Politics

Tories accused of lying about Matt Hancock adviser being hit by Labour protester outside hospital



The Tories have been accused of lying about an alleged assault on an adviser to Matt Hancock to distract from a row over a sick child who had to sleep on a hospital floor.

Labour said Boris Johnson’s party tried to manipulate the media after Conservative sources claimed an adviser to the Health Secretary was hit by a Labour protester at Leeds General infirmary on Monday. 

Journalists had said Tory sources told them they believed a protestor had hit the adviser in the face in an incident which came during a campaign visit. But video later shared on social media appeared to show the advisor walking into the demonstrator’s arm as he was pointing.

The claims sparked a huge backlash, with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn accusing Tories of “inventing fake stories to distract people” from a storm over a shortage of beds at the hospital.

Jack Williment-Barr, 4, had to be covered with coats by his mother Sarah Williment to keep warm as he waited for a bed at Leeds General infirmary with suspected pneumonia.

A photograph of the youngster has been widely shared on social media, turning his treatment into a political row – just days before the polls open for Thursday’s General Election.

Amid the row, Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell tweeted: “A sick child treated on the floor of a hospital and they try divert attention with a dead cat lie story. Never has our politics sunk so low in our country since Johnson took over.”

Mr Hancock had been visiting the hospital as the Conservative party was faced with reports on an image that showed a child laying on a ward floor due to a shortage of beds.

The BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg and ITV’s Robert Peston were among those to report the claim that the advisor had been struck by a protester. Both journalists have since apologised and said they had been told of the alleged by Conservative sources.

Mr Peston wrote on Twitter: “It is completely clear from video footage that [Matt Hancock’s] adviser was not whacked by a protestor, as I was told by senior Tories, but that he inadvertently walked into a protestor’s hand. I apologise for getting this wrong.”

Ms Kuenssberg said: “Happy to apologise for earlier confusion about the punch that wasn’t a punch outside Leeds General – 2 sources suggested it had happened but clear from video that was wrong.”

West Yorkshire Police said it was “unaware” of any reports to the force in relation to the alleged incident and the hospital declined to comment on any aspect of the visit.

The Standard has approached the Conservative Party for comment on Labour’s claims it lied about the incident.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Mr Johnson came under fire for his lack of empathy over the treatment of the four-year-old boy who was left sleeping on the floor of a hospital because of a bed shortage.

Boris Johnson takes reporter’s phone when asked about NHS ‘crisis’

Health Secretary Mr Hancock was sent to the hospital in a bid to quell the storm – and said he had apologised to the family.

A video posted to social media showed Mr Hancock being heckled by protesters as he left the hospital.

The Cabinet minister could be seen speaking on the phone and hastily entering a car, as demonstrators shouted “shame on you” and “you are not welcome in this hospital, you are not welcome in this country”.

Asked what he would say to Jack’s family, Mr Hancock told a reporter at the hospital: “It’s not good enough, and I’ve apologised. I think the trust have handled it very well. The staff here have been brilliant.

“And Jack’s family have been at pains to point out that the staff have been absolutely superb.”

He said he had made the unscheduled visit because he wanted to get “reassurance” from the trust that “they’re doing everything they can”.

Shadow education secretary Angela Rayner said she hoped that “no-one involved in Labour politics has assaulted any person as part of our democratic right to protest” after the incident outside the hospital.

“There is absolutely no place for any form of violence verbally or physically & you harm your cause if you do,” she added.

Earlier in the day the Mr Johnson was criticised after he took a reporter’s phone and put it in his pocket after refusing to look at a photo of Jack.

Mr Johnson did not look down at the photo on the ITV political correspondent’s phone, instead saying he would “study it later” as he attempted to steer the conversation on to Tory investment in the NHS.

Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth criticised the PM’s actions, and said: “Refusing to even look at an image of a child suffering because of Conservative cuts to the NHS is a new low for Boris Johnson. It’s clear he could not care less.

“Don’t give this disgrace of a man five more years of driving our NHS into the ground. Sick toddlers like Jack deserve so much better.”

During an election visit to Bristol, Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn branded the treatment of a four-year-old boy lying on the floor in a hospital as a “disgrace”.

“He’s had nine years to properly fund the NHS.

“A child being treated on the floor is a disgrace to our society,” Mr Corbyn said.

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In a move which will be seen by critics as an effort to distract from the case, Mr Johnson later told workers in the North East that he is “looking at” abolishing the BBC licence fee.

The Prime Minister said that while the Tories were currently “not planning to get rid of all TV licence fees”, the current system “bears reflection”.

After being asked whether he would abolish TV licences altogether, Mr Johnson replied: “Well, I don’t think at this late stage in the campaign I’m going to make an unfunded spending commitment like that, but what I certainly think is that the BBC should cough up and pay for the licences for the over-75s as they promised to do.

“But at this stage we are not planning to get rid of all TV licence fees, though I am certainly looking at it.”

The PM had earlier apologised to “everybody who has a bad experience” in the NHS after the story of four-year-old Jack emerged.

Ms Williment told the Daily Mirror her son was eventually moved to a ward, where he waited for five hours on a trolley before a bed was found at 3am.

Diagnosed with flu and tonsillitis, Jack was allowed to be taken home at lunchtime.

 

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