of the mental health challenge before us, I take inspiration from a man who battled with his own mental health his entire life – and I use the word ‘battle’ quite deliberately.

For while he was a sufferer, he was never a victim. While he knew what defeat was, he was never prone to defeatism. He knew that each day required work just to achieve equilibrium. Or as he would have put it: “Keep the black dog on a leash.”

That man was Winston Churchill.

Were he alive today, he would quite possibly have been diagnosed with bipolar disorder.

There’s certainly no doctor alive who would have approved Sir Winston’s self-medication regime of champagne with lunch, brandy after dinner, and port, scotch and claret at all hours in between.

And I have no hesitation, and make no apology, for calling Churchill one of this nation’s – indeed one of the world’s – greatest ever leaders.

For while he may have had his flaws – which of us doesn’t? – he was ahead of his time in so many ways.

He spoke openly about his struggle with depression in the age of the stiff upper lip and buttoned-up emotion, when any discussion of mental health was seen as a weakness – he showed humility, compassion and leadership.

Thankfully, attitudes have changed.

But have they changed enough?

Have we done enough to tackle the stigma, prejudice and discrimination that people with mental health conditions endure?

Have we ensured that mental health and physical health are treated equally? Not just in terms of resources, but in terms of priorities?

And have we stopped to think about the mental health impact and the mental health needs of the people we rely on most? Our doctors. Our nurses. Our paramedics. Our carers.

This summit, today’s declaration and our commitment to achieving equality between mental and physical health is a bold, ambitious statement of intent.

For us to deliver on that pledge, on a global scale, we’re going to have to change not only the way the public thinks, but the way politicians think about mental health. Because this is the defining challenge of our age. And it is a challenge which is sadly growing among young people.

In the UK, one in 10 children now has a mental health problem. Many of them will go on to develop serious mental health problems as adults unless they get the support they need.

For the sake of future generations, we must rise to this challenge. And I believe that together, we can.

And let us think about the vitality of this agenda this way:

The world has changed over a generation, where our lives, and especially the world of work, are defined less by our physical capability and more by our mental ability.

And in the coming generation, as we live through the march of the machines, and they increasingly take on cognitive tasks, so our lives will be defined by our emotional capabilities more than ever.

And as our shift in our lives moves from the physical to the cognitive to the emotional, so it’s natural that we must shift in our healthcare to care equally about the physical, and the mental, and the emotional.

And I say this very clearly: some people still find this uncomfortable. Some still dismiss this agenda as being soft. But I defy you to talk to anyone on the brink, or look at the rising numbers of people in need of help, or live with the consequences of mental illness, and not to be moved by the scale of the task ahead.

So let us say: yes, some people find it hard to talk about mental illness. And our task is to make that easier, to break the taboo, to help everyone get the support they need.

Because it’s good to talk.

Change is happening. At the UN General Assembly last month we saw the first ever standalone event on mental health, hosted by Bahrain, Belgium, Canada, Ecuador and the Netherlands.

The UK, together with Australia and Canada, has launched the Alliance of Champions of Mental Health and Wellbeing.

This coming together of like-minded people, all committed to progress on mental health, must lead to substantive and sustainable action around the world.

The UK has made tackling mental health a priority. We are now spending record amounts of taxpayers’ money on mental health services, nearly 12 billon (pounds) this year.

We have set out ambitious plans to increase the NHS’ mental health workforce by 21,000, and expand mental health provision to a million more people by 2021.

We are making progress towards no division between mental health and physical health. It simply doesn’t make sense. Not least, because both are inextricably linked.

People with serious mental illnesses, like major depression or schizophrenia, have a 40 to 60% greater chance of dying prematurely, often due to physical conditions which go untreated like cancer, heart disease and diabetes.

We can’t improve physical health without improving mental health.

So, I can announce today, we’re putting a further £30 million pounds into global mental health research through the UK’s National Institute of Health Research.

And Public Health England has launched its new Every Mind Matters campaign, which aims to increase the number of people taking steps to improve and manage their own mental health, as they already do, in increasing numbers, their physical health.

I have been moved by some of the stories I have heard during this summit. Particularly from the people whose conditions have actually become worse as a result of the poor or inadequate services they have received. That is clearly unacceptable.

We have to ensure that whoever needs mental health support gets the support they need. And that it’s the best, most up-to-date support it possibly can be.

But we must also change our view of people who need mental health services.

They aren’t just patients or medical problems. They’re people.

We need to look after people as people, we need to foster a culture that’s less popping pills and Prozac and more prevention and perspiration.

And we must not forget or neglect to care for our carers.

Because they aren’t just doctors, or nurses, or paramedics, or health workers. They’re often pretty extraordinary people doing very extraordinary things.

And we owe it to those extraordinary people to look out for them. And to look after them.

As this summit has clearly shown, what we learn in one field, one workplace or one country can be applied elsewhere. We can and must keep learning from each other.

For ultimately, this is about changing the way we think about mental health. It’s about changing attitudes.

And as Churchill said himself: “Attitude is a little thing that makes a big difference.”

I want to work with any nation, any partner who has a new idea or an innovative solution to tackle this global and growing challenge.

I want us to keep an open mind because while we should treat mental health and physical health the same, we know that treatment of mental health isn’t the same or as straightforward.

So let us work together and on a global scale.

Let us act decisively.

And let us act now.

Matt Hancock speech at the Global Ministerial Mental Health Summit in London

As part of events to welcome the 45th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the UK and Vietnam, His Excellency Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh paid an official visit to the UK from 9 – 10 October 2018.

The Deputy Prime Minister had official talks with Foreign Secretary Jeremy Hunt, Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, David Lidington, Secretary of State for International Trade, Dr Liam Fox and paid courtesy calls on HRH the Duke of York, Prince Andrew, and Speaker of the House of Lords, Lord Fowler.

During the visit, he also attended the UK-Vietnam Economic Forum and met some major UK companies.

On the occasion of the Deputy Prime Minister’s visit, the UK and Vietnam note the growing importance of collaboration in the UN, on peacekeeping, global security, international law and the illegal wildlife trade. They highly appreciate and welcome the transition of the provision of the UN Level 2 Hospital in South Sudan from UK to Vietnamese peacekeepers, and a commitment to exchange expertise in peacekeeping-related military engineering.

The UK and Vietnam are strong advocates of free trade in Europe and Asia and actively promote the early signing of the EU – Vietnam Free Trade agreement (EVFTA) in 2018. The UK and Vietnam look forward to maintaining smooth trade relations as the UK leaves the EU, including through ensuring continuity for business by transitioning the prospective EU Vietnam Free Trade agreement during the Brexit transition. Both sides also agree to consult further on the prospects of the UK joining the CPTPP.

Both sides acknowledge the key role of education in the relationship including our strengthened science partnership on research, innovation and antimicrobial resistance. In pursuit of these goals, the Decision establishing the educational and cultural status of the British Council in Vietnam has been renewed. They also emphasise the importance of enhancing cooperation on bilateral cultural diplomacy so as to help strengthen the Strategic Partnership between the two countries.

Both sides reiterate their commitment to the UN sanctions regime to encourage DPRK to take steps to denuclearise fully and verifiably. They reinforce the importance of maintaining the ban on the use of chemical weapons globally. They agree that adherence to international law is the foundation for peace and stability and renew their commitment to upholding existing Arbitrations and to freedom of navigation and overflight. They hold the view that countries should resolve all disputes by peaceful means, in accordance with international law and through existing legal mechanisms.

Both sides express their support for the 2018 London Conference on IWT and agree on the importance of efforts to combat the illegal wildlife trade.

Both sides look forward to a deeper and closer relationship between the UK and ASEAN after the UK leaves the EU. They welcome further UK funding for expertise exchanges with Vietnam on anti-corruption, culture, health, civil service capacity building and reform, infrastructure, smart cities and low carbon, maritime security, peaceful settlement of international disputes.

The UK and Vietnam have a mutual commitment to regular Ministerial visits to both countries. They agree that the next round of the Strategic Dialogue between the two countries should take place in early 2019.

The Home Secretary joined the Interior Ministers from 6 of the largest European Union countries to discuss key migration and security issues at the G6 in Lyon this week (9 October).

Sajid Javid met with his counterparts from Germany, France, Spain, Poland and Italy, as well as representatives from the US, Morocco and the European Commission. Hosted by French Prime Minister, Edouard Philippe, the summit included sessions on migration, tackling foreign terrorist fighters, preventing terrorist use of the internet and stability in the Sahel.

During talks on migration, the Home Secretary called for a whole route approach to prevent people making perilous journeys across Europe. This includes increasing the efforts to tackle people trafficking and finding new ways to stop criminal gangs from operating at source.

The summit also included a simulated terrorist attack hosted in the Groupama stadium where French law enforcement demonstrated their response.

The Home Secretary made clear that security cooperation between the UK and EU member states must not be compromised after the UK’s exit from the European Union. He argued that this partnership and access to security tools must continue to ensure that citizens across the continent were protected from terrorists and organised criminals.

He also discussed continued security cooperation with European Commissioner for the Security Union, Sir Julian King.

The Home Secretary also had the opportunity to update the G6 on the Salisbury attack and ongoing police investigation which has produced sufficient evidence to bring criminal charges against two Russian individuals.

Home Secretary Sajid Javid said:

I would like to thank Prime Minister Philippe for hosting an important and productive summit.

In my meetings with my G6 counterparts, we agreed that cooperation on issues such as security, serious organised crime and migration are vital and this must continue after Brexit.

Foreign Office Director for Cyber Policy and National Security Capabilities, Sarah Taylor, has been named a Marie Claire Future Shapers award winner. Ms Taylor has been instrumental internationally in leading work to expose recent Russian cyber aggression and championing the application of international law in cyberspace.

Each year Marie Claire celebrates trailblazing women who are changing the world of work and redefining what it means to be successful in society today. The annual awards honour influential names from the worlds of civil society, fashion, technology, the arts and politics.

Taylor (42) is responsible for the international efforts to protect the UK against the most serious cyber-attacks and overseeing the training of the next generation of cyber diplomats.

She has led Britain’s international response to incidents such as the exposing of the Russian military intelligence service’s reckless cyber attacks on political institutions, businesses, media and sport and the North Korean actors behind the ransomware attack on NHS trusts.

Director for Cyber Policy and National Security Capabilities, Sarah Taylor said:

The challenges and complexities we face in cyberspace are clear as evidenced by Britain’s exposé of the Russian military intelligence service’s orchestrated attacks on our way of life.

The stakes don’t get much higher, but it’s is a privilege to be leading a team that is helping to keep the internet free, open, peaceful and secure.

I’m delighted to have been recognised as a Future Shaper by Marie Claire, and I would really encourage more women to consider careers in security, and cyber in particular.

Not only is it incredibly rewarding but it underpins almost everything we do in the internet age.

Marie Claire Editor-in-chief, Trish Halpin said:

Sarah’s work in cyber security is not only vital to the success of this country, but she is also paving the way for girls and young women to pursue careers in this field through her mentoring work in inner city schools.

Marie Claire is delighted to honour her as a Future Shaper of 2018.

Sarah is the first civil servant to win the award, this year’s winners include Killing Eve star Jodie Comer and authors of Slay In Your Lane: Black Girl Bible, Elizabeth Uviebinené and Yomi Adegoke.

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