When Vote Leave plastered the NHS’s logo on the side of the infamous campaign bus, there was outrage from almost everyone on the left of the political spectrum.  Labour’s then Shadow Health Secretary, Heidi Alexander, was quick to jump onto the big red outrage bus, going as far as writing a letter to NHS England’s Chief Executive Simon Stevens urging him to make a “clear statement” distancing the public service from the campaign. How times change.

Throughout last night’s party political broadcast Keir Starmer tried to make the association that a vote for Labour was a “vote for our NHS”. Labour diligently reminded listeners of this fact by flashing the NHS’s official logo on screen no less than twelve times to drive the message home subliminally. Naughty…

The broadcast’s use of the NHS logo, facilities and staff manifestly violates the NHS Confederation’s guidelines, which warns politicians to avoid “any activity that could be considered political, controversial or influential or could give rise to criticism that public resources are being used for party political/ campaigning purposes”; guidance that’s even more pertinent as we approach the purdah campaign period of the local elections. Guido wonders if Jonathan Ashworth, Labour’s now-Shadow Health Secretary, will be as quick this time round in alerting the NHS that its rules have been violated…