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| Version 9 | Version 10 |
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| NHS attack MEP rebuked by Cameron | NHS attack MEP rebuked by Cameron |
| (19 minutes later) | |
| David Cameron has sought to further distance himself from a Tory MEP who criticised the NHS on American TV - dismissing his views as "eccentric". | David Cameron has sought to further distance himself from a Tory MEP who criticised the NHS on American TV - dismissing his views as "eccentric". |
| The Conservative leader insisted the NHS was his "number one priority" after Daniel Hannan described it as a "60 year mistake". | The Conservative leader insisted the NHS was his "number one priority" after Daniel Hannan described it as a "60 year mistake". |
| The MEP made his comments on US TV amid an increasingly bitter debate over Barack Obama's health reforms. | The MEP made his comments on US TV amid an increasingly bitter debate over Barack Obama's health reforms. |
| Labour and the Lib Dems claim his views are shared by many Conservatives. | Labour and the Lib Dems claim his views are shared by many Conservatives. |
| But Mr Cameron said the NHS was a "great national institution" and that it was his party's "number one mission" to improve it. | But Mr Cameron said the NHS was a "great national institution" and that it was his party's "number one mission" to improve it. |
| What has happened within the last 48 hours is what Cameron has feared most because it lays bare the Tories' deep ambivalence towards the NHS Health Secretary Andy Burnham | What has happened within the last 48 hours is what Cameron has feared most because it lays bare the Tories' deep ambivalence towards the NHS Health Secretary Andy Burnham |
| "The Conservative Party stands four square behind the NHS," he told BBC News in his Oxfordshire constituency. | "The Conservative Party stands four square behind the NHS," he told BBC News in his Oxfordshire constituency. |
| "We are the party of the NHS, we back it, we are going to expand it, we have ring-fenced it and said that it will get more money under a Conservative government, and it is our number one mission to improve it." | "We are the party of the NHS, we back it, we are going to expand it, we have ring-fenced it and said that it will get more money under a Conservative government, and it is our number one mission to improve it." |
| 'Worst nightmare' | 'Worst nightmare' |
| And he rebuked Mr Hannan, whose trenchant views on Europe and strongly-worded YouTube attack on Gordon Brown have gained him a following among grassroots Tories, saying: "He does have some quite eccentric views about some things, and political parties always include some people who don't toe the party line on one issue or another issue." | And he rebuked Mr Hannan, whose trenchant views on Europe and strongly-worded YouTube attack on Gordon Brown have gained him a following among grassroots Tories, saying: "He does have some quite eccentric views about some things, and political parties always include some people who don't toe the party line on one issue or another issue." |
| The Leader of the Conservative group in the European Parliament has said he believes Mr Hannan should be disciplined for his comments about the NHS. | |
| Timothy Kirkhope said Mr Hannan should be given a "stern talking-to" by the chief whip in Brussels, although he described the disciplinary process regarding Euro MPs as a grey area in this case, as Mr Hannan was speaking about a policy area not decided by the European Parliament. | |
| Mr Hannan's comments have been seized on by Mr Cameron's political opponents. | |
| Health Secretary Andy Burnham said: "What has happened within the last 48 hours is what Cameron has feared most because it lays bare the Tories' deep ambivalence towards the NHS. | |
| "Their election strategy is not to talk about the NHS. Cameron knows there is deep hostility towards it within his ranks. Hannan is not the only one - many senior Tory MPs would privately agree with his comments. | "Their election strategy is not to talk about the NHS. Cameron knows there is deep hostility towards it within his ranks. Hannan is not the only one - many senior Tory MPs would privately agree with his comments. |
| "But by having to interrupt his holiday and being forced out on the defensive yesterday, Cameron had no choice but to lavish belated praise on Labour's NHS. | "But by having to interrupt his holiday and being forced out on the defensive yesterday, Cameron had no choice but to lavish belated praise on Labour's NHS. |
| "Put simply, that's why it's his worst nightmare." | "Put simply, that's why it's his worst nightmare." |
| 'Orwellian' | 'Orwellian' |
| Liberal Democrat health spokesman Norman Lamb claimed Mr Hannan's views, far from being "maverick", were shared by "many people within the Conservative Party". | Liberal Democrat health spokesman Norman Lamb claimed Mr Hannan's views, far from being "maverick", were shared by "many people within the Conservative Party". |
| He also hit back at criticisms of the NHS from Republican-supporting critics of Obama's health bill as a "gross distortion" of the truth about Britain's health service. | He also hit back at criticisms of the NHS from Republican-supporting critics of Obama's health bill as a "gross distortion" of the truth about Britain's health service. |
| FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme | FROM THE TODAY PROGRAMME More from Today programme |
| It comes after Prime Minister Gordon Brown joined a Twitter campaign to defend the NHS. | It comes after Prime Minister Gordon Brown joined a Twitter campaign to defend the NHS. |
| The welovetheNHS tag has received tens of thousands of messages of support during the past few days from NHS staff and former patients after it was branded "Orwellian" and "evil" by Republican critics of Mr Obama's health reforms. | The welovetheNHS tag has received tens of thousands of messages of support during the past few days from NHS staff and former patients after it was branded "Orwellian" and "evil" by Republican critics of Mr Obama's health reforms. |
| The prime minister took the unusual step of adding his voice to the campaign in a message posted from Downing Street's Twitter feed, in which he said "thanks for always being there". His wife Sarah, also sent a message of support to the campaign. | The prime minister took the unusual step of adding his voice to the campaign in a message posted from Downing Street's Twitter feed, in which he said "thanks for always being there". His wife Sarah, also sent a message of support to the campaign. |
| Many of the Twitter messages reacted angrily to Mr Hannan's criticism of the NHS, which he attacked on US TV, saying he "wouldn't wish it on anyone". | Many of the Twitter messages reacted angrily to Mr Hannan's criticism of the NHS, which he attacked on US TV, saying he "wouldn't wish it on anyone". |
| 'Duped' | 'Duped' |
| US critics of the NHS see it as an overly-bureaucratic "socialized" system which rations care. | US critics of the NHS see it as an overly-bureaucratic "socialized" system which rations care. |
| But one British woman said she felt duped after becoming the unwitting star of an anti-Obama health campaign. | But one British woman said she felt duped after becoming the unwitting star of an anti-Obama health campaign. |
| Kate Spall, who appeared in a US free market group's TV commercial opposing Mr Obama's health bill, said her views were misrepresented. | Kate Spall, who appeared in a US free market group's TV commercial opposing Mr Obama's health bill, said her views were misrepresented. |
| She told the Times: "It has been a bit of a nightmare. It was a real test of my naivety. I am a very trusting person and for me it has been a big lesson. I feel I was duped." | She told the Times: "It has been a bit of a nightmare. It was a real test of my naivety. I am a very trusting person and for me it has been a big lesson. I feel I was duped." |
| Ms Spall and fellow Briton Katie Brickell's descriptions of poor treatment at the hands of the NHS featured in the Conservatives for Patients' Rights (CPR) advert. | Ms Spall and fellow Briton Katie Brickell's descriptions of poor treatment at the hands of the NHS featured in the Conservatives for Patients' Rights (CPR) advert. |