MP warns it would be 'idiotic' to sack health secretary
A county MP has warned it would be "idiotic" to sack the Health Secretary Matt Hancock, after the prime minister's former chief advisor said he had repeatedly called for him to be fired.
Former Downing Street advisor Dominic Cummings made a series of serious incendiary criticisms of Mr Hancock during a marathon select committee appearance looking at the government's handling of the pandemic.
Mr Cummings, who no longer works for the government, said he had told the Prime Minister to fire the Health Secretary on several occasions.
He criticised Mr Hancock over failings around care homes policy, personal protective equipment (PPE) procurement and his public pledge on a testing target which caused disruption in Whitehall.
During his seven-hour evidence session on Wednesday, Mr Cummings told MPs that the Prime Minister had been told "categorically in March that people will be tested before they went back to care homes" from hospital by Mr Hancock – something which did not happen.
Mr Cummings has been described as "publicity-seeking" and "bitter" by Conservative county MPs.
Defence
They have also said that now is not the time to make a judgment on the government's handling of the pandemic.
Owen Paterson, MP for North Shropshire, and a former minister, offered his backing to the Health Secretary, praising him for efforts on testing and vaccinations.
He said: "Matt Hancock has overseen this incredibly successful vaccination plan and getting testing numbers up.
"It would be idiotic to move him at the moment. It would be a stupid thing to do. He is now incredibly experienced and is responsible for a testing regime and a world beating vaccination programme."
Mr Paterson said he believed the priorities of people in the county are focussed away from Westminster gossip, and more on the vaccination programme and impending lifting of lockdown restrictions.
He said: "People around here are really proud of what we have achieved with vaccinations. I don't think people are too fussed about what a disgruntled publicity-seeking spad (special advisor) has to say.
"There will be time for lessons to be learned but that is afterwards and we do not want these key ministers distracted while we are still dealing with the pandemic."
Mark Pritchard, MP for the Wrekin, urged people to wait for a full inquiry into the handling of the pandemic before making a judgement.
He said: "We have only heard a very narrow and rather bitter and one side of a rather complicated story. I think the forthcoming independent inquiry will be more objective, calm and evidenced based.
“There are always two sides to any story. That needs to be full heard before proper and full judgements can be made.”
Telford MP Lucy Allan said that an inquiry would take place, but that she believed people understood politicians had been doing "their very best in the circumstances they faced".
She said: "The public expect the government to get on with the job of steering the country through the pandemic and on the path to recovery.
"An inquiry into the government’s handling of the pandemic and pandemic preparedness will take place and will identify lessons to be learned.
"People understand that all those involved in the pandemic response did their very best in the circumstances they faced at the time to save lives and to protect the NHS."
