The Welsh first minister has claimed that David Cameron “doesn't care two hoots about the NHS in Wales”.
The Welsh first minister has claimed that David Cameron “doesn’t care two hoots about the NHS in Wales”, and has accused the prime minister of “trying to divert attention from his own problems”.
Carwyn Jones’ comments came following yet another attack by Cameron on Labour’s handling of the NHS in Wales. Yesterday he used PMQs to attack the Welsh government’s handling of the health service as “dreadful”.
Speaking on BBC Radio Wales, however, the first minister has hit back, telling the station:
“This is the thirty-first time that he’s done this – it’s becoming a bit of an obsession for him.”
The prime minister was responding to a question from the Welsh Conservative MP Alun Cairns, who raised with him reports that the surgeon general for the armed services had raised concerns about soldiers waiting longer for treatment on the NHS in Wales than in the rest of the UK.
At the time the first minister expressed his fury that the Conservatives were using service personnel to attack the NHS in Wales.
Speaking on Radio Wales, however, Jones has gone further, telling the Jason Mohammad programme that the Ministry of Defence was “running away” from the story, and that the minutes of the meeting at which the surgeon general was alleged to have made the comments had not been agreed.
The first minister continued:
“This came completely out of the blue. I can see what’s happened. Some special adviser in London thought it was a good idea to give the story to some of the papers as a way to have a go at us.”
Accusing the government of “collusion” with the press, Jones concluded in no uncertain terms:
“I know it sounds quite dramatic to say that, but there is no doubt this was simply a way of using our veterans, people who have fought for this country, as a way of attacking one part of the UK for political ends.”
2 Responses to “Cameron doesn’t give ‘two hoots’ about Welsh NHS, says first minister”
Glen Shaky Shakespeare
No real surprises here. Cameron’s only objective is full privatisation of the NHS and he is achieving that by starving it of necessary funding it and deriding it at every opportunity. Just remember that at the time of him taking office the NHS had its highest ever satisfaction rate.
treborc1
I live in Wales in Carmarthenshire and to be honest a lot of the people of Wales are asking what the hell Labour are doing. I have a brand new hospital a few yards away from my home yet I have to travel thirty miles to get treatment for what I could have in my own town, I broke my leg had top travel to hospital all the way to another area then had to pay £75 for a taxi.
The Ambulance service is shocking, and labour knows it get it sorted it been like this for to long.
I keep asking where are the NHS dentists you promised us I’ve not seen one for ten years.
I do not mind free prescription it great, I do not mind bus passes and I do not mind low cost university or no cost, but leave my hospital alone.