Vote Leave’s pre-referendum NHS video has aged badly – very, very badly
As parliament debates whether to bring in a law effectively removing the right to strike from many sectors by introducing compulsory minimum service levels, junior doctors could join nurses and ambulance drivers in taking that drastic step.
Today, junior doctors, members of @TheBMA, begin voting on strike action.
Their real pay has declined by 30% since 2008.
79% say they often think about the leaving NHS.
The result is a retention and recruitment crisis — a crisis which impacts us all.
— Taj Ali (@Taj_Ali1) January 9, 2023
This proposed new law banning strikes is a deliberate provocation in the middle of a crisis in the nhs and other public services. It suggests nurses won’t ensure minimum standards. It’s puerile and ill conceived. We in @UKLabour will vote against it and repeal it in government.
— Chris Bryant (@RhonddaBryant) January 10, 2023
NHS and social care workers have been describing harrowing conditions due to inadequate pay and chronic underfunding, which has led to poor retention and recruitment, leaving staff struggling to do their jobs with little or no support.
Do Ministers realise that NHS staff often work beyond their contracted hours for no extra payment?
— Andy Burnham (@AndyBurnhamGM) January 9, 2023
The current Health Secretary, Steve Barclay, has suggested a solution.
The NHS would collapse without the enormous discretionary effort of staff who stay late, slog on, go the extra mile, over & over again for our patients – because we care & we cannot bear to let them down.
Is this what you're actually trying to achieve, @stevebarclay? 🤷♀️ pic.twitter.com/Gxsz9ADDfP
— Rachel Clarke (@doctor_oxford) January 9, 2023
who works harder, Steve Barclay or doctors, nurses, carers, & NHS staff pic.twitter.com/Huc8gUPnX1
— Toby Earle 🇺🇦 (@TobyonTV) January 10, 2023
But we’re finding it very hard to believe these headlines*, since Brexit has happened – and wasn’t Brexit going to turn the NHS into a replica BUPA advert? Other private healthcare providers are available.
*Not really
Here’s what Vote Leave insisted would happen to health services after Brexit.
As critical incidents are now declared at NHS trusts nationwide…
As waiting lists, ambulance and A&E waits reach record lengths
As nurses strike or leave the profession in their thousands
Remember this staggering video by Vote Leave
See the lies then
See the truth now. pic.twitter.com/xeaAIfmjc7
— Marina Purkiss (@MarinaPurkiss) December 31, 2022
Of course, the Tufton Street gang behind the ad have apologised profusely for misleading people. Oh no, wait – they haven’t.
After the clip resurfaced, people were understandably furious.
Some Brexiters have got in touch to tell me I’m making stuff up when I say that Vote Leave campaigned on the idea that Brexit would mean shorter wait times for medical treatment. So, here is the evidence:pic.twitter.com/WBCbPtUh0F
— Nick Tyrone (@NicholasTyrone) January 2, 2023
It's worth retweeting this every day https://t.co/iqoHS8l6Wa
— nick abbot (@NIAbbot) January 4, 2023
Here’s the video in which Vote Leave promised shorter A&E waiting times once we left the EU.
Now, six and a half years after the referendum, the number of people waiting for more than four hours in A&E is the highest on record.pic.twitter.com/adlaR4pVO3
— Sam Bright (@WritesBright) January 2, 2023
this must be one of the most cursed political videos ever pic.twitter.com/6Q9kN1op13
— Jim Pickard (@PickardJE) January 3, 2023
Striking to look at it now. https://t.co/UViW7blRcp
— Annette Dittert (@annettedittert) January 3, 2023
In short –
Brexit is bad for your health. pic.twitter.com/QdAkw9hvwn
— Tim Walker (@ThatTimWalker) January 3, 2023
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The Brexit ‘divorce’ bill has gone up by £10 billion because sunlit uplands cost A LOT
Source Marina Purkiss Image Screengrab
