GENERAL union Unite went head-to-head with government yesterday, accusing a former foreign minister of profiteering and contributing to the sell-off the NHS.

MP Mark Simmonds recently quit his job as junior foreign and Commonwealth affairs minister, but was once a strategic adviser at private healthcare firm Circle for a whopping £50,000.

After declaring last week that he was leaving government because his expenses allowance was not generous enough, Unite wanted to know whether Mr Simmonds would return to his role as privateer.

“Mark Simmonds was in the pay of private health giant Circle when he voted for the Tories’ health Act, which opened our NHS up to these predatory firms,” said Unite general secretary Len McCluskey.

“Simmonds is now escaping the political repercussions by standing down before he faces the judgement of voters.”

And he asked: “But, while he’s still on the backbenches, will he be returning to Circle?”