Nigel Farage has been slammed for comments in which he called for the NHS to no longer be funded through “general taxation.”
In the past, Farage has called for the NHS to move towards an insurance-based system, something that opposition parties have been keen to point out.
Although the Reform UK leader has denied he believes this is the future for the NHS, it seems he has once again let the mask slip on his health care views.
In an interview with Sky News’, Beth Rigby asked the Clacton MP about NHS funding. Farage has previously pointed out how the French system works though a mixture of public funding and private insurance.
Rigby told him: “The French have a statutory health system levied from a mix of contributions from earned income an unearned income. There’s central government funding and a little bit of top-up fee. That’s what’s allowed Labour to levy this charge at you.”
He replied: “Well if Labour are upset that the rich might have to pay for healthcare, I find that a very odd position for them to be in.”
Rigby then asked: “Just to be clear, do you want it to be still funded through general taxation or do you think we need to look at the funding model?”
Farage said: “I do not want it funded through general taxation. It’s doesn’t work. It’s not working. We’re getting worse bang for the buck from than any other country, particularly out of those European neighbours.
“I want it free at the point of delivery, but it’s how we get there.”
The comments have been criticised though, with health secretary Wes Streeting saying Farage had “said the quiet part out loud.”
Streeting said: “He doesn’t want a publicly-funded NHS. With Farage’s plans to leave people paying over a grand for an A&E trip only one thing is clear – patients would be worse off under Reform.”
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