UK politics - live: Barclay says ‘risk’ patients dying unnecessarily due to NHS delays
A union boss later accused the health secretary of saying ‘frankly pretty dishonest stuff’
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Health secretary Steve Barclay has admitted there is a “material risk” NHS patients are dying unnecessarily due to long ambulance delays,
Mr Barclay was also accused of “frankly pretty dishonest stuff” by the leader of the GMB union largest unions as he defended the actions ministers are taking on the health service.
Asked if people were dying because of ambulance delays, Mr Barclay told the BBC’s Laura Kuenessberg: “If there is a delay in an ambulance getting to someone in terms of unmet need, then obviously that is a material risk”.
During his Sunday media round this morning, the former Brexit minister also claimed he did not recognise a report in The Sunday Times that Britain will seek a Swiss-style deal with the European Union.
It follows reports that senior figures in Rishi Sunak’s government were considering moving Britain towards such relationship with the bloc in pursuing frictionless trade amid the soaring cost-of-living crisis.
He told the Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme on Sky News: “We’ve got a prime minister who himself supported Brexit. I myself did and was Brexit secretary, and worked very hard to maximise our control of our laws, our borders and our money.
We’re pausing our live politics coverage for today, for the latest updates, visit https://www.independent.co.uk
Tom Peck: If the Tories ever governed again after 2024, it would be too soon
If the Tories ever governed again after 2024, it would be too soon | Tom Peck
When the guy who is occasionally spoken of as the arbiter of general elections tells you, in strictly neutral language, that everything you’ve done for 12 years has been a failure, and it’s only going to get worse, there’s a chance it means you’re in quite big trouble
CPS passed file on alleged cash-for-honours scandal involving King Charles’s charity
Police have passed a file of evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) over an alleged cash-for-honours scandal involving one of King Charles III’s charities.
The Metropolitan Police confirmed that it passed the dossier to prosecutors at the end of October.
In February, the force launched an investigation after newspapers reported allegations that a Saudi billionaire donor to The Prince’s Foundation was offered help securing a knighthood.
Lamiat Sabin reports:
CPS passed file on alleged cash-for-honours scandal involving King Charles’s charity
Prince’s Foundation donor was offered help securing knighthood and citizenship, reports allege
Jess Phillips: Who was missing from the autumn Budget? It’s embarrassingly obvious
Women are referred to directly in the autumn statement documents once, writes Jess Philips. A fleeting and passing mention of how their presence in the labour force has increased since 2008. Nothing about how women are more likely to be in part-time work, or that caring responsibilities are more likely to fall to them – and might have something to do with productivity problems or welfare dependency. Nothing about how the vast majority of those in wage-squeezed public sector work are women. Economically, their specific circumstances are of little concern, it would seem.
Who was missing from the autumn Budget? It’s embarrassingly obvious | Jess Phillips
Jeremy Hunt did mention them in his speech, though he didn’t realise he was doing it
Labour calls for ‘full investigation’ into death of migrant at Manston centre
Shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper has called for a “full investigation” into the death of a man who was staying at the Manston migrant processing centre.
The Labour MP said: “We send deepest condolences to the family of the man who has died after staying at Manston.
“There will need to be a full investigation into what has happened in this tragic case.”
Support group calls for ‘compassionate asylum system’ after Manston migrant death
An asylum seeker support group has called for urgent action to overhaul the immigration system following the death of a man who was staying at the Manston migrant processing centre.
The Home Office said a person, understood to be male, died in hospital on Saturday morning after “becoming unwell”.
Freedom From Torture, which provides psychological support to asylum seekers, called for a “compassionate asylum system”.
It posted on Twitter: “We’ve said it before: this government’s cruelty to refugees isn’t accidental - it’s the whole point.
“We need a compassionate asylum system that works. NOW.”
Kate Devlin: Talking about politics is the only way politicians can make it more boring
Reducing the amount of time spent by ministers on the daily broadcast round might seem like a good idea, but Kate Devlin isn’t convinced.
Talking about politics is the only way politicians can make it more boring
Reducing the amount of time spent by ministers on the daily broadcast round might seem like a good idea but Kate Devlin isn’t convinced
Union boss accuses Barclay of saying ‘frankly pretty dishonest stuff'
A Union boss said he was left “incandescent” by comments made by health secretary Steve Barclay over tackling the backlogs in the NHS.
Gary Smith, who leads the GMB trade union, told the BBC’s Laura Kuenessberg: “I mean this is deluded and frankly pretty dishonest stuff from the secretary of state, the ambulance service, the health service and care were on their knees going to the pandemic and things have got worse.
“Our care homes were turned into morgues during the pandemic because of mismanagement and cuts people are dying because of cuts in services,” he says.
Health secretary Steve Barclay admits ‘risk’ patients are dying unnecessarily because of ambulance delays
There is a “material risk” patients are dying unnecessarily because of long ambulance delays, the health secretary has admitted.
Steve Barclay was also accused of “frankly pretty dishonest stuff” by the leader of the one of the country’s largest unions as he defended the actions ministers are taking on the health service .
Asked if people were dying because of ambulance delays, Mr Barclay conceded: “If there is a delay in an ambulance getting to someone in terms of unmet need, then obviously that is a material risk”.
Our Whitehall editor Kate Devlin has more:
Health secretary admits ‘risk’ patients are dying because of ambulance delays
Defence of NHS plans denounced as ‘frankly pretty dishonest stuff’ by union boss
Barclay says delay to social care reform was ‘difficult’, but necessary
Health Secretary Steve Barclay has admitted it was a difficult decision to delay reforms to social care, but insisted that choice had been made in order that the government could focus on fixing issues brought on by the pandemic.
Speaking to the BBC’s Laura Kuenessberg, he said there were 13,500 people in hospital who are ready to go home but can’t because there are not enough care packages for them, which was having a knock-on effect on ambulance waiting times and the flow of patients through hospitals.
He continued by saying the primary cause of people being delayed from leaving hospital is social care which is why the government is putting its investment there.
Mr Barclay later admitted there were “severe pressures” on the NHS but said the origin of those pressures was the coronavirus pandemic, rejecting Ms Kuenessberg’s citing years of underfunding as a primary factor.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments