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General election: Rishi Sunak attacks Labour-run NHS in Wales

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Image source, Getty Images

Image description, Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer faced off in the first televised debate on Tuesday

  • Author, Mark Palmer
  • Role, BBC News

According to the Prime Minister, waiting times in NHS emergency departments in Wales are “the worst in the UK”.

In the first televised leaders’ debate of the election campaign, Rishi Sunak attacked the Labour-led Welsh government’s handling of the health service.

In a direct duel with Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer on ITV, Sunak said people in Wales had to wait 40% longer for treatment on the NHS than in England.

However, the Labour leader also criticised the Conservatives’ record on health, saying the English NHS was in a worse state than when they came to power 14 years ago.

Plaid Cymru described the debate as a “Punch and Judy theatre” and said “Wales deserves better”.

Mr Sunak and Sir Keir addressed voters in the ITV debate, with immigration, the cost of living and the NHS the subject of questions from the audience.

The health service in Wales is run from Cardiff, not Westminster.

Mr Sunak acknowledged that the NHS was facing “challenges” across the UK, but said people in Wales were facing longer waits for treatment and that emergency department waiting times were “the worst in the UK”.

The Labour leader described what had happened to the British NHS as “unforgivable” and accused the Conservatives of leaving the health service in a worse state than they found it.

Sir Keir said waiting lists in England had grown from 7.2 million to 7.5 million people, but Mr Sunak said they were getting shorter.

Image source, Getty Images

Image description, The NHS in Wales is run by the Labour government and not controlled by Westminster.

Plaid Cymru was not part of the debate, but in a statement party leader Rhun ap Iorwerth said: “This puppet show was a bad advertisement for politics. It was further clear evidence that the two-party system is long outdated.”

“Wales was only mentioned as a punching bag in this painful hour, by Rishi Sunak in relation to the NHS, while Starmer denied his party’s responsibility.

“Wales deserves better – because patients deserve to be treated fairly.”

During the debate, the Labour leader said the July 4 election would be a choice between “chaos” with the Conservatives or a new chapter with Labour.

The Prime Minister said he would cut taxes, protect pensions and reduce immigration. The Conservatives have a secure plan for the future.

The BBC is hosting a seven-party debate in London on Friday, in which Plaid Cymru will take part.

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