Matt Hancock’s patronising and insulting ‘tone’ is out of order – Tom Richmond

Quite the opposite. It’s what our ancestors fought for – our liberty and freedom of speech – and which we honoured on the 75th anniversary of VE Day yesterday.

And it is even more important that he starts to listening to the concerns of those working so heroically on the NHS and care front line.

This certainly does not permit the Health and Social Care Secretary, who regards himself as a one-man government and who arrogantly refuses to engage with social care campaigners, to patronise those opponents who make legitimate and fair political points – politicians like Dr Rosena Allin-Khan who has continued to work as an A&E doctor alongside her duties as an MP in her Tooting constituency.

The new Shadow Health Minister received a warm welcome when she stood at the despatch box in the House of Commons earlier this week – ironically on the day when Britain’s death toll from Covid-19 became the worst in Europe.

“May I say thank you for what you and all the staff do in the NHS, saving lives? It is appreciated,” said Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker.

Dr Khan acknowledged these comments before thanking all “NHS and care staff, who are working so hard on the frontline”.

Heartfelt words, she then that “frontline workers like me have had to watch families break into pieces as we deliver the very worst of news to them: that those they love most in this world have died”.

And then she tore into the Government’s delays over testing for Covid-19 – and if Mr Hancock met his target of 100,000 tests a day by the end of April. It’s open to conjecture whether he managed it for just one day.

“The testing strategy has been non-existent. Community testing was scrapped, mass testing was slow to roll out and testing figures are now being manipulated,” she said.

“Does the Secretary of State commit to a minimum of 100,000 tests each day going forward? Does he acknowledge that many frontline workers feel that the Government’s lack of testing has cost lives and is responsible for many families being unnecessarily torn apart in grief?”

Mr Hancock’s response? “No, I do not,” he replied to looks of incredulity. “I welcome the hon Lady to her post as part of the shadow Health team, and I think she might do well to take a leaf out of the shadow Secretary of State’s (Jonathan Ashworth) book on tone.”

Tone? Has this doctor (and MP) no right to speak out like this? Is Mr Hancock not aware of the disquiet over the supply of PPE protection equipment, procurement failures, a lack of testing and his betrayal of social care since his appointment nearly two years ago?

Sorry, the ungracious Minister – some might say ‘‘patronising pipsqueak’’ – was totally out of order and was fortunate that interventions are not permissible, for now, in these ‘‘virtual’’ sittings of the Commons.

Yes, this pandemic is unprecedented and is challenging all national, regional and local leaders like never before. But the best politicians are those who accept criticism.

And – in this regard – the tone-deaf Matt Hancock has much to learn. All he had to do was to recognise Dr Khan’s comments, set out his defence and invite her to a meeting to listen to her experiences. That’s what any half-decent statesman would have done.

I’M still to be convinced that the Government can respond to the Covid-19 pandemic – and also complete its Brexit negotiations with the EU – without having to extend the transition period beyond December 31.

Yet Michael Gove, the Cabinet minister responsible for both, appears to have no doubts after Nick Fletcher, the Don Valley MP, asked if there was a likelihood of the UK requesting a Brexit extension.

“I can reassure my hon Friend and the good people of Don Valley that the Government are not going to extend the transition period at the end of this year,” he said.

It can only be for one of two reasons. Either progress is further advanced because the spotlight is on Covid-19, rather than Brexit, or Britain will leave the EU on WTO terms. Watch this space.

STRONG words from former Lib Dem leader Tim Farron whose idyllic Lake District constituency includes a slither of the Yorkshire Dales.

Eighty per cent of hospital and tourism staff are furloughed with the Government paying the bulk of wages. Yet, with Chancellor Rishi Sunak saying this is unsustainable, and the lockdown likely to wipe out the entire 2020 summer season, he’s challenging Ministers to come up with a new deal for tourism.

He wants them to commit “to a 12-month funding settlement for tourism and hospitality so that they can survive the winter and be ready to lead the revival in the spring of 2021”.

At least he’s fighting tourism’s corner. I’m still to be convinced that VisitBritain, VisitEngland and Welcome to Yorkshire are in campaign mode.

SOME great perspective from Yorkshire cricket legend Darren Lehmann in his interview with Radio 5 Live presenter Mark Chapman.

The Australian ventured that grassroots sport is just as important, if not more so, than professional leagues when the lockdown is lifted because of a need and responsibility by society to help children to return to some semblance of normality.

They’re even wiser words coming from such a fierce competitor on the field.

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