Tory leadership race favourite Penny Mordaunt is under fire for her support of homeopathy from critics of the use of alternative medicine.
The former defence secretary has frequently advocated the practice – the use of natural substances to help the body heal itself – according to an analysis of her parliamentary record and past comments.
Ms Mordaunt was one of 16 supporters of a motion in the House of Commons sharply criticising the British Medical Association for withdrawing NHS support for homeopathy, in June 2010.
It argued that “overwhelming anecdotal evidence that homeopathy is effective, frequently in cases when patients have not found relief through conventional medical treatments”.
In July 2014, in a Twitter exchange over a criticism of it as “bunkum medicine”, Ms Mordaunt said GPs “should have freedom to decide”, The Guardian reported.
Michael Marshall, a project director at the pro-science charity Good Thinking Society, said he hoped the candidate would now show “greater consideration for evidence and reason”.
“Homeopathic remedies have no place in modern healthcare, given they have been proven to be ineffective and can be actively dangerous when patients are led to believe they might work,” he said.
“It is concerning to think that a leading contender for the highest office has such a poor appreciation of the importance of evidence when it comes to healthcare and science, and that she feels confident standing publicly against the conclusions of medical experts.”
Daisy Cooper, the Liberal Democrats’ health spokesperson, said: “It’s alarming that someone who could be appointed prime minister in a few weeks’ time has repeatedly supported homeopathy being provided by the NHS, despite concerns about the practice among health experts.
“Penny Mordaunt should make clear that she will focus on fixing the real issues facing the NHS like soaring ambulance waiting times, not on imposing homeopathic treatments.”
The Independent has asked Ms Mordaunt to respond to the criticism of her stance.
The row comes after she struggled to make an impression in the first live TV leadership debate, being judged to have won it by just 12 per cent of voters in a snap poll.
Outsider Kemi Badenoch questioned her denial that she pushed for people to be able to self-identify as a different gender – while Rishi Sunak attacked her tax-cutting plans.
Hitting back in an interview with The Daily Telegraph, Ms Mordaunt protested at being targeted by smears in what she called a “black-ops” campaign.
Pointing to achievements including ending a dispute with striking firefighters, securing all soldiers the living wage and shaping the UK’s cyber strategy, she said: “Look at my record, look at what I’ve done. I do get stuff done.”
Ms Mordaunt also argued she can be trusted on Brexit more than Liz Truss – who voted to stay in the European Union in the 2016 referendum – because she believes in it to her “core”.
