Alan Johnson MP, Labour's Health Secretary, responding to David Cameron's silence on Daniel Hannan's comments, said:

"David Cameron's silence on this issue speaks volumes. He's already dropped a commitment to match our spending on the NHS. Now he is refusing to take action against a senior Conservative who wants to stop spending on the NHS altogether.

"Daniel Hannan's opposition to the whole concept of the NHS is a view that is shared by many in the Conservative Party.

"Instead of praising Daniel Hannan and rewarding him with a keynote speech at Conservative spring conference, David Cameron should be taking on the extremists in his ranks.

"Daniel Hannan told an American TV channel that our Doctors and Nurses made people "iller". David Cameron should go on British TV and apologise to NHS staff for these ignorant and insulting remarks."