Blow to David Cameron as he fights to hang on to embattled Andrew Lansley
Health Secretary Andrew Lansley, whose future is in doubt. Picture: PA
DAVID Cameron’s efforts to unite the coalition and close down speculation over the future of Health Secretary Andrew Lansley have suffered a setback after a senior Liberal Democrat urged his removal.
The Prime Minister used a newspaper article yesterday to insist he was “at one” with Mr Lansley and backed the controversial reforms to the National Health Service, south of the Border, going through parliament.
Senior Tories were also deployed to television studios yesterday in a bid to support the Cabinet minister’s position.
However, Lib Dem deputy leader Simon Hughes broke ranks to say Mr Lansley should be shifted from his post.
“My political judgment is that in the second half of the parliament it would be better to move on,” he told the BBC’s Andrew Marr show.
A source close to Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg stressed that Mr Hughes was expressing a personal opinion.
Several Conservative Cabinet ministers are said to have privately criticised Mr Lansley’s handling of the Health and Social Care Bill, with one suggesting the government’s problems were now on the scale of the Poll Tax in the 1980s.
A Downing Street source was also quoted last week saying that the health secretary should be “taken out and shot”.
However, writing in a Sunday newspaper, Mr Cameron stressed that there was no alternative to NHS reform.
“It needs to change – and that is why I am at one with Andrew Lansley, the reform programme and the legislation going through parliament.”
Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt dismissed the prospect of Mr Lansley being axed.
“Andrew Lansley is absolutely the right person for this job,” he said. [He] is a decent man, passionate about the NHS and he knows what he is doing.”
Ms Hunt added: “It is completely wrong to make a judgment about someone when they are in the middle of the storm.”
Communities Secretary Eric Pickles was asked if he was one of the Cabinet ministers who criticised the NHS shake-up.
“I would like to know who is even vaguely suggesting that,” he replied. I have been very supportive of these measures, particularly as it enhances the role of local government.”
Challenged to condemn ministers who had briefed against Mr Lansley, Mr Pickles said: “I sit in a Cabinet united in wanting to see these reforms through.”
He insisted Mr Lansley should “absolutely” stay as Health Secretary. “I am sorry that is Simon’s [Hughes] view, but Andrew has taken this bill through.”
However, ex-Tory minister David Mellor said Mr Lansley’s stewardship of the NHS reforms represented a “failed attempt to prove you can take personality out of politics”.
He questioned why the health secretary had not been deployed to television studios himself.
Asked whether Mr Lansley should be moved from his job, Mr Hughes responded: “Yes.”
Mr Lansley has brushed off suggestions he should resign to salvage the reforms.
Shadow health secretary Andy Burnham said: “The Tory-led government seems to be in meltdown over the Health Bill.
“Not only do we have senior Tory Cabinet ministers calling for it be dropped, we also have senior Liberal Democrats calling for the removal of the Health Secretary on national television.
“The Prime Minister is putting his political pride before the best interests of the health service.”
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Comments
There are 10 comments to this article
Page 1 of 1
Lachie Mhor
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 06:20 PMThis will be the death knell for this coalition government. Cameron is walking a right of centre tightrope and he has lost his footing
Pilrig.
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 05:39 PMIt's a bit like Bambi Blair an' the Iraq War. Naebody but Dave, Lansley, and the right-wing loonies in the tory party want these 'reforms'. But for Dave's ego the 'reforms' must go through. Just as with Bambi we had tae invade Iraq cos he was 'doin' the right thing'
Ancient Wisdom
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 09:03 AMThe mistake here is not the policy but its method of implementation. Big Bangs frighten the natives and are rarely preferable to gradualism and phasing in.
Niebiosa tam sa naprawde nieskrzydlowe ludzie tam
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 09:01 AMWell would you want to go down in history as the bloke that killed the NHS ?
samcoldstream
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 08:08 AMIF, Cameron and Lansley somehow more and more private competition, which even right-wing Tories don't like, then there will be even MORE Barnet consequentials for Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. It will be a lose, lose situation for NHS England, and a win, win situation for NHS Scotland, and the NHS in Northern Ireland and Wales.
Hector the Lessor
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 07:11 AMNothing new about this. The NHS requires serious intervention to ensure that their facilities are available for the future generations. You have a guy who is putting his career on the line to try and implement those changes. A bit like one or two other distinguished politicians from the past. Democracy is the way to go but the minute you have guys who make decisions not for the good of the country but to ensure they get re-elected, you are in serious trouble. You do not believe me? Well on the outside of any decision, you have about twenty five percent of the guys involved who know it needs to be done. The other seventy five percent are only worried about the next election. Seems to me that if you scrub seventy five percent of your politicians not only will you get a proper result but it will save the country a fortune in what can only be called time wasters.
escape from spam valley
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 07:03 AMThis will be England's Poll Tax. #1- agreed that the insulation of devolution makes things more comfortable for now, but in the hands of politicians bad ideas and bad policies have a habit of catching on. Who would have thought for example that England would wish to start down the road toward the failed ideology that is US Healthcare?
Colin RB
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 06:05 AMSimon Hughes is a waste of space,always moaning and criticising never coming up with alternatives, encouraging waste and status quo
Cynicus
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 01:02 AM1 BillDunblane Monday, February 13, 2012 at 12:39 AM The NHS in England has nothing to do with us ================================================= Barnet consequentials?
BillDunblane
Monday, February 13, 2012 at 12:39 AMThe NHS in England has nothing to do with us, so why the Hootsmon is talking about it I don't know. If those south of the border insist on voting Tory, they have no justification in complaining.
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