The government has put off introducing plain cigarette packets because it says there’s no evidence of any impact. FactCheck begs to differ.
Victoria Macdonald
The headline in the Observer said hospital surgeons would be graded in official league tables for the first time – that was 12 years ago. So why does it take so long to reform the NHS? That was in October 2001.
Victoria Macdonald
After Mid-Staffs, Sir David Nicholson must have known his resignation as head of the NHS was inevitable.
Can accident and emergency departments really be hitting their targets if the system is in danger of meltdown? FactCheck finds out.
Victoria Macdonald
Jeremy Hunt’s speech to the Nuffield Trust conference has all the hallmarks of “bog standard comprehensives”, giving rise to the obvious danger that his remarks will forever haunt him.
Victoria Macdonald
The new health secretary was not at his most assured in his speech to the Conservative Party conference. But he had messages for the social care and charities sectors.
Jeremy Hunt is the big winner from the reshuffle. But the move from culture to health will prompt head scratching from those who thought the Murdoch scandal had cut short his political life.
Victoria Macdonald
Andrew Lansley’s obsession with the finer details of health policy could explain his unwanted shuffle away from the Department of Health, Victoria Macdonald writes.
Gary Gibbon
Could the Lib Dem stance on Jeremy Hunt threaten cross-party cooperation when it comes to reform of the House of Lords?
Gary Gibbon
Jeremy Hunt intends to be “robust” in his Commons appearance today which should get under way around 1.30 or so.
Gary Gibbon
Gary Gibbon blogs on Jeremy Hunt’s appearance at the Leveson inquiry.
“He dodged a bullet today, but has Jeremy Hunt really cleared his name?”
Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt gives evidence at the Leveson inquiry into media standards. Add your voice to the live blog.
Gary Gibbon
As billed, Jeremy Hunt is emphasising the extra and unpopular references and burdens he was willing to put on News Corp over their bid for all of BSkyB. He quotes James Murdoch saying they were “tantamount to killing the deal.” But the real interest so far will be the text exchanges on the day Vince Cable’s sting by the Telegraph was fully disclosed.
Gary Gibbon
The FT has spotted another embarrassment for the culture secretary as he steps into the high court.