[Jimbuna]

Chris Philp defends government NHS record after Dan Poulter defects to Labour

A minister has defended the government's record on the NHS, after a former Conservative MP defected to Labour.

In an exclusive interview with the BBC, Dr Dan Poulter said he could not look his NHS colleagues and patients in the eye and stay on as a Conservative MP.

Home Office Minister Chris Philp denied the Tories were deprioritising the NHS.

He added that more was being spent on the health service than at any point in history.

On the BBC's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg programme, Dr Poulter, who works part time as a consultant psychiatrist, said the health service was now "unrecognisable" from how it was before he became an MP in 2010 and "patients deserve better".

The MP for Central Suffolk and North Ipswich added that Labour had a "track record" of improving the NHS and could be "trusted" with the health service.

Responding to Dr Poulter's resignation, Mr Philp told the programme: "I don't accept what Dan is saying at all.

"We're now spending £165bn a year on the NHS, that's more than ever, at any point in history."

He added: "That isn't the sign of a party de-prioritising the NHS. That is a sign of a political party, the Conservatives, investing heavily in our NHS because it is a priority."

He insisted the Conservatives did value public services and was investing "record amounts of money in both education and health".

Mr Philp also argued NHS waiting lists were now coming down despite the challenges of the pandemic and strike action.

Dr Poulter said he had "no animus" towards Prime Minster Rishi Sunak but was critical of the direction of his former party.

"We now have a Tory Party that resembles sometimes a little bit more a nationalist national party, rather than a party of the centre-right," he said.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-68915259