Hancock fury at BBC ‘scaremongering’
HEALTH SECRETARY and Tory leadership contender Matt Hancock has launched a blistering assault on the BBC, accusing them of Brexit scaremongering.
In an eviscerating letter to Newsnight bosses, the Department for Health claimed a report warning of shortages of epilepsy drugs was ‘inaccurate in parts and misleading in others’.
The Corporation’s flagship current affairs show aired a story last Wednesday claiming that some lifesaving drugs are impossible to stockpile and there was therefore a risk they would run out if the UK’s borders are blocked during a disorderly EU exit. Mr Hancock is understood to be infuriated by the allegation, and his department’s letter branded it ‘inaccurate reporting which could needlessly cause substantial worry to anyone reliant on epilepsy medication’.
Health chiefs insist that they are ready for a potential No Deal exit, with detailed plans to fly in critical medical supplies should there be disruption to traditional supply chains.
Allies of Mr Hancock insist that Health is the best-prepared government department for a No Deal exit, which could come as soon as this Friday i f EU chiefs veto another Brexit extension.
A Government source said: ‘We have robust contingency plans in place for all eventualities, but others seem to be most interested in scaremongering and unnecessarily stoking fears about medicine supply.’
In the letter to the BBC, seen by The Mail on Sunday, an aide to Mr Hancock writes: ‘The scaremongering tone and inaccuracies in the piece will unnecessarily worry patients with epilepsy. This is irresponsible reporting.’ The letter goes on to dismiss what it said were suggestions that the Department of Health or the NHS had tried to ‘cover up’ the possibility of shortages occurring as ‘completely misleading and untrue’.
Last night, a BBC spokesman hit back at the accusations. He said: ‘We strongly refute any suggestion that our reporting has been inaccurate or “scaremongering”.
‘The piece was a fair reflection of the legitimate concerns of some senior clinicians to the current approach to aspects of No Deal planning, and it was therefore appropriate to bring the issues to the attention of our audience.’