Infighting has broken out in Labour after Wes Streeting made yet another high-profile intervention opposing the forthcoming assisted dying vote.
The Health Secretary has become the most vocal and most senior voice in the Labour Party arguing against MPs backing Kim Leadbeater’s Private Members’ Bill.
He warned that assisted dying could divert NHS funds away from other areas, telling Times Radio: “There would be resource implications for doing it. And those choices would come at the expense of other choices.”
However, his comments have now sparked backlash from both Ms Leadbeater and a Labour grandee.
Former cabinet minister Margaret Hodge slapped down Mr Streeting’s claims as “daft”, telling the BBC: “I’m a great Wes Streeting fan but I think on this issue he should do what the Cabinet Secretary said and just hold fire a little bit.
“If you look at the NHS budget, most of it goes on the last six months of life … to argue that this is going to cost extra sounds to me a bit daft.”
Ms Leadbeater went further, suggesting that the Health Secretary’s repeated public interventions could breach Cabinet guidelines about neutrality on the issue.
The Batley MP described her “disappointment” at Mr Streeting’s stance, accusing him of not having read the Bill properly.
She told PoliticsHome: “I’m disappointed that the Health Secretary came out to speak about the Bill before he had even seen the Bill, and a couple of comments that were made on the media … would suggest he hasn’t read the Bill. So, that is disappointing.”
She pointed out that ministers were instructed by the Cabinet Secretary Simon Case not to express views on the matter as a condition of the upcoming free vote, in which MPs will not be whipped and can make up their own minds.
She added: “I have found it disappointing that some members of the Cabinet have spoken out very vocally on the issue, and others have done as instructed and not expressed their views. So, I’ve found that quite disappointing and quite upsetting.”
In his letter last month, Mr Case said the Government will remain neutral on the Bill. In the Commons, ministers must reiterate that it is a matter for Parliament, not the Government.
He warned: “Outside of Parliament, all ministers should take the same approach in all forms of media, including social media.
“Though ministers need not resile from previously stated views when directly asked about them, they should exercise discretion and should not take part in the public debate.”
No 10 rejected accusations that Mr Streeting was breaching this guidance, with the Prime Minister’s spokesman confident it was being respected by ALL ministers.
“Ultimately, this is a case where the PM has said it is a free vote for MPs,” said the spokesman.
“Government will respect the will of Parliament. Cabinet ministers have made very clear that the whole of Government will respect the will of Parliament on this deeply emotive issue.”
