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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:
Mischance · 09/01/2023 10:18

I don't care that he has private health care - I do care that he won't admit it.

BlueBooh · 09/01/2023 10:19

Mischance · 09/01/2023 10:18

I don't care that he has private health care - I do care that he won't admit it.

This!

orbitalcrisis · 09/01/2023 10:19

I can't believe how many people just accept crappy service and double standards from our leaders. This is about confidence in his ability to run the country, if he doesn't have confidence in the NHS to provide a good enough service for himself, he should not expect the rest of us just to put up with it. If you went to a restaurant and asked the owners what they recommend and they tell you, "I don't eat the food here" you'd leave. If it's not good enough for the people running it, it's not good enough full stop.

MaryMcCarthy · 09/01/2023 10:20

Mischance · 09/01/2023 10:18

I don't care that he has private health care - I do care that he won't admit it.

Exactly... what's more important in a politician than openness and honesty?

BrightYellowDaffodil · 09/01/2023 10:20

I don't care one jot and I'm fed up of the press coming up with these 'gotcha' questions in order to generate click-bait headlines. If nothing else, it's lazy journalism.

BrightYellowDaffodil · 09/01/2023 10:22

Also, I don't blame him for not being forthcoming on the subject. It's personal to him and his family - regardless of what anyone thinks of his politics, he's a human being and he's still allowed at least some privacy.

MaryMcCarthy · 09/01/2023 10:23

BrightYellowDaffodil · 09/01/2023 10:20

I don't care one jot and I'm fed up of the press coming up with these 'gotcha' questions in order to generate click-bait headlines. If nothing else, it's lazy journalism.

How is "do you have private healthcare?" a "gotcha" question?

If Sunak can't justify having private healthcare he shouldn't be a politician because this is absolutely soft-ball stuff. You can have private provision while caring about and improving public provisions. You can at least be honest.

God help him if he ever faces any real questions.

Archibaldleach · 09/01/2023 10:23

Of course it matters. Him and his equally rich unelected chancellor are making decisions about something which does not affect them and they have no experience of using, and are completely out of touch with the electorate who have been impoverished after 12 years of Tory rule. They also use taxpayers money to fund their big ideas so if it all goes wrong they never have to pay personally. It is like a game of Monopoly to them.

He has no skin in the game and will probably not be PM in a few years.

It would be like a man making decisions about period provision when it doesn't affect him and he has no understanding or experience of womens needs.

PenguinsOnToast · 09/01/2023 10:23

Frankly I'm amazed that Downing Street doesn't have an in house medical team.

DingDongDenny · 09/01/2023 10:24

I cannot believe some of the replies on this thread. It reminds me of during Covid when the government set the rules, but didn't follow them and some people defended them.

If the NHS isn't fit for them to use, then it isn't fit for the rest of us. Maybe if they had to rely it on it for themselves and their family, they might be more motivated to sort things out. As it is, it stinks of them only caring for themselves and people like them and fuck the rest of us, including all the people who work for the NHS

Alaldlccmemsjzja · 09/01/2023 10:26

Me not giving a crap about Him not using the nhs is not because I believe it isn’t fit for use

its Because he has enough resources to not use it and therefore not stretch the burden

I feel the same way about people who go to the GP for a cold? Why are you doing that when you can go to a pharmacy?

willithappen · 09/01/2023 10:28

The issue is that if his private healthcare is coming from the cost of OUR taxes while we are forced to rely on a stripped bare NHS then this isn't okay.
I'm genuinely terrified of needing the services of the NHS in an emergency anytime soon because of the stories from friends who are in the NHS and what's happening

Coffeellama · 09/01/2023 10:28

This reply has been deleted

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I assume that was suppose to say MPs?

I couldn’t care less wether or not he has it. He’s a billionaire though, so obviously he has private healthcare. If he didn’t people would bitch and moan that he’s using the over stretched NHS when he can afford to go private. He can’t win, and it’s nobody else’s business anyway. I don’t even like the guy but it’s just a distraction from the fact he’s doing nothing to help the NHS crisis.

BrightYellowDaffodil · 09/01/2023 10:29

How is "do you have private healthcare?" a "gotcha" question?

Because it's a largely pointless question as it makes no difference to anyone whether he has it or not, and it's designed to generate headlines out of nothing. It's up there with "Have you ever taken drugs?" or "Can you guarantee that there will never ever be any Covid restrictions again?" - questions that a politician can only answer in a way that's going to lead to headlines like, in the case of the latter "MINISTER REFUSES TO RULE OUT FURTHER COVID RESTRICTIONS" because of course they can't ever say never.

As I say, lazy journalism.

MaryMcCarthy · 09/01/2023 10:30

Coffeellama · 09/01/2023 10:28

I assume that was suppose to say MPs?

I couldn’t care less wether or not he has it. He’s a billionaire though, so obviously he has private healthcare. If he didn’t people would bitch and moan that he’s using the over stretched NHS when he can afford to go private. He can’t win, and it’s nobody else’s business anyway. I don’t even like the guy but it’s just a distraction from the fact he’s doing nothing to help the NHS crisis.

Show quote history

Do you care that he's evasive about it though?

Is that something you look for in a leader? Evasiveness?

socialmedia23 · 09/01/2023 10:32

Alaldlccmemsjzja · 09/01/2023 10:26

Me not giving a crap about Him not using the nhs is not because I believe it isn’t fit for use

its Because he has enough resources to not use it and therefore not stretch the burden

I feel the same way about people who go to the GP for a cold? Why are you doing that when you can go to a pharmacy?

I have private healthcare and i am absolutely using the NHS resources when I use a private GP. The private GPs all work for the NHS!

I am also not in politics. If you are in politics, you are held to a different standard.

Mamamia32 · 09/01/2023 10:32

I'm not surprised that he has private healthcare. The issue is that he cannot possibly understand what it would be like to have to rely on the NHS, which the tories have decimated. And yes, every politician is probably wealthy enough to have private healthcare but rishi is so rich that it just makes people feel as though he has no idea about the cost of living crisis or how important the NHS is. That's my understanding of it anyway.

DingDongDenny · 09/01/2023 10:32

The Conservatives are so far removed from reality and cushioned from the complete mess they have made of the country. I would like them to have to send their kids to state school, use the NHS and public transport. How else will they have any idea of what it's like for the rest of us.

PuttingDownRoots · 09/01/2023 10:33

If he gets hit by a car, he's going to need to rely on an NHS ambulance arriving, to take him to an NHS A&E where he will be treated by an NHS medical team.

Where he has his ingrown toenail sorted is immaterial really.. he still needs the NHS.

Coffeellama · 09/01/2023 10:33

MaryMcCarthy · 09/01/2023 10:30

Do you care that he's evasive about it though?

Is that something you look for in a leader? Evasiveness?

Show quote history

Not on this subject no, his private medical matters are his business.

Have you come across a politician yet that’s not evasive? Honestly? And are you all surprised after the tax thing with his wife that he’s evasive? But this is a none event.

Circe7 · 09/01/2023 10:33

Most professionals have private healthcare anyway.

But it’s not a complete alternative to the NHS in the UK. There are services which are very difficult to get privately or which the NHS does better. And if you need an ambulance you’ll still be relying on the NHS so I’m not sure it’s right to say that the state of the NHS doesn’t affect those with insurance.

But in any case there are always going to be many things which the prime minister is responsible for which he doesn’t have direct experience of and where he probably never will. I think it’s important to take into account the views of those who have direct experience but not a necessary condition for having responsibility over something e.g do you need to have been in prison to make policy about prisoners.

socialmedia23 · 09/01/2023 10:34

Mamamia32 · 09/01/2023 10:32

I'm not surprised that he has private healthcare. The issue is that he cannot possibly understand what it would be like to have to rely on the NHS, which the tories have decimated. And yes, every politician is probably wealthy enough to have private healthcare but rishi is so rich that it just makes people feel as though he has no idea about the cost of living crisis or how important the NHS is. That's my understanding of it anyway.

yep i have private healthcare but I probably would rely on the NHS for critical conditions. As private health insurers often refuse to cover the more expensive/difficult conditions and you only find that out at the last minute. Rishi wouldn't need to, he would just pay the costs even if its over 100k.

Gigglechop · 09/01/2023 10:34

I couldn’t give a damn

I also couldn’t give a damn whether or not he chooses to share his health arrangements with the public

I just want him to do a good job at being PM and not be distracted with fluff like this

edwinbear · 09/01/2023 10:34

I'd be surprised if he didn't. I have private healthcare, as do all my colleagues, as it's provided by work. I'll bet Richard Madeley and that other GM Britain presenter that were harping on about it this morning have it too. And the NHS doctor on GM Britain who was getting cross about it finally admitted he's worked as a private doctor too.

JusteanBiscuits · 09/01/2023 10:34

This reply has been deleted

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WTF?? What the hell has religion got to do with it?

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