As a former adviser to Sajid Javid – no, the goal of the Tories isn’t to sell off the NHS

I have yet to meet a Conservative who doesn’t love the health service every bit as much as their nearest political opponent, writes Salma Shah

The NHS has held strong amid the Covid crisis (PA)

When Margaret Thatcher superfan Sajid Javid (for whom I was a special adviser from 2018 to 2019) was named as health secretary to replace Matt Hancock, there was the usual Westminster clamour to work out his precise views on everything. What had he said previously about lockdowns? Did he have a particular approach on social care? And how would his free-market credentials risk the sanctity of the NHS?

The latter is the all too predictable attack from the left wing of the Labour Party. Former leader Jeremy Corbyn tweeted in his usual disappointed tone: “My message to Sajid Javid today: remember you are now the secretary of state for health and social care – not the minister for selling off our NHS or gifting contracts to your mates in banking and finance.” This cynical warning received more than 104,000 likes despite the false premise of the statement.

Not the minister for selling off the NHS? What does he think might happen? The new team at the health department will just decide that we don’t need the NHS any more and, through sheer ideological fervour, sell it? Does he imagine a new rental scheme where we time-share our sick beds? Perhaps Jeremy is worried about supplies ending up on eBay? We just don’t know.