NHS in 'unforgivable' state

PM says last government drained money from health service

- ARCHIE MITCHELL

Sir Keir Starmer has accused the Conservatives of breaking the NHS in a way that is “unforgivable” as the government prepares to publish a damning report on the state of the health service.

The prime minister said the Tories began draining money from the NHS after coming to power in 2010 and pursued a series of “hopelessly misconceived” reforms.

With a “warts and all” review by former health minister and surgeon Ara Darzi set to report on Thursday, Sir Keir said it will show the NHS has been left in an “awful position” by the last government.

In his first major TV interview since becoming prime minister, he told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg:“Everybody watching this who has used the NHS, or whose relatives have, know that it’s broken, they know that it’s broken, that is unforgivable, the state of our NHS.”

He added: “The money that was taken out of the NHS, particularly in the early years of the coalition from 2010 onwards, the Lansley reforms, which were hopelessly misconceived, and then of course Covid on top of all that, which has put us in this awful position for the NHS.”