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Trump claims pro-NHS marches show universal healthcare doesn't work Theresa May rebukes Donald Trump over NHS comments
(about 3 hours later)
Thousands protested in London on Saturday in support of NHS British PM rejects US president’s claim that pro-NHS marches showed universal healthcare did not work
Farage says on Fox and Friends immigration is breaking system Peter Walker and
Martin PengellyMartin Pengelly
Mon 5 Feb 2018 14.18 GMT Mon 5 Feb 2018 17.09 GMT
First published on Mon 5 Feb 2018 13.10 GMTFirst published on Mon 5 Feb 2018 13.10 GMT
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Donald Trump pointed to protests in Britain over the future of the National Health Service in a Monday morning tweet, claiming them as proof that Democratic support for universal healthcare in the US would produce “really bad and non-personal medical care”. Theresa May has rebuked Donald Trump over his claim the NHS is failing, publicly backing her health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, after he tweeted disagreement with the US president’s view.
Observers were quick to point out that protests recently staged in Britain have in fact been in support of the NHS, and against any move to US-style privatised healthcare. The response from May – who generally seeks to avoid criticising Trump – came after the president condemned Democrat plans for a universal healthcare system by noting in a tweet Saturday’s protest march in London demanding more NHS funding.
“The Democrats are pushing for Universal HealthCare while thousands of people are marching in the UK because their U system is going broke and not working,” the president wrote. “The Democrats are pushing for universal healthcare while thousands of people are marching in the UK because their U system is going broke and not working,” he said.
“Dems want to greatly raise taxes for really bad and non-personal medical care. No thanks!” The Democrats are pushing for Universal HealthCare while thousands of people are marching in the UK because their U system is going broke and not working. Dems want to greatly raise taxes for really bad and non-personal medical care. No thanks!
Thousands marched in London on Saturday, under the title “NHS in crisis: Fix it now”. Placards carried by protesters carried messages such as “more staff, more beds, more funds” and “Saving lives costs money, saving money costs lives”. Hunt responded via Twitter by saying that while he disagreed with the opinions of some of Saturday’s marchers, “not ONE of them wants to live in a system where 28m people have no cover”, a reference to the US situation.
The protesters chanted: “Keep your hands off our NHS.” He added: “NHS may have challenges but I’m proud to be from the country that invented universal coverage – where all get care no matter the size of their bank balance.”
The Conservative health secretary, Jeremy Hunt, tweeted in response to Trump on Monday, saying that while he “may disagree with claims made on that march … not ONE of them wants to live in a system where 28m people have no cover. I may disagree with claims made on that march but not ONE of them wants to live in a system where 28m people have no cover. NHS may have challenges but I’m proud to be from the country that invented universal coverage - where all get care no matter the size of their bank balance https://t.co/YJsKBAHsw7
Hunt added: “NHS may have challenges but I’m proud to be from the country that invented universal coverage - where all get care no matter the size of their bank balance.” Asked whether May backed Hunt’s opinion, her spokesman said: “The prime minister is proud of having an NHS which is free at the point of delivery.
Shortly after his tweet about healthcare, Trump returned to a familiar theme: praising Fox News. “NHS funding is at a record high, and was prioritised in the budget with an extra £2.8bn. In the recent Commonwealth Fund international survey the NHS was rated the best in the world for a second time.”
“Thank you to @foxandfriends for exposing the truth,” he wrote. “Perhaps that’s why your ratings are soooo much better than your untruthful competition!” Asked whether No 10 backed Hunt’s specific tweet, the spokesman said: “Jeremy Hunt is the health secretary and of course he speaks for the government on these matters.”
Nigel Farage, former leader of the UK Independence Party and a steadfast Trump ally, had just discussed the pro-NHS marches on the morning show. Asked why people were protesting, Farage claimed pressure on the NHS was caused by a Trump bugbear: immigration. The spokesman declined to say whether the PM was annoyed at another leader expressing opinions on UK domestic policy. But asked if May had ever commented on the US healthcare system he said: “I can’t recall her having done so.”
The public disagreement runs counter to a general policy within Downing Street of seeking to maintain strong ties with Trump, which involved May visiting him soon after his inauguration last year, and inviting the president for a state visit.
That trip has been delayed, seemingly because of Trump’s worries he could face mass protests. After a planned lower-key visit to open the new US embassy in London was also called off, officials are now planning a working visit for later this year.
Jeremy Corbyn also denounced Trump’s view. The Labour leader wrote: “Wrong. People were marching because we love our NHS and hate what the Tories are doing to it. Healthcare is a human right.”
Wrong. People were marching because we love our NHS and hate what the Tories are doing to it. Healthcare is a human right. https://t.co/Pmo2xYSqZh
After his tweet mentioning the NHS, Trump praised the coverage of Fox News for “exposing the truth”.
The channel’s morning show had featured the former Ukip leader Nigel Farage discussing the pro-NHS marches. Asked why people were protesting, Farage claimed pressure on the NHS was caused by immigration.
“Well the big problem we’ve got is a population crisis caused by government policy on immigration,” Farage said.“Well the big problem we’ve got is a population crisis caused by government policy on immigration,” Farage said.
“We have a population of 65 million but it’s increasing by half a million people a year. We just haven’t got enough hospitals, we haven’t got enough doctors, we haven’t got enough facilities.”“We have a population of 65 million but it’s increasing by half a million people a year. We just haven’t got enough hospitals, we haven’t got enough doctors, we haven’t got enough facilities.”
Farage also claimed “the National Health Service has turned into the International Health Service” and said “we’re providing a lot of healthcare for people coming into Britain from all over the world”.
The future of the NHS was a key part of the 2016 campaign by Farage and others that led to a vote for Britain’s departure from the European Union.
A pro-Brexit claim that Britain paid the EU £350m a week, money which would be better used to fund the NHS, remains a source of fierce political controversy.
Discussing the possibility of universal healthcare in the US, Farage perhaps inadvertently pointed to growing American support for it when he said: “If you were to introduce universal healthcare, paid for centrally under taxes, you would never ever be able to remove it.”
Republican attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, the Obama-era legislation which expanded access to health insurance, failed in Congress last year.Republican attempts to repeal the Affordable Care Act, the Obama-era legislation which expanded access to health insurance, failed in Congress last year.
The Republican tax cut which was passed in December included a repeal of the ACA’s individual mandate, a move which led Trump to claim – erroneously – that he had “essentially repealed Obamacare”.The Republican tax cut which was passed in December included a repeal of the ACA’s individual mandate, a move which led Trump to claim – erroneously – that he had “essentially repealed Obamacare”.
Polling has recorded increased support for single-payer, government-run healthcare in the US, although it remains a contentious issue largely opposed by Republicans and supported by Democrats.Polling has recorded increased support for single-payer, government-run healthcare in the US, although it remains a contentious issue largely opposed by Republicans and supported by Democrats.
The Vermont independent senator Bernie Sanders made the issue a key part of his run for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016.The Vermont independent senator Bernie Sanders made the issue a key part of his run for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2016.
Trump administrationTrump administration
Donald TrumpDonald Trump
US healthcareUS healthcare
NHSNHS
HealthHealth
US politicsUS politics
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