Health Minister Eddie Teare says campaigns to keep the reciprocal health agreement are doomed to fail – because the UK doesn’t want to listen.

Since the British government announced it would scrap the agreement next year, there have been a number of campaigns to try to reverse the decision – including a letter-writing campaign and a petition on the Downing Street website.

But Mr Teare says he thinks the campaigns will only raise false hopes as the UK’s position is entrenched.

He says there’s almost no chance the UK government will change its mind.