Commenting on comments by Ben Bradshaw that some GPs enter into ‘gentleman’s agreements’ not to accept each others patients, Liberal Democrat Shadow Health Secretary, Norman Lamb said:

"Ratcheting up his war of words with the BMA in this way demonstrates the complete breakdown in trust between the Government and those on the health service’s front line.

"If Ben Bradshaw is going to make provocative and inflammatory statements about GPs’ behaviour he must back them up with facts. Does he have any evidence of what he is alleging?

"There is currently little incentive for GPs to take on new patients. They must be encouraged to take on patients from disadvantaged backgrounds. These are problems of the Government’s own making."