The Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, Sajid Javid, accused Wes Streeting of being “no more than a pound shop Ed Miliband” rather than the “second coming of Tony Blair”.
Responding to a question from Labour, the Health Secretary said: “When it comes to North East Ambulance service, I will review about whether we can have an independent review, and we will be having an independent review and the NHS has agreed to do that.
“But can I say, he stands up here week after week and try and claim he is on the side of patients and NHS workers but we know actually what he is on the side of is striking people, so that is where his loyalties lie.”
He added: “Can he reflect on how many nurses will not be able to get to work because of the transport strike? How many appointments will be unattended because of the transport strike?
Sajid Javid was pressed on whether cash generated by the NHS would not be squandered on NHS bureaucracy
Victoria Jones
“I know that he wants to be the second coming of Tony Blair, but in practise he is no more than a pound shop Ed Miliband.”
The comment fell after Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting told the Commons: “It is now weeks since he (Sajid Javid) was warned about the negligence, the cover-up, the bribing of whistleblowers to stay silent about these scandals at North East Ambulance Service and since then he has done precisely nothing to investigate that scandal either.
“When is he going to take patient safety, get a grip and stop passing the buck, or is this another case of the Government being, in the words of the Culture Secretary, found ‘wanting and inadequate’?”
Mr Javid addressed MPs at Heath Questions, after being pressed in the Commons to guarantee that cash generated by the health and social care levy will not be squandered on NHS bureaucracy.
Speaking at health questions, Conservative MP Chris Clarkson said: “The cost of living is foremost on everybody’s mind so can I ask (Mr Javid) what assurances he can give me that my constituents in Heywood and Middleton are going to get bang for their buck from the extra money they’re paying to the NHS – that that money will go on tests and treatment, and not management and miscellany?”
Mr Javid replied: “I’m pleased to give that assurance to (Mr Clarkson), ensuring that every penny is spent on the elective recovery and it makes the greatest possible contribution to tackling those Covid-19 backlogs.
“We’re investing £8 billion more over the next three years and this will increase elective activity and I’m also pleased to say that in his region we’ve already opened up four new community diagnostic centres, which just those four have done 60,000 more checks and tests for his constituents.”
Labour MP for Ilford North was branded a 'poundshop Ed Milliband' in health questions
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