Royle Family actor Ralf Little outed Jeremy Hunt for lying to the public over a boast that he has overseen the “biggest expansion of mental health provision in Europe”.
Health Secretary Hunt bragged on the Andrew Marr Show that other countries are looking at we’re doing in terms of mental health provision, in particular on anxiety and depression where he claims Britain is now considered a “world leader”.
But the statements have since been disputed by renowned actor Ralf Little, who tweeted shortly after the show that “this is what it looks like when a man goes on TV and knowingly lies to the public” before daring Hunt to sue him if he is wrong.
Hunt responded that under his watch there is 4,300 more employed by mental health trusts, 2,700 more employed in talking therapies and 1400 more people treated every day since 2010 – claims which have since been proved to be inaccurate.
This is what it looks like when a man goes on TV and knowingly lies to the public. If I’m wrong @jeremy_hunt, sue me. I double dare you. https://t.co/YvdvK98Gci
— Ralf Little (@RalfLittle) October 29, 2017
Using FactCheck and FullFact, Little revealed that:
- We have far fewer doctors, nurses and beds per mental health patient than 2010.
- Even if the workforce has risen, it is not unreasonable to attribute this to the IAPT programme which started in 2008 – under the previous government.
- So even if we are doing “better” than other European countries, we are doing considerably WORSE than we were in 2010.
So if statistics and facts aren’t your thing and you only follow me for the silly jokes – look away now. But if you care about accountability and the NHS, read and RT this THREAD written in reply to @Jeremy_Hunt ???
— Ralf Little (@RalfLittle) November 13, 2017
The last time Jeremy Hunt made false claim over mental health he was forced to re-write parliamentary records.
I wonder whether he’ll do the same thing this time?
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