Matt Hancock has come under fire for claiming he has "become the largest buyer of fridges in the world" as part of preparations for the possibility of a "no-deal" Brexit.

The health secretary's department was forced to defend his comments about stockpiling medicines in the event of no deal, after criticism he was "boasting" about his new status.

Asked on Monday if NHS leaders had enacted preparations for leaving the EU without a deal, he told the BBC's Newsnight: "There's a couple of exceptions that we are working on but largely yes.

"I've become the largest buyer of fridges in the world, I didn't expect that.

"Those tenders have been successfully completed are we are a combination of buying and building refrigeration capacity to make sure that we have enough for medicines."


Conservative MP and Remain-supporter Anna Soubry called the comments "scandalous" and urged the government to rule out a "no-deal" divorce.

Image: Anna Soubry urged the government to rule out a 'no-deal' divorce

"Let's do it now for the sake of our businesses, NHS and other public services," she said.

Labour MP Mary Creagh wrote on Twitter: "This is not something to boast about. Isotopes used in cancer patients' radiotherapy have 3 day life & can't be stockpiled."

While the influential Brexit select committee chair Hilary Benn asked: "If no deal is not a problem then can someone who is in favour of it explain why the government is buying fridges?"

Image: Hilary Benn has criticised those who believe in a 'no-deal' Brexit

A Department of Health spokesperson said ensuring the uninterrupted supply of medicines was its "number one priority".

"As part of our contingency planning, we are in the process of securing additional capacity for stockpiled medicines.

"This includes refrigeration storage for medicines that need to be kept at a certain temperature to maintain stability."

A spokesperson for the People's Vote campaign, which is calling for a second referendum, said Mr Hancock's "new-found enthusiasm for fridges" was part of a "cynical game being played by the government".

They added: "They are wasting taxpayers' money on a desperate attempt to blackmail MPs and the people into backing their deal by presenting the alternative as the chaos of no deal."