Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

AIBU to not be remotely bothered that Rishi has private healthcare

330 replies

MXVIT · 09/01/2023 09:44

I'm really not - it's an absolutely ridiculous thing for us to be getting worked up about.

He's the prime minister - of course he has private healthcare. Leaders of the country need to be fit and well and therefore need the best healthcare money can buy - we can all agree the NHS is not that - and thats a separate conversation.

By that logic lets ban all childless babysitters, all dogless dogwalkers.

Honestly as a country I feel we're that addicted to getting ourselves into a frenzy over everything that we're focussing on the wrong things.

The narrative of "the poorest of society don't have this - so NO ONE CAN" is getting more and more common lately.

OP posts:
SueVineer · 09/01/2023 09:49

Agree- it’s jealousy. So what if he has private healthcare. Also using the NHS doesn’t qualify anyone to run it - that’s ridiculous. His dad was an NHS gp and his mum a pharmacist. Not that that matters- one person’s experience of the NHS is just that - one person’s experience. He doesn’t need that to run the service

terriblyangryattimes · 09/01/2023 09:50

It doesn't bother me. Less money the NHS is spending if he needs treatment. I'm no fan of his but I cannot get worked up about this.

Alaldlccmemsjzja · 09/01/2023 09:52

Doesn’t bother me at all

he Has enough money to pay for it so why would he use the already overstretched NHS

its just a non issue really
if he were using his local Gp it would be “why is he using services that other can’t use!! Queue jumping!! Privilege!!” So boring

Fleabigg · 09/01/2023 09:54

It seems an odd line of questioning to be getting so much attention. Of course they use private healthcare. I’d prefer a bit more scrutiny of his policy proposals instead.

Kinnorafron · 09/01/2023 09:54

SueVineer · 09/01/2023 09:49

Agree- it’s jealousy. So what if he has private healthcare. Also using the NHS doesn’t qualify anyone to run it - that’s ridiculous. His dad was an NHS gp and his mum a pharmacist. Not that that matters- one person’s experience of the NHS is just that - one person’s experience. He doesn’t need that to run the service

It absolutely isn't jealousy on my part.

I'd like him to tell the truth if he has it, that would be a start.

NeedWineNow · 09/01/2023 09:58

Agree, and I'm willing to bet that at least 95% of MPs, whatever party they are in, have private healthcare. So what?

Margarita45 · 09/01/2023 09:59

I agree. From experience most people in a professional type role have private medical insurance through their employer.

the whole argument that he can’t possible understand the NHS crisis if he has private medical, to me is like saying a male gynae doesn’t know anything about vag’s cause he doesn’t have one.

But each to their own, it’s just not the thing to get my knickers in a twist.

LadyKenya · 09/01/2023 10:03

Kinnorafron · 09/01/2023 09:54

It absolutely isn't jealousy on my part.

I'd like him to tell the truth if he has it, that would be a start.

Show quote history

Telling the truth is something that the Tories seem to grapple with. Does anybody seriously believe that he does not have private healthcare? Why are people wasting time pondering, and asking him about it? There are so many more important things going on, that this shambles of a Government should be held accountable for.

Madamecastafiore · 09/01/2023 10:04

It's no one's business but his own. No one has a right to know how he runs his life and what financial, educational or healthcare provisions he has. (Unless he's breaking the law).

I'd think he was an incompetent idiot if he didn't have private health care cover.

HeadNorth · 09/01/2023 10:06

He couldn't answer a straight question with a straight answer, the squirmy wee hypocrite.

ginghamstarfish · 09/01/2023 10:07

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

RufusthefIoraImissingreindeer · 09/01/2023 10:10

LadyKenya · 09/01/2023 10:03

Telling the truth is something that the Tories seem to grapple with. Does anybody seriously believe that he does not have private healthcare? Why are people wasting time pondering, and asking him about it? There are so many more important things going on, that this shambles of a Government should be held accountable for.

Show quote history

This

I'd have thought it was obvious he had private health care and I don't understand the fixation about it

BUT

I also do not understand the lying either...just tell the truth. It really doesn't matter what the truth is people are going to have a pop

So to me it's not the health care that's the issue it's the lying...again

anyolddinosaur · 09/01/2023 10:11

I'm not worked up about it but I do think he should be honest about it. I dont think he cares about the NHS at all, having private healthcare is just one small part of that.

I'm far more interested in him having masses of money but never having heard of him giving anything to charity other than bursaries to Winchester College.

DixonD · 09/01/2023 10:13

I think that anyone who doesn’t have private healthcare but can afford it, it’s really bloody stupid.

MichelleScarn · 09/01/2023 10:13

Why the fixation on it from some? I suppose the same people would be up in arms and complaining if he didn't! 'how dare he not he can afford it, he's stealing health care from the poor!!'

DixonD · 09/01/2023 10:13

IS!!!

Escapefromcolditz · 09/01/2023 10:14

I do care, but only because he’s running the service that everyone else relies on. If it was working properly there would be no need for private health insurance, but he’s doing a crap job of it so there is such a need (real or perceived).

There’s a moral hazard in running something into the ground but not having to deal with the effects of that in a personal way, which means that it is a public interest issue.

If everything in nhs land was good and he had PHI i wouldn’t care.

boxingdayisbest · 09/01/2023 10:15

Agree. I have it through work. Doesn't mean I don't want the nhs fixed though!

Also, critical urgent care (A&E) and is still reliant on the NHS as private health care doesn't cover that.

Figgygal · 09/01/2023 10:15

Agree
It's naive to think he wouldn't with the money he has

Pootles34 · 09/01/2023 10:16

Escapefromcolditz · 09/01/2023 10:14

I do care, but only because he’s running the service that everyone else relies on. If it was working properly there would be no need for private health insurance, but he’s doing a crap job of it so there is such a need (real or perceived).

There’s a moral hazard in running something into the ground but not having to deal with the effects of that in a personal way, which means that it is a public interest issue.

If everything in nhs land was good and he had PHI i wouldn’t care.

I'm not sure I agree - I don't think in the role he's in he would be able to make an appointment at any old time. He needs a service that can work around him, probably out of hours, which isn't reasonable to expect from the NHS.

MaryMcCarthy · 09/01/2023 10:16

I know numerous people who have private healthcare.

I don't hold it against them because that would be churlish and would smack of jealousy. So it would be hypocritical to hold it against the Prime Minister.

What I will hold against him is his evasiveness. Why can't he answer a question?

Keir Starmer answered the question honestly. It's not that hard.

Spidey66 · 09/01/2023 10:16

I'm an NHS employee and a staunch supporter of it, but can't get excited. Those using private healthcare are taking people off NHS waiting lists, after all.

HaddawayAndShite · 09/01/2023 10:17

I think everyone who can afford to be treated privately at this point should. He shouldn’t be taking up precious nhs resources when he’s sitting on a Scrooge McDuck pile of gold.

ClaireandTed · 09/01/2023 10:17

Of course he would have private healthcare, and especially as prime minister - it makes sense due to the nature of his position.

Most people aren't upset about that. It's the fact that he doesn't give a straight and perfectly reasonable answer. It demonstrates a lack of confidence, poor communication skills, a tendency to evade/deceive, and overall poor judgement. It's shifty.

As much as I hated Maggie Thatcher I can't see her evading the question, nor people like John Major / Gordon Brown. It's just embarrassing.

MaryMcCarthy · 09/01/2023 10:18

Spidey66 · 09/01/2023 10:16

I'm an NHS employee and a staunch supporter of it, but can't get excited. Those using private healthcare are taking people off NHS waiting lists, after all.

Those using private healthcare are contributing to waiting lists by taking staff resources away from the NHS, unfortunately. That's how it works in practice.