Michael Gove vows to spend £100m-a-week EXTRA on the NHS if Britain decides to leave EU
Justice Secretary undermined 'pal' the Prime Minister by insisting hospitals and GPs are suffering cash shortfall
BREXIT boss Michael Gove’s pledge to splash an extra £100million a week on the NHS has enraged No10.
The Justice Secretary undermined David Cameron by insisting hospitals and GPs are suffering from a significant cash shortfall.
His promise to fill the gap if Britain votes to leave and he seizes control of the UK’s £10billion EU budget came during a grilling from a live TV audience.
The huge spending commitment, which adds up to £5.2billion a year, is a direct challenge to the Prime Minister’s authority.
Mr Gove’s Q&A on Sky News was the biggest test yet for the Leave campaign ahead of June 23’s referendum.
During the debate he was also pushed by wavering voters to give more details of what Britain would look like under Brexit.
In an attempt to give them one firm commitment he said: "By 2020, we can give the NHS a £100million per week cash injection.
"And we can ensure that the wealthy interests that have rigged the EU rules in their favour at last pay their fair share.”
Mr Gove insisted immigration was putting unsustainable pressure on the health service.
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This was “the equivalent of adding a city the size of Manchester” to our population, adding £1.3billion to the cost of maternity services alone.
Mr Gove, a long-standing close friend of Mr Cameron, has already launched a number of attacks on the PM.
He has accused him of a “depressing litany” of scare stories and urged voters to vote for “Project Hope” rather than Mr Cameron’s Project Fear.
Scots-born Mr Gove also slammed strict Brussels quotas for destroying his father’s fishing business in Aberdeen.
In a powerful personal testimony he said: “I know what it is like to see someone lose their job because of the European Union.
“I saw my father lose his job, I saw his business go to the wall.
"I am one of many who have seen their parents lose their job, lose their income and lose their livelihood as a result of the EU.”
His hour-long appearance on the Sky News programme hosted by the station’s political editor Faisal Islam came a day after the pro-Remain PM was given a grilling in the first of two programmes.
Mr Cameron had taken a battering from voters in the studio audience who accused him of “waffling” and “scaremongering” and Mr Gove admitted beforehand he was “nervous”.
His jitters were not helped by heavy pressure upon him to admit there were economic risks to Brexit after other prominent Leave campaigners made the same concessions.
Mr Gove was also savaged by the head of the largest health workers’ union, who accused him of peddling “dangerous myths” about the NHS.
Unison general secretary Dave Prentis warned a vote to leave would mean a “weaker, poorer, more overstretched National Health Service”.
Meanwhile Ukip leader Nigel Farage said the Leave campaign’s renewed focus on immigration would prove a “turning point”, insisting the debate is about “more than money”.
Others to add their voice to the debate yesterday included Hollywood star Matt Damon, who described Brexit as “insane” in a speech to US students.
Former England football stars John Barnes and David James came out in support of Brexit, saying it would boost the chances of English players.