Prime Minister Rishi Sunak showed his true feelings towards the NHS in the first TV debate, receiving the biggest groan of the night after he blamed two main factors on the fall of the service.
First TV Election Debate
In the first TV debate of the election campaign, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer went to head to head.
NHS Waiting Times
One of the main topics of focus was the NHS as waiting times in the UK’s hospitals are at an all-time high after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Sir Starmer’s Promise
After 14 years of Tory rule, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer insisted that a Labour government would do more to cut these waiting times.
Starmer Receives Biggest Laugh
Sunak received the biggest laugh of the night although Sir Starmer also managed to get a chuckle from the audience without even trying.
Sunak’s Excuses Elicit Groans
Sunak blamed the COVID-19 pandemic for the lengthy NHS waiting times, which received the first of many groans he received from the audience, showing that the public is tired of excuses.
NHS “Still Recovering” According to PM
Sunak insisted that “The NHS is still recovering from COVID” claiming the service went “the best part of two years” without conducting the service it normally would.
Sunak Claims “Waiting Lists Are Coming Down”
After this, Sunak admitted it would ‘take time to recover” from COVID but insisted that “waiting lists are coming down”, before getting hit by a bombshell from Starmer.
Starmer Hits Sunak With Facts
Starmer slammed Sunak’s claims, arguing that waiting lists were previously at 7.2 million, although that number had raised to 7.5 million.
Public Wait for Waiting Lists to Reduce
Starmer claimed that NHS waiting times were at “7.2 million when you said you’d get them down”.
A Blow for Sunak
Starmer followed with a crucial blow, arguing, “They’re now at 7.5 million” and joking, “This is the guy who says he’s good at maths” receiving a chuckle from the audience.
Sunak’s Maths Lesson
The biggest laugh of the night came when Starmer asked Sunak to “explain how they’re coming down” and Sunak responded with a basic maths lesson.
Audience’s Big Laugh
Sunak answered by saying they’re coming down because they are “coming down from where they were when they were higher” receiving a patronising laugh from the audience.
Light Laughs Turn to Sinister Groans
The mood instantly turned sour when Sunak received the biggest groan of the night, just one sentence after the laughter started.
Sunak Blames Strikes for NHS Crumble
The groans started when Sunak put the blame on the unions for the crippling NHS, accusing the strikes of affecting the institution.
“It’s Somebody Else’s Fault”
Starmer accused Sunak of putting the blame on others instead of taking responsibility, but Sunak continued his argument that “industrial action” is to blame.
Labour’s Criticism of NHS
Labour has been particularly critical of the Tories’ handling of the NHS since the start of the election campaign, with Starmer claiming it runs in his “blood.”
Which Party Leader Would Use the NHS?
In the debate, both party leaders were asked who would use the NHS if a family member was sick, and both gave different responses.
Sunak Prefers Private
Sunak insisted he would not use the NHS, whereas Starmer said he would, citing his wife’s occupation as an NHS nurse as the reason for his support.
Tories “Given Up” on NHS
Recently, Shadow Health Secretary Wes Streeting slammed the treatment of the NHS, claiming the Tories have “given up on the NHS.”
Sunak’s Stance on NHS
Sunak blaming the strikes and COVID for the fall of the NHS, combined with his unwillingness to use the service, gives the wrong impression to the public ahead of the general election.
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Featured Image Credit: Shutterstock / Gints Ivuskans.