Jeremy Hunt’s extraordinary claim that the NHS is “the biggest reason most of us are proud to be British” during his Budget speech has caused huge controversy across England – but perhaps most of all with his fellow Tory MPs.
Express.co.uk contacted more than 30 Conservative MPs to see if they agreed with the Chancellor or not and what they thought was the real reason most people are proud to be British.
Not one MP was willing to agree with Mr Hunt’s claim even with the offer of anonimity for all those who responded. Some chose to waive the offer to give their alternative reasons.
Top of the list of critics was Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg, former Business Secretary and author of the Victorians, a book on a period of history on what some consider to be the zenith of British culture and influence at the height of the empire.
Sir Jacob, a leadig Brexiteer, was deeply unimpressed by Hunt’s claim.
He said: “The English language, democracy and our constitution including the Monarchy and the Common Law, our glorious history as the harbingers of liberty and the Navy who have historically safeguarded the nation. No one really thinks it is a failing health bureaucracy.”
Another MP suggest that “Brexit and leaving the European Union” was their biggest source of pride in Britain.
Brexiteer Sir John Redwood said: “I am proud of all this country has achieved and given to the world over many centuries.”
Another MP struggled to decide which bit of Britain gave them most pride but added: “Definitely not the NHS”.
A senior backbencher said: “I am very proud of the NHS but I am even more proud of our history of consistently defending freedom down the centuries, which has saved even more lives than the NHS.”
Former cabinet minister David Jones said: “The NHS is important, but what makes me proudest is the British tradition of tolerance, decency and fair play.”
Backbencher Alexander Stafford added that what made him most proud of being British is “history, heritage and culture”.
A different backbencher told express.co.uk: “We all wonder what Hunt was talking about.”
Mr Hunt is a former Health Secretary who tried to oversee reforms to bring in a seven day week for the NHS which led to a junior doctors strike.
But he always wore an NHS badge and spoke of his pride in the national institution which is seen as a key political priority for a majority of voters.
Support for the NHS was further enhanced during the covid pandemic when doctors and nurses were seen as the frontline against the disease during lockdown.
We are asking Express.co.uk what they think is the biggest reason for pride in Britain.
