'Heartless' Boris Johnson takes reporter's phone after refusing to look at photo of child on hospital floor

Boris Johnson has been accused of being "heartless" after refusing to look at a photo of a child sleeping on a hospital floor because of a lack of beds.

The Prime Minister was asked about the incident at Leeds General Infirmary, but rather than look at the image of the four-year-old in hospital with suspected pneumonia, he took the phone from the ITV reporter and put it in his pocket.

Mr Johnson was being interviewed by political correspondent Joe Pike, who had asked him to look at a photo of Jack, whose mother Sarah Williment covered him with coats to keep warm as he waited for a bed at the hospital.

READ MORE: Four-year-old with suspected pneumonia slept on hospital floor due to lack of beds

'I'll study it later'

Mr Johnson steadfastly refused to look at the photo on Mr Pike's phone, then took it from him placing it in his pocket, and saying he would "study it later".

His actions were later criticised by Labour shadow chancellor John McDonnell who said on Twitter: "This man is heartless. Cares for nobody and nothing except himself."

In a clip of the interview Mr Pike said to Mr Johnson: "You refuse to look at the photo. You've taken my phone and put it in your pocket Prime Minister."

Mr Johnson then took the phone out of his pocket, looked at the photo on the screen, and said: "It's a terrible, terrible photo. And I apologise obviously to the families and all those who have terrible experiences in the NHS.

"But what we are doing is supporting the NHS, and on the whole I think patients in the NHS have a much, much better experience than this poor kid has had. That's why we're making huge investments into the NHS, and we can only do it if we get Parliament going, if we unblock the current deadlock, and we move forward."

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Johnson eventually returns phone

At the end of the interview, Mr Johnson said: "I'm sorry to have taken your phone. There you go."

Later, in a question and answer session Mr Johnson was twice asked about the phone incident, and on both occasions refused to directly comment instead choosing to talk about Tory plans to invest in the NHS.

He was first asked by the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg if the Tories understand the concerns of the people of the north of England, particularly in light of his struggle to look at a photo of Jack.

He replied: "I'm very proud of what we're doing to rebuild Leeds General Infirmary and it's one of the hospitals we will rebuild from the beginning, it'll be a fantastic project."

'I've already answered that question', says Johnson

The second question on the incident came from ITV correspondent Paul Brand, who said: "One of your biggest challenges in this election is to persuade people that you really do care, that you really are trustworthy.

"And yet today when you're shown that picture of the four-year-old boy on the floor of an A&E department you take the phone away and put it in your pocket, what does that say about how much you really care?"

Mr Johnson said he had already answered that question, adding: "We are not only investing in children's services in Leeds but we're also rebuilding the whole Leeds Infirmary from top to bottom. And we can do that because we're now putting the biggest ever investment into the NHS.

"What I don't want to see is a fantastic programme that is going to unite and level up our country being blocked again."

Shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: "Refusing to even look at an image of a child suffering because of Conservative cuts to the NHS is a new low for Boris Johnson. It's clear he could not care less.

"Don't give this disgrace of a man five more years of driving our NHS into the ground. Sick toddlers like Jack deserve so much better."

Hancock 'horrified' by photo

Health secretary Matt Hancock said he was "horrified" by the photograph of Jack on the floor of Leeds General Infirmary.

Mr Hancock, visiting the hospital, told the BBC: "To tell you the truth, I was horrified.

"I have three small children myself. I have spent many evenings in A&E. I know what it feels like. I want to make it better."

PM offers apologies

Earlier, Mr Johnson apologised to "everybody who has a bad experience" in the NHS after the story of four-year-old Jack emerged.

Ms Williment told the Daily Mirror her son was eventually moved to a ward, where he waited for five hours on a trolley before a bed was found at 3am. Diagnosed with flu and tonsillitis, Jack was allowed to be taken home at lunchtime.

Boy's mother vows to now vote Labour

Ms Williment, 34, told the Mirror she would now switch allegiance and vote Labour in Thursday's election, owing to her concerns about the state of the NHS.

Dr Yvette Oade, chief medical officer at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust, said: "We are extremely sorry that there were only chairs available in the treatment room, and no bed. This falls below our usual high standards, and for this we would like to sincerely apologise to Jack and his family."