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| Que sera, sera: Hunt's Brexit complacency strikes fear into committee | |
| (3 days later) | |
| “I’m Jeremy Hunt, the health secretary.” Hunt said by way of introduction. Before pausing and correcting himself. “I’m Jeremy Hunt, the health and social care secretary.” | “I’m Jeremy Hunt, the health secretary.” Hunt said by way of introduction. Before pausing and correcting himself. “I’m Jeremy Hunt, the health and social care secretary.” |
| It was an easy mistake to make. Since Christmas, several cabinet ministers have been more interested in doing any job other than the one the prime minister wanted them to do – and it’s been hard to keep track of who’s doing what. | It was an easy mistake to make. Since Christmas, several cabinet ministers have been more interested in doing any job other than the one the prime minister wanted them to do – and it’s been hard to keep track of who’s doing what. |
| Michael Gove has been bidding to take over the Ministry of Justice and any other post that’s going begging. Boris Johnson has had his eyes on Hunt’s department by calling for a Brexit bonus for the NHS to make it look as if he isn’t the liar everyone believes him to be. And Hunt himself firmly resisted all attempts to move him on to the Department for Work and Pensions and ended his audience with the prime minister by expanding his empire. Even Theresa May doesn’t appear that interested in doing her own job. Though in her case that’s more a reflection of her lack of self-belief. | Michael Gove has been bidding to take over the Ministry of Justice and any other post that’s going begging. Boris Johnson has had his eyes on Hunt’s department by calling for a Brexit bonus for the NHS to make it look as if he isn’t the liar everyone believes him to be. And Hunt himself firmly resisted all attempts to move him on to the Department for Work and Pensions and ended his audience with the prime minister by expanding his empire. Even Theresa May doesn’t appear that interested in doing her own job. Though in her case that’s more a reflection of her lack of self-belief. |
| Hunt was appearing before the health select committee to give evidence on the impact of Brexit, but he was happy to let his wingman, the agreeably nice but dim parliamentary under-secretary of state Lord O’Shaughnessy, take the brunt of the early exchanges. What contingency plans was the department making to maintain the supply of medical supplies in the event of a no-deal Brexit, asked the committee chair, Sarah Wollaston. | Hunt was appearing before the health select committee to give evidence on the impact of Brexit, but he was happy to let his wingman, the agreeably nice but dim parliamentary under-secretary of state Lord O’Shaughnessy, take the brunt of the early exchanges. What contingency plans was the department making to maintain the supply of medical supplies in the event of a no-deal Brexit, asked the committee chair, Sarah Wollaston. |
| “We are planning for a deep and special partnership with the EU post-Brexit,” O’Shaughnessy said confidently. Wollaston gently pointed out that wasn’t what she had asked. O’Shaughnessy once again replied that everything was going to be fine so there was no need to worry about contingency plans. | “We are planning for a deep and special partnership with the EU post-Brexit,” O’Shaughnessy said confidently. Wollaston gently pointed out that wasn’t what she had asked. O’Shaughnessy once again replied that everything was going to be fine so there was no need to worry about contingency plans. |
| But were there any contingency plans? Yes, said O’Shaughnessy. Though he couldn’t say what they were, mainly because they were so top secret not even he and the health secretary had been allowed to see them. But they were good plans. The best plans ever. “So are we any further down the road than we were in November?” asked Labour’s Ben Bradshaw, peevishly. Yes, we were now in January. So we were two months further down the road. If no wiser. | But were there any contingency plans? Yes, said O’Shaughnessy. Though he couldn’t say what they were, mainly because they were so top secret not even he and the health secretary had been allowed to see them. But they were good plans. The best plans ever. “So are we any further down the road than we were in November?” asked Labour’s Ben Bradshaw, peevishly. Yes, we were now in January. So we were two months further down the road. If no wiser. |
| At this point the committee sensibly gave up talking to O’Shaughnessy and moved on to Hunt. Though with no greater end results. In his five years as health secretary, the only thing Hunt appears to have learned is how to give a passable imitation of a GP who has been struck off. | At this point the committee sensibly gave up talking to O’Shaughnessy and moved on to Hunt. Though with no greater end results. In his five years as health secretary, the only thing Hunt appears to have learned is how to give a passable imitation of a GP who has been struck off. |
| “Let me put your mind at rest,” said Hunt, before going on to strike fear in every member of the committee with his complacency. Everything was going to be fine because everything was going to be fine. Trust me, I’m a doctor. He was sorry that the committee hadn’t been able to find anything about Brexit in his departmental plan but he was sure there was a footnote in there somewhere. | “Let me put your mind at rest,” said Hunt, before going on to strike fear in every member of the committee with his complacency. Everything was going to be fine because everything was going to be fine. Trust me, I’m a doctor. He was sorry that the committee hadn’t been able to find anything about Brexit in his departmental plan but he was sure there was a footnote in there somewhere. |
| He was sorry that everyone else in the health sector the committee had spoken to about Brexit was in a state of near panic and wanted to stay in the single market, but he was totally chilled. Que sera, sera. If the government got a transitional deal, all would be well but if not, something would turn up. In any case, people got far too worked up about fatal diseases. | He was sorry that everyone else in the health sector the committee had spoken to about Brexit was in a state of near panic and wanted to stay in the single market, but he was totally chilled. Que sera, sera. If the government got a transitional deal, all would be well but if not, something would turn up. In any case, people got far too worked up about fatal diseases. |
| And there was no need to worry about Brits getting their medicines more slowly after Brexit because we were already getting them far more slowly than other EU countries anyway. Brilliant. By the end, the health secretary was telling the committee anything he thought it wanted to hear. Just to get them off his back. | And there was no need to worry about Brits getting their medicines more slowly after Brexit because we were already getting them far more slowly than other EU countries anyway. Brilliant. By the end, the health secretary was telling the committee anything he thought it wanted to hear. Just to get them off his back. |
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