Top Labour candidate facing probe over potential NHS rule-breaking visit with Keir Starmer

Rishi Sunak hits back at Keir Starmer over Angela Rayner

Labour’s candidate for the East Midlands Mayoralty is now facing an official probe by the NHS after being referred for potentially breaching the health service’s rules ahead of the local elections.

Last week the Express reported that Claire Ward had been referred to her employer for potentially abusing her position as Chairman of the Board of Directors at Kings Mill Hospital in Ashfield, when recently hosting Sir Keir Starmer and Wes Streeting for a campaigning event on April 8.

The Conservatives reported the visit after a letter sent by the NHS’ Chief Strategy Officer just days before the event took place warned against using the health service for political purposes.

The memo by Chris Hopson warned about the importance of “maintaining public confidence in the NHS during pre-election periods”.

It also stressed that the NHS must not “influence election campaigns”, while underlining the Nolan Principles on public life, and the need to separate political activities from an individual’s NHS role.

Labour's mayoral candidate is being looked into by the NHS Trust (Image: Wes Streeting Twitter)

Mr Hopson also made clear that when an individual has a high profile “because of sitting on the board of an NHS organisation”, they should take a leave of unpaid absence “during the course of their relevant election campaign.”

Following a letter to the trust by local Tory MP Brendan Clarke-Smith, the foundation has now confirmed they are considering the issue, and pledged to report back within five working days.

The Chief Executive of the hospital is also at pains to reassure voters that, as a Trust, they “take our responsibilities during the pre-election period very seriously”.

The letter adds: “We certainly would not do anything to deliberately distract from or influence an election campaign”.

Mr Clarke-Smith said he's pleased the NHS is investigating the matter (Image: Brendan Clarke-Smith)

Responding to the letter, Mr Clarke-Smith said he welcomed the investigation.

He told The Express: “I welcome that Sherwood Forest Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust is investigating what are potentially very serious breaches of NHS campaigning rules by Claire Ward”.

"These apparent breaches of rules that are in place to maintain integrity and public trust in our NHS raise important questions for Claire Ward.

"With Sir Keir Starmer being directly involved in this campaign visit will he now apologise for his role in these violations?”

Last week the Health Secretary Victoria Atkins also intervened, raising the matter with the Chief Executive of NHS England and regional NHS Director over the potential Nolan Principles breach.

A Labour spokesman previously said: "The Tory candidate in the East Midlands mayoral election [Ben Bradley MP] is paid by the taxpayer to do three jobs. He’s failing in all three”.

"He can’t fight for a fourth on his record because he’s failed. He can’t fight on the Conservative Party’s record because they crashed the economy.

"Claire Ward will be a powerful voice as mayor and deliver for the East Midlands."