SOUTH West Surrey MP Jeremy Hunt has overtaken the founder of the NHS, Labour minister Aneurin Bevan to become the second longest-serving health secretary of all time.

Mr Hunt succeeded Andrew Lansley as Secretary of State for Health on September 4, 2012, and has survived numerous cabinet re-shuffles and a change of government to serve in the post for 1,998 days as of last Thursday.

By comparison, Labour’s post-war health minister Aneurin Bevan served in the post for 1,994 days - meaning only 1980s Tory minister Normal Fowler (2,099 days) has now occupied the post longer than Mr Hunt in the NHS-era.