Gordon Brown's teeth: the best they can come up with?

The Tories are on a post-Hannan NHS counter attack with a #LabourNotUsingNHS hashtag, featuring examples/allegations of Labour politicians opting for paid-for healthcare. Why, asks Tim Montgomerie at Conservativehome, “If Labour love the NHS sooooo much why do they ever go private?”

The exemplar is the use by Gordon Brown of a private dentist in 2007.  This gives the lie, it is argued, to claims that the Labour movement “loves the NHS”.

One problem: this was cosmetic treatment undertaken as part of a pre-premiership ‘smile makeover’ at the London Centre for Cosmetic Dentistry (the clue is in the name). Many would agree it is not the job of the NHS (or taxpayers) to flatter Brown’s vanity and/or shape him into a more photogenic prime minister.

And of course, if Brown had persistent tooth pain or his gnashers knocked out in a car accident, he would be on the way to the nearest NHS dentist.

Is this the really the best they can come up with?

In the words of Tony Blair: “weak, weak, weak!”