Dishonest Cameron

During Prime Minister's Question Time today Valerie Vaz asked a rather weak partisan question:

Q11. [39071] Valerie Vaz (Walsall South) (Lab): The provisions of the Health and Social Care Bill were not costed before or after the election. Given the extension of commercial providers, is it the case that the NHS is not safe in the hands of the Government, but that the hands are in the safe of the NHS?

It is fun to taunt the government, but this is a very clumsy question, it would have been far better to ask Cameron about a detail of the Bill, like, say, why doesn't it mandate that there are GPs on the consortium boards? or why doesn't it mandate that midwives and nurses are involved in commissioning? or what are the mechanisms for a patient to challenge a commissioning decision? Any of these, worded correctly would highlight how dangerous the Bill is and how it is putting a lot of power in the hands of just a few, very rich people.

The question Vaz asked simply gave Cameron an open goal to spout some platitudes. He replied thus:

The Prime Minister: On the NHS, I can do no better than quote the shadow Secretary of State for Health. This is what he said about our plans:

“No-one in the House of Commons knows more about the NHS than Andrew Lansley… Andrew Lansley spent six years in Opposition as shadow health secretary. No-one has visited more of the NHS. No-one has talked to more people who work in the NHS than Andrew Lansley… these plans are consistent, coherent and comprehensive. I would expect nothing less from Andrew Lansley.”

That was said by Labour’s shadow Health Secretary. I could not have put it better myself.

Did Healey really say this? Well yes did, and when he said it it made me cringe. I wanted to say to Healey "Come with me to the West End and have a look at a few of the quotes painted outside the theatres. See what can be done with your words?" Amateur and naive. 

Cameron quoted Healey from a speech he gave at the King's Fund (21 January):

This is a Conservative plan for the NHS. This is Andrew Lansley’s plan. No-one in the House of Commons knows more about the NHS than Andrew Lansley – except perhaps Stephen Dorrell. But Andrew Lansley spent six years in Opposition as shadow health secretary. No-one has visited more of the NHS. No-one has talked to more people who work in the NHS than Andrew Lansley. The Health select committee concludes – in so many words – and as I believe, that these are the wrong reforms at the wrong time, “blunting the ability of the NHS to respond to the Nicholson challenge” to improve services to patients and make sound efficiencies on a scale the NHS has never achieved before. But these plans are consistent, coherent and comprehensive. I would expect nothing less from Andrew Lansley.

I have highlighted what Cameron quoted. But look at what Cameron missed out, in particular: "these are the wrong reforms at the wrong time". Read the rest of the speech and you will not get the impression that Healey has the same opinion of Lansley as Cameron has.

Cameron is clearly being dishonest and knows it.