Labour’s Health Secretary Andy Burnham and Work and Pensions Secretary Yvette Cooper have written to David Cameron attacking his misleading comments yesterday suggesting Labour planned to cut disability benefits.

It followed an email to Conservative Party member where he said "unbelievably, they're cutting disability benefits for the oldest and most vulnerable members of our society."

In the strongly worded letter they asked David Cameron to withdraw his “pernicious and misleading campaign, designed to prey on the fears of the most vulnerable in society”.

And they also asked him to clarify his party's position on NHS guarantees, after he appeared to support them despite calling for all NHS targets to be scrapped.

Andy Burnham and Yvetter Cooper wrote:

“Last night you wrote an email to Conservative supporters to say: “unbelievably, they're [the Government] cutting disability benefits for the oldest and most vulnerable members of our society".

“You well know that this is deeply misleading. It is 'unbelievable' because it is not true.

“It is completely wrong to claim that we are funding our care reform proposals by cutting people's benefits.

“I ask you to withdraw your pernicious and misleading campaign, designed to prey on the fears of the most vulnerable in society.

“Instead, you need to address the substance at the heart of our Queen’s Speech: a proposal to introduce a National Care Service.
 
“Will you now say whether you would support a new National Care Service?

“And will you also confirm whether it is still your intention to abolish key targets in the NHS – including the guarantee to see a cancer specialist within two weeks?

“By talking Britain down at every opportunity, by offering shallowness not substance, all you are inspiring in the British public is greater scepticism not optimism.
 
“People want guarantees in the NHS and they want a National Care Service - and I hope you will support us in delivering those. “