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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| May slaps down Boris Johnson over NHS funding demands | May slaps down Boris Johnson over NHS funding demands |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| PM and ‘large number of ministers’ make point that cabinet discussions should take place in private, spokesman says | PM and ‘large number of ministers’ make point that cabinet discussions should take place in private, spokesman says |
| Anushka Asthana Political editor | Anushka Asthana Political editor |
| Tue 23 Jan 2018 15.45 GMT | Tue 23 Jan 2018 15.45 GMT |
| First published on Tue 23 Jan 2018 14.23 GMT | First published on Tue 23 Jan 2018 14.23 GMT |
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| Theresa May and a string of ministers rebuked Boris Johnson during Tuesday’s cabinet after his plan to demand more funding for the NHS was widely briefed to the media before the meeting. | Theresa May and a string of ministers rebuked Boris Johnson during Tuesday’s cabinet after his plan to demand more funding for the NHS was widely briefed to the media before the meeting. |
| “The prime minister and a large number of cabinet ministers made the point that cabinet discussions should take place in private,” May’s official spokesman said, in comments widely seen as a slapdown of the foreign secretary. | “The prime minister and a large number of cabinet ministers made the point that cabinet discussions should take place in private,” May’s official spokesman said, in comments widely seen as a slapdown of the foreign secretary. |
| He claimed that no cabinet member had raised “any specific number” in relation to NHS funding, despite a widespread suggestion that Johnson would demand £100m a week more – £5bn a year. | He claimed that no cabinet member had raised “any specific number” in relation to NHS funding, despite a widespread suggestion that Johnson would demand £100m a week more – £5bn a year. |
| The foreign secretary believes the extra funding would help the Tories defeat Labour in a future election, but he is also keen to fulfil the promises he made as a leading figure in the Vote Leave campaign. | The foreign secretary believes the extra funding would help the Tories defeat Labour in a future election, but he is also keen to fulfil the promises he made as a leading figure in the Vote Leave campaign. |
| He first ramped up pressure on the prime minister over the issue in a Guardian interview this month in which he said the leave campaign’s claim that Brexit could free up £350m a week for the NHS was an underestimate, and said it was important to spend large chunks of that sum on health services. | He first ramped up pressure on the prime minister over the issue in a Guardian interview this month in which he said the leave campaign’s claim that Brexit could free up £350m a week for the NHS was an underestimate, and said it was important to spend large chunks of that sum on health services. |
| After several newspaper stories reported Johnson’s desire to raise the issue of money for the health service, including after Brexit, May began the cabinet meeting by putting forward the argument herself. | After several newspaper stories reported Johnson’s desire to raise the issue of money for the health service, including after Brexit, May began the cabinet meeting by putting forward the argument herself. |
| “The prime minister said that at the budget the government announced £6bn additional funding for the NHS,” her spokesman said, arguing this reflected the fact that health spending was a key government priority. | “The prime minister said that at the budget the government announced £6bn additional funding for the NHS,” her spokesman said, arguing this reflected the fact that health spending was a key government priority. |
| “Regarding the future and how any return of the EU contribution would be spent, the prime minister reminded cabinet that the government has consistently said we will spend money on our priorities such as housing, schools and the NHS.” | “Regarding the future and how any return of the EU contribution would be spent, the prime minister reminded cabinet that the government has consistently said we will spend money on our priorities such as housing, schools and the NHS.” |
| The spokesman also pointed to ongoing efficiency reviews in the NHS and plans to integrate social care and health, and highlighted the next spending round due in 2018. | The spokesman also pointed to ongoing efficiency reviews in the NHS and plans to integrate social care and health, and highlighted the next spending round due in 2018. |
| May told her team that she was working with the chancellor, Philip Hammond, and the health and social care secretary, Jeremy Hunt, to ensure continued investment in the NHS, but she stressed that the budget had come “only a few weeks ago” – in a further rebuke of Johnson. | May told her team that she was working with the chancellor, Philip Hammond, and the health and social care secretary, Jeremy Hunt, to ensure continued investment in the NHS, but she stressed that the budget had come “only a few weeks ago” – in a further rebuke of Johnson. |
| The spokesman refused to comment on whether Johnson had raised the issue himself. Instead he said it was the prime minister who had “led the discussion” on how to spend the “Brexit dividend”, adding that a “number of cabinet ministers made the same point”. | The spokesman refused to comment on whether Johnson had raised the issue himself. Instead he said it was the prime minister who had “led the discussion” on how to spend the “Brexit dividend”, adding that a “number of cabinet ministers made the same point”. |
| One source said that as many as eight cabinet members ticked off Johnson for the pre-briefing of his comments, with one describing Amber Rudd as arguing that there had to be “trust” within the leading team. | One source said that as many as eight cabinet members ticked off Johnson for the pre-briefing of his comments, with one describing Amber Rudd as arguing that there had to be “trust” within the leading team. |
| The source said the home secretary added: “I’m talking to you, foreign secretary.” | The source said the home secretary added: “I’m talking to you, foreign secretary.” |
| Johnson’s pre-briefings to the media led Hammond to stress that Johnson was the foreign secretary rather than a minister involved in such decisions. | |
| “I gave the health secretary [Jeremy Hunt] an extra £6bn in the recent budget and we will look at departmental allocations again at the spending review when that takes place,” Hammond told reporters in Brussels, where he was attending a meeting of EU finance ministers. | “I gave the health secretary [Jeremy Hunt] an extra £6bn in the recent budget and we will look at departmental allocations again at the spending review when that takes place,” Hammond told reporters in Brussels, where he was attending a meeting of EU finance ministers. |
| Despite the firm words for Johnson around the cabinet table over the question of the privacy of conversations, sources also reported a general consensus around the idea that a Brexit dividend ought to be channeled into health spending. | Despite the firm words for Johnson around the cabinet table over the question of the privacy of conversations, sources also reported a general consensus around the idea that a Brexit dividend ought to be channeled into health spending. |
| Johnson’s hopes for more money for the health service were backed by a number of figures including Hunt, Michael Gove and Chris Grayling. | Johnson’s hopes for more money for the health service were backed by a number of figures including Hunt, Michael Gove and Chris Grayling. |
| The discussion came after a winter update on the NHS led by May and then Hunt, at which the group discussed the “significant pressure [of] the worst flu outbreak in a number of years”. | The discussion came after a winter update on the NHS led by May and then Hunt, at which the group discussed the “significant pressure [of] the worst flu outbreak in a number of years”. |
| They heard that flu admissions in the first week of 2018 were approaching double the number seen in 2010/11 during the swine flu epidemic. The government claims to have made the “most extensive preparations ever” for the winter period, and ministers heard that improvements to the 111 phoneline had diverted an estimated 2.3 million people from A&E while an extra 1 million had been given flu vaccinations. | They heard that flu admissions in the first week of 2018 were approaching double the number seen in 2010/11 during the swine flu epidemic. The government claims to have made the “most extensive preparations ever” for the winter period, and ministers heard that improvements to the 111 phoneline had diverted an estimated 2.3 million people from A&E while an extra 1 million had been given flu vaccinations. |
| However, the level of funding was seen as too low by those within the health service, who said the amounts offered in the budget meant serious conversations ought to get underway to help people understand that services were being rationed. | However, the level of funding was seen as too low by those within the health service, who said the amounts offered in the budget meant serious conversations ought to get underway to help people understand that services were being rationed. |
| At a board meeting of NHS England, the chair, Sir Malcolm Grant, was reported to have said: “We should not set out blindly imagining that our staff can do everything. There are going to have to be tough decisions and trade-offs.” | |
| Meanwhile, the NHS chief executive, Simon Stevens, argued that A&E, cancer, mental health and GP care should be protected, meaning “tricky judgments” about what else to cut. | |
| Boris Johnson | Boris Johnson |
| NHS | NHS |
| Health policy | Health policy |
| Philip Hammond | Philip Hammond |
| Jeremy Hunt | Jeremy Hunt |
| Public finance | Public finance |
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