Therese Coffey enduring embarrassment during her first round of interviews as the new health secretary and deputy PM when her alarm when off live on air.
Liz Truss’s closest ally was speaking on LBC when her phone started playing the Dr Dre hit Still Dre, featuring Snoop Dogg.
“I’m just realised that the alarm is going off on my phone – you’re getting a bit of Dr Dre,” she laughed. “It’s just an 8am alarm, sorry.”
LBC host Nick Ferrari also asked Ms Coffey about her habits and physical health, amid some criticism on social media about her suitability for her new role.
“As someone who likes a cigar, enjoys the odd noggin, and let’s be candid, you and I could possibly do with losing a pound or two ... Are you the right person for the job?” the broadcaster asked.
Ms Coffey smiled responded: “I appreciate I may not be a role model … I’m sure the chief medical officer and others will continue to be role models in that regard, and I will do my best as well.”
Asked on BBC Breakfast about those pointing out that she had been a smoker, Ms Coffey said: “I don’t look at social media. I’ve had all sorts of abuse hurled for many years, it doesn’t worry me.”
Ms Coffey has made clear that patients will not be charged for GP appointments – something pledged by Ms Truss’ campaign rival Rishi Sunak. “I will not be charging people to go and see their GP,” she told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.
Setting out her plans as health secretary, Ms Coffey said health and social care will be funded through general taxation, rather than the special levy of 1.25 per cent rise in National Insurance promised by previous chancellor Rishi Sunak.
Grilled about the challenge of paying for health and social care without the guarantee of extra funds, Ms Coffey said: “We will continue to invest the same amount into health and social care that we would setting out through the levee”.
Asked about Ms Truss’s plan to divert funds earmarked for the NHS to social care, Ms Coffey said: “People are clear that, within the system, there are people currently in hospital who don’t need to be in hospital, do need continuing care, but not necessarily in our acute hospitals.”
“That’s why making sure that we help patients get to the right place where they need to be will open up the opportunity and capacity for more people to be treated in our acute hospitals.”
She also hinted that she would push for the NHS to use the private health care sector to clear the huge backlog of operations. “I think we just need to use every capacity that we can, and we already use the independent sector,” she told LBC.
Asked about the prospect of junior doctors striking over pay, Ms Coffey said: “I hope that, of course, people will continue to put their patients first.”
The new health secretary, a practising Catholic, also insisted she will “not seek to undo” abortion laws, amid concern from campaigners about her voting record on the issue.
The British Pregnancy Advisory Service said Ms Coffey – also appointed deputy prime minister – said she had a “deeply concerning” record on abortion rights.
“I’m conscious I have voted against abortion laws,” Ms Coffey told Sky News. “What I will say is I’m a complete democrat and that is done. It’s not that I’m seeking to undo any aspects of abortion laws.”
