Shropshire MPs back Boris's call for more NHS funding

The Foreign Secretary was reportedly given a frosty reception in Cabinet this week after it was leaked to the media that he would be calling for extra money for health.

The media was briefed ahead of the weekly cabinet meeting that he would be calling for an extra £100 million a week to be spent on the NHS when Britain leaves the EU.

He famously stood in front of a bus suggesting that an extra £350 million a week would be available for the NHS if Britain voted to leave the EU during the 2016 referendum campaign.

A number of Shropshire MPs agreed that more funds should be found for the NHS.

Montgomeryshire MP Glyn Davies said he broadly supported what Mr Johnson was calling for in principle, although he said it would probably be impossible for any government to meet the growing expectations that people had.

"I'm not sure Boris's intervention will have helped particularly, but I do think we have to increase the level of funding that is committed to the NHS," he said.

"To that extent I think he is making a point that an awful lot of people do agree with."

He said Mr Johnson's reported spat with fellow cabinet members would be forgotten quickly, but the question of NHS funding was not something that was going to go away.

Brexit dividend

"The level of people's expectations of the NHS is almost beyond meeting, it's almost impossible to come up with any offer of money to do exactly what people want," said Mr Davies.

"The record in the UK is as good, if not better than most developed countries."

Telford MP Lucy Allan said she expected to see extra funds made available for the NHS when Britain leaves the European Union.

“The Government is actively supporting the NHS's own plan for the future, and is increasing health spending by a minimum of £8 billion over the next five years.

“Health spending is now at a record high, and represents 9.9 per cent of our country’s GDP – one per cent above the EU average.

“That said, I would expect to see the NHS benefit from the Brexit dividend.”

Public opinion

Ludlow MP Philip Dunne said, as a former health minister, he was pleased that Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt had briefed ministers on winter pressures in the NHS, but declined to comment on Mr Johnson's call for more funding.

"I understand it was a constructive discussion, and many members of the cabinet expressed their views and support for what the Government is doing," he said.

"I'm not going to comment on what one particular minister is supposed to have said. I wasn't there, and don't know what happened."

Mark Pritchard, MP for The Wrekin, said there was a short-term case for more NHS funding.

"Boris is right to reflect widespread public opinion and concerns," he said.

"Nonetheless, longer term the overall NHS funding model needs to be reset for the 21st century.

"That is the controversial bigger picture for the nation’s leaders and the NHS."