Call to strip health secretary of salary for ‘gross mismanagement’ of NHS

Liberal Democrats are tabling a parliamentary motion to strip health secretary Steve Barclay of his ministerial salary because of chaos in the services he oversees.

With the NHS facing strikes by nurses and ambulance staff, the waiting list for treatment topping 7 million and emergency waiting times lengthening, the censure motion put forward by Lib Dems states that Mr Barclay should forfeit the cash for “gross mismanagement” of the health service.

Lib Dem health spokesperson Daisy Cooper said her party feels Mr Barclay is no longer “worthy” of the £67,505 pay he receives as secretary of state on top of his £82,000 MP’s salary.

The censure motion tabled by Ms Cooper in the House of Commons has no prospect of passing, but will be used by her party to highlight dissatisfaction with the state of the NHS.

"I don’t think the health secretary deserves his ministerial salary because nothing in the health department is working,” said Ms Cooper.

“The public, nurses and paramedics have lost all faith in him.

"The chaos just never ends with this Conservative government. If ministers can’t govern the country, keep ambulance services running and staff our hospitals, then they shouldn’t be paid a ministerial salary. It’s as simple as that.”

She added: "For months on end, our hospitals and GP services have been at breaking point whilst health Mministers such as Steve Barclay sat on their hands. This gross incompetence and downright arrogance proves they are not worthy of a ministerial salary.

"The clock is ticking to save our NHS from strike chaos. Until the health secretary bucks up his ideas, he shouldn’t be receiving a minister’s salary.”