Nigel Farage has caused a big stir just as people were getting ready to vote, by saying he no longer thinks the NHS should be paid for through general taxes. This has upset people from many different political sides.
Farage, who leads Reform UK, said the way the NHS is funded now “doesn’t work” and that we should look at other ways to pay for it. He claimed the UK gets worse value for money than other European countries. He said he still wants healthcare to be free when people need it, but critics think his ideas could lead to people having to pay large amounts for essential treatment.
Labour’s health spokesperson, Wes Streeting, strongly disagreed and said Farage is finally admitting he doesn’t support a publicly funded NHS. He warned that under Farage’s plan, people might end up paying over a thousand pounds just to visit A\&E.
Farage has criticised the NHS funding model for years. More than ten years ago, he suggested the UK might need to move to a system where people pay through insurance, and he still feels the same now. He said he was heavily criticised for these views in the past, but believes the current system isn’t good enough and a better one is needed—especially one that also helps those who can’t afford to pay.
Many supporters of the NHS are worried his comments mean he’s pushing the country toward privatisation. Critics fear this could turn the NHS into a system where only those who can afford to pay get proper care.
Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar also spoke out, saying Farage’s ideas could force people to take out loans or even remortgage their homes just to afford medical treatment. He said this isn’t something people in Scotland would accept.
As Reform UK looks likely to gain more votes in local and mayoral elections, Farage’s comments have added fuel to the ongoing debate about the future of the NHS and how it should be funded.
