Jeremy Hunt has finally ended his ‘AWOL‘ period, only to give a pitiful interview today to BBC News.
He told the BBC’s health editor, Hugh Pym, that ‘there are no excuses’ – after a winter of the Tories making nothing but excuses – before going on to blame everything he could think of.
It was one of the most embarrassing performances by a supposedly ‘senior’ politician since Michael Howard crashed and burned in front of Paxman – and he didn’t even have the excuse of a tough interviewer, as he was handled like fine china by Pym.
Comedian David Schneider nailed it when he tweeted,
Hunt says "no excuse" for NHS crisis before blaming ageing population, immigration, Labour, sunshine, moonlight, good times and boogie.
— David Schneider (@davidschneider) February 10, 2017
Hunt’s ‘solution’ to the NHS crisis was cringe-making:
We have a very good plan.
He was clearly making it up as he went along and banking on Pym not asking any awkward questions, which he duly didn’t.
Hunt is a weasel, weaselling as weasels do – his claim that any solution has to be ‘long-term and sustainable’ transparently means ‘don’t expect anything for a long, long time – but we’ll be charging for healthcare soon’.
But his admission that ‘the problems facing the NHS are completely unacceptable’ has one clear consequence – even while he and the government continue to dodge any admission that their chronic underfunding of the NHS and of the social care that previously prevented patients being stuck in the system and straining resources even further.
And it’s that ‘no excuses’ is exactly what the Tories have for not withdrawing Theresa May’s gross insult to the Red Cross.
Last month, the Prime Minister ‘thanked’ the Red Cross for its vital intervention into the NHS ‘humanitarian crisis’ – or ‘unacceptable problems’, as Hunt euphemised – by lambasting the organisation in the Commons as ‘irresponsible‘:
And Hunt’s admission today – euphemistic as it was – of the Tory-inflicted catastrophe in our NHS means that both he and May owe the Red Cross the most massive, grovelling apology in history.
Whenever you’re ready, Theresa.
The SKWAWKBOX is provided free of charge but depends on the generosity of its readers to be viable. If you can afford to, please click here to arrange a one-off or modest monthly donation via PayPal. Thanks for your support so this blog can keep bringing you information the Establishment would prefer you not to know about.
The little shit couldn’t even admit that he was fighting for extra funds for the NHS. When asked about extra funding he said that the Chancellor and the Prime Minister would decide on that. What a waste of space this little shit is?
The latest Tory tactic is to shut down any criticism of their lack of funding by protesting that they want to take the politics out of the NHS and have a ‘grown-up’ discussion about the future of health and social care.
They seem to have conveniently forgotton that Jeremy Corbyn made this proposal to Theresa May in parliament when he offered to have cross party discussions at the end of last year
In its campaign in Stoke and Copeland, Labour really needs to emphasise that is only by voting Labour that the NHS can be saved. Voters respond to this and recognise that it is true.
In Stoke, there is a particular local point to be made – it’s not very long ago that the entire cancer service for the area was put up for tender, meaning that there was a possibility of private marauders (e.g.Virgin) taking over on of the most high-profile of NHS services. I think this call for bids was subsequently withdrawn, or postponed – I’m not sure about this, but there is no question that the call was made – I saw it! I’m sure the voters of Stoke will not wish to think that there is even a possibility of their cancer services being privatised!
The NHS being unacceptable to Hunt and co isn’t an admission, it is a statement of fact – the Tories find it unacceptable that the NHS hasn’t been fully privatised yet.
Good piece, great when you attack the Tories.
If they were the only enemy, that’s all I’d write.
If and when Labour get in power we’ll have to spend a fortune getting the NHS back to where it should be. Sadly this will play into the Tories hands as they’ll point the finger and scream that Labour can’t balance the books and can’t be trusted with money…..it’s their usual strategy and too many people will swallow their lies as they always do!
Hunt went over to America with Theresa May to discuss as he put it paraphrased, ideas that we could exchange about best practice, he has come from the country with a world renown reputation for providing the best health care system in the world, and he has gone to talk to the country with the worst.
What we also know is that Hunt last year admitted to a select health committee, that he had had discussions Kaiser Permanente an American health Insurance company and was looking for means of private insurance cover.
The real debates are of course already taking place with American companies. It probably goes something like this, come on over to Britain where there are real killings to be made..
Are the British people really that stupid that they can’t see what this lying government is doing.