Angela Eagle has superbly demonstrated how to deal with right-wing conspiracy theories propagated by MPs in the House of Commons.
Tory MP Sarah Bool, who has clearly been getting her information from Elon Musk’s increasingly deranged social media platform, confronted the immigration minister during Home Office questions on Monday (13/1).
The South Northamptonshire MP said: “Does the Secretary of State believe it is fair that undocumented illegal migrants get priority access to the NHS over British taxpayers?”
But in a brief and to-the-point reply, Eagle replied: “Mr Speaker, they don’t.”
The question followed reports earlier this month that undocumented migrants were receiving preferential treatment when it comes to hospital treatment.
Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice said: “This sums up broken Britain.”
But an NHS spokesman told the Daily Express: “The NHS is legally required to provide healthcare services to asylum seekers and migrants which are free at the point of use, with local integrated care boards (ICBs) responsible for commissioning these services based on need while ensuring all local residents can still access care.
“ICBs also have a legal duty to address inequalities in access to NHS services, which can include rolling out dedicated services to communities experiencing the worst health inequities, while also supporting all those who need care.”
A spokesman for the Department of Health and Social Care told The Telegraph: “It is vital that all vulnerable members of society, including asylum seekers, are able to access the healthcare they need, and it has been a legal requirement under successive governments for local NHS commissioners to take the right steps through individual contracts to enable this.
“Our £26 billion investment in the NHS and reforms to the health service will make sure that it’s there for everyone, once again.”
Related: Former Labour leader says Elon Musk should be treated as a ‘national enemy’ of the UK