Tory defector ‘never asked’ about NHS concerns, says Health Secretary

Defecting MP Dan Poulter “never asked me” about his concerns regarding the NHS, Health Secretary Victoria Atkins has said.

Dr Poulter, a former health minister, defected from the Conservatives to Labour on Saturday, citing “mismanagement of the health service” as a key reason for his decision.

The MP said his work as an NHS mental health doctor had informed his move, saying the service is “not providing the right quality of care for my patients”.

Asked about his comments, Ms Atkins told Sky News on Tuesday that she had been “puzzled” by the decision.

She said: “I’ve been Health Secretary now for some five months and Dan had never raised these concerns with me, and I would expect anyone who has concerns about the NHS, I would hope, would discuss them with me, and I will do everything I can to try to deal with those concerns and to answer those concerns.

“But Dan, sadly, never asked me about those.”

She added that his only recent contact with her had been regarding a fundraising event he had asked her to speak at.

Dr Poulter is the second direct defection from the Conservatives to Labour since the 2019 election, following Christian Wakeford’s move in 2022.

It is also the second defection from the Tories this year after Lee Anderson joined Reform UK following his suspension by the Conservatives over comments about London Mayor Sadiq Khan.

Explaining his decision, Dr Poulter said he was no longer able to “look my NHS colleagues in the eye”, adding that the health service is “stretched close to breaking point” and “only the Labour Party has the trust and the will to restore a failing health service”.

A Tory spokesman said Dr Poulter is “wrong” and Labour has “no plan for the NHS”.

Dr Poulter, who has represented the traditionally safe Conservative seat of Central Suffolk and North Ipswich since 2010, said he will leave Parliament at the forthcoming general election.