Commenting on Boris Johnson’s planned NHS intervention at today’s Cabinet meeting, Liberal Democrat Chief Whip Alistair Carmichael said: 

“Serious Cabinet manoeuvres are not briefed to the Today Programme in advance. We can presume that this is another Boris stunt. If he really believes this then he should paint it on the side of a bus.

“Boris isn’t out to promote the NHS, he is only out to promote Boris.

“He appears to be testing the waters for his future ambitions. He turns up at Cabinet, act like he runs the place, then waits to see how the dust settles at the end of the day. This is not how a country should be run.

“He throws his toys out the pram, says something ‘barmy’, then leaves the adults in the room to pick up the pieces.”