Political war of words over flu jabs for children

Published on Tuesday 28 December 2010 18:08

Labour politicians have been accused of dangerous scaremongering over flu jabs for children, as the government denied claims it had ignored expert scientific advice on protecting youngsters.

The political row broke out after shadow health secretary John Healey accused ministers of having "cancelled" an immunisation programme for the under-fives.

"The serious problem lies with the groups that are most at risk, like children. That has come because the government axed the annual advertising campaign and they cancelled the flu jab plan for the under-fives," he said.

This provoked a furious response from the coalition government, which insisted it was the independent Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation that had recommended no specific programme was required this winter.

Health minister Simon Burns called for an apology and suggested it was Mr Healey who was putting people's health at risk by creating false fears about the risks.

"Labour have stooped to a new low of political opportunism today," he said.

"John Healey is either spectacularly ill-informed or playing politics with people's health. He should either apologise or be ashamed."