Hancock wanted to play God'

Health Sec 'said he should decide who lives or dies' if Covid swamped NHS

- MARTIN BAGOT & DAVE BURKE

MATT Hancock's arrogance during the pandemic was yesterday laid bare with the claim that he wanted to ride roughshod over doctors when it came to who survived, or didn't.

Former NHS England chief executive Simon Stevens told the Covid Inquiry he stepped in to try to stop the ex-health. secretary's wish from becoming a reality.

The probe discussed an emergency planning exercise in which a "rationing criteria" would have to be drawn up to decide which types of patients got beds if the NHS became overwhelmed by patients both with the virus and without.

Lord Stevens' damning witness statement said: "The secretary of state for health and social care took the position that in this situation he, rather than, say, the medical profession or the public, should ultimately decide who should live and who should die.

"Fortunately, this horrible dilemma never crystallised.