Andy Burnham still can’t answer questions on Mid Staffs

Today’s health election debate on the BBC just now was one of the feistiest we have seen in this campaign. Andy Burnham, Jeremy Hunt and Norman Lamb clashed repeatedly — and passionately — over Mid Staffs and the appropriate role for the private sector in the NHS.

Burnham was on hectoring form throughout the debate. But he struggled so badly to answer Andrew Neil’s questions about Mid Staffs that one was left feeling he’ll never be able to win a Labour leadership contest until he has a proper answer to these questions.

Jeremy Hunt admitted that the Health and Social Act, Andrew Lansley’s reform bill, wouldn’t win any prizes for being the most popular health policy in history. He even hesitated when asked by Andrew Neil if he would have introduced it.