EXCL Boris Johnson allies admit they 'f****d up' over NHS cash demand
2 min read
Allies of Boris Johnson have admitted they "f****d up" by going public with his demand for the NHS to be given an extra £100m a week after Brexit.
The Foreign Secretary sparked a furious row at this morning's Cabinet meeting as ministers lined up to attack him.
Sources close to Mr Johnson briefed the media ahead of the meeting that he would make the case for the health service to receive a large chunk of the money which will no longer be sent to Brussels after Britain quits the EU.
But a spokesman for Theresa May said: "The Prime Minister and a large number of Cabinet ministers made the point that Cabinet discussions should take place in private."
One source told PoliticsHome: "He got a proper bitch-slapping."
It is thought that eight ministers made clear their anger at Mr Johnson's behaviour at the meeting, with Home Secretary Amber Rudd saying it was important that Cabinet members were able to trust each other, before adding: "I’m talking to you, Foreign Secretary."
Another source said: "Even Michael Gove and co didn't give Boris their full backing. He looked very isolated."
A friend of the Foreign Secretary said Mr Johnson believes the NHS should receive some of the so-called "Brexit dividend" he believes the UK will enjoy when it leaves the EU, especially given the infamous pledge of an extra £350m a week promised on the side of the Vote Leave referendum campaign bus.
"He was firing off yesterday about the NHS and the Brexit dividend and somebody within his office rather excitedly thought it should be briefed," said the friend.
"He feels very, very strongly about suggestions he lied about the £350m stuff. Had he become Prime Minister, he would have promised that when we get the Brexit dividend - that money would have gone in.
"He got a bit of a hard time at Cabinet, and it has gone down pretty badly with colleagues. It's one thing to say it in Cabinet and it be leaked afterwards, it's another thing when it's on the front pages before the meeting takes place.
"We've f****d up and we move on."
It is understood the Foreign Secretary is now out of the country and not due to return to the UK until the end of the week.
Chancellor Philip Hammond was not at the Cabinet meeting as he was attending a meeting of finance ministers in Brussels.
But he told Sky News: “Mr Johnson is the Foreign Secretary. I gave the Health Secretary an extra £6bn at the recent budget and we will look at departmental allocations again at the spending review when that takes place."
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