Daniel Hannan, the newly famous Conservative MEP thinks that the NHS is a “sixty year mistake”. He says the NHS has made us iller. And he thinks that Gordon Brown is a “ninny”. That’s right, ninny. Oh, and Obama and Brown are “buddy buddy”.
Update: As well as John Prescott calling on David Cameron to respond to Hannan’s comments, Alan Johnson has now issued the following statement:
“David Cameron’s silence on this issue speaks volumes. He’s already dropped a commitment to match our spending on the NHS. Now he is refusing to take action against a senior Conservative who wants to stop spending on the NHS altogether.
“Daniel Hannan’s opposition to the whole concept of the NHS is a view that is shared by many in the Conservative Party.
“Instead of praising Daniel Hannan and rewarding him with a keynote speech at Conservative spring conference, David Cameron should be taking on the extremists in his ranks.
“Daniel Hannan told an American TV channel that our Doctors and Nurses made people “iller”. David Cameron should go on British TV and apologise to NHS staff for these ignorant and insulting remarks.”
Update2: From the Evening Standard “Mr Hannan last night refused to back down, saying: “People can see for themselves that Britain has become a place where foreigners fear to fall ill. Yes, all three parties are committed to the NHS: I am a humble backbencher, and speak only for myself. But I wonder whether, as on tax and borrowing, public opinion hasn’t overtaken the Westminster consensus.”
See also YouTube hit Hannan back to haunt the Tories
Update 3: Though Conservative bloggers and press briefers are now playing Hannan’s influence down, he’s been invited by Eric Pickles to give their keynote address at the Conservative Spring Conference.
Update 4: Oliver Kamm in the Times on Daniel Hannan’s silliness problem.
Update 5: Finnancial Times, A memo to the Tories.
Update 6: Kevin Maguire in the Mirror: ‘Either Mr Bullingdon Club’s frightened to slap down the Con poster boy or he secretly sympathises with him. Otherwise, Cameron would utter three more words: “You’re fired, Hannan.”‘
13 comments ↓
Ooooooh, jealous are we?
Do Mad Dan Hannan’s new Fox News admirers know about this?
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/daniel_hannan/blog/2008/03/21/why_im_for_barack_obama
Or this?
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/daniel_hannan/blog/2009/03/22/i_wont_disown_obama__yet
[...] ← Daniel Hannan on the National Health Service [...]
[...] to know what Daniel Hannan MEP thinks of the NHS. Seems no matter what Cameron does to cuddlify the Tories, these lot keep coming [...]
Well said, Tom. As we at the Paintbrush Collective have said, fundamentalist libertarians like Hannan, Carswell and a lot of the 2005 intake of Tory MPs are like a Militant Tendency for Cameron.
http://frankowenspaintbrush.wordpress.com/2009/04/05/dan-hannan-camerons-militant-tendency/
[...] Tories are better at dissent. Dan Hannan stands up and says the NHS is a mistake? No biggie, aparently. Boris Johnson thinks Tory tax policy is terribad? Fine. Would Labour be so [...]
People like Hanann are a disgrace – his party had the NHS on its knees before Labour won in 1997.
His comments do not do justice to the many doctors, nurses and support staff that make sure we continue to have an NHS free at the point of need.
If this lot get back in power, I won’t be looking forward to their spending cuts on the NHS.
[...] content with attacking the NHS as a 60 year mistake, Tory internet-sensation Daniel Hannan has now attacked police [...]
[...] has also not dealt well with the emergence of fundamentalist libertarians like Dan Hannan as big hitters in the Tory party, and this could pose him (and the rest of us, should the Tories [...]
When I watched Mr Hannan on ‘Question Time’ just before the European elections, he sure scared the hell out of me and I hold a traditional conservative views. I thought I’m a million miles away from this guy’s views and not to mention his very off-putting personality and style. He is definitely different to put it mildly and it now seems a liability to Conservative party ambitions; yet another loose cannon for David Cameron to deal with. The sad thing is, he has also undermined the great work President Barack Obama is trying to do; to give some basic medical care to more than 40 million American people who cannot afford medical insurance.
What Mr Hannan said was music to the Republicans’ ears. The trouble is they will believe Mr Hannan is representative of the British people, which he certainly is not. He represents no one but himself on this one. British MEPs should keep their noses out of US domestic politics and get on with representing the UK in Europe, for which they are paid very well.
My mum has worked for the NHS for 40 years (been in hospital 3 times only to give birth) and she thinks its a mistake since labour were in power. GP’s work as if they were bankers and crowded in as much appointments…PrimeryTrustPartnership…HAHA….akin to loan shark…and i am a banker which is ironic!! my mum had a bad injury, could’nt get it fixed in her trust so my banker salary paid privately for her. Bevan meant well, but he didn’t account fo global mobility….its a great service, but not the right service for the large majority of ponces out there. They make a mockery of british generosity…..makes me sick.
tom….. i wish u could speak to my mum….she loves the NHS, no more. she is so peed off everytime she sees party politicial broadasts these days .Full of it…..no appropiate opionion on the ground…..she reckons she could save millions by exposing jobsworths and certain medical profeesionals take the NHS for as much as possible…..£75 for every asthma clinic!!! no tire or guarantee included either!!!
[...] Carswell MP kept trying to flog his book The Plan – co-written with Dan “60 year mistake” Hannan – which he kept reminding us was “only £10″. Somehow the bits [...]
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