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Row over Henshaw led to split with Blair
By David Rose
PM Tony Blair has disclosed that he had to part company with one of his senior ministers, following a behind-the-scenes row over former Liverpool chief executive, Sir David Henshaw.
Jane Kennedy has admitted she quit her job as minister in charge of the day-to-day running of the National Health Service in England after concerns over Sir David being appointed as chairman of the North West Strategic Health Authority.
Sir David got the job after leaving Liverpool, where he fell out with Liberal Democrat leader, Mike Storey, who had to resign. At his monthly press conference at Downing Street on Monday, the prime minister admitted the appointment lay behind the resignation of Jane Kennedy, a Liverpool MP, who was one of those who left the Government in the reshuffle last week.
Mr Blair praised Mrs Kennedy as a ‘good minister’, and said ‘she felt very strongly about a particular issue – appointments in the health service’.
Mrs Kennedy also fell out with health secretary, Patricia Hewitt, over proposed changes in funding for children’s hospitals, although she won that particular battle. However, she was told by Downing Street not to express any views about Sir David’s proposed appointment after 20 North West MPs wrote a letter expressing their own concerns.
Sir David is well regarded in Downing Street and has also been appointed to another job to mastermind the reform of the Child Support Agency.
Mrs Kennedy said: ‘I have, for some time, had serious disagreement with fellow ministers and Number 10 about the direction of NHS reforms.’
mjnews@hgluk.com
