Jeremy Hunt defends NHS in response to Donald Trump attack

US president Donald Trump has attacked the NHS, tweeting that it is ‘broke and not working’ – citing the demonstrations that took place across the UK at the weekend. 

In response, a number of UK politicians – including health secretary Jeremy Hunt – defended the NHS, pointing towards the universal health coverage given to the public.

It followed the demonstrations across the UK on Saturday, that saw 100,000 marching to ‘save the NHS’.

Mr Trump tweeted today:

The Democrats are pushing for Universal HealthCare while thousands of people are marching in the UK because their U system is going broke and not working. Dems want to greatly raise taxes for really bad and non-personal medical care. No thanks!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 5, 2018

Mr Hunt later responded: 

I may disagree with claims made on that march but not ONE of them wants to live in a system where 28m people have no cover. NHS may have challenges but I’m proud to be from the country that invented universal coverage – where all get care no matter the size of their bank balance https://t.co/YJsKBAHsw7

— Jeremy Hunt (@Jeremy_Hunt) February 5, 2018

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn replied to Mr Trump’s tweet: ‘Wrong. People were marching because we love our NHS and hate what the Tories are doing to it. Healthcare is a human right’, while Labour MP Luke Pollard said: ‘No, people in the UK protested because they don’t want an American system like you have’.

More than 60,000 people marched in London, amounting to 100,000 people across the country, to ‘save the NHS’ on Saturday, Pulse’s sister publication Healthcare Leader reported. 

Organised by Health Campaigns Together and The People’s Assembly, the event saw protesters and organisations such as Unison, the Trade Union Congress (TUC) and Unite the union, call for NHS England to be adequately funded.

Speaking at the event, Labour shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said that ‘we have to bring an end to the eight years of austerity underfunding of the NHS’.

He continued: ‘It means bringing an end to the cuts to the community health provision, mental health services, child and adolescent health services and social care services.

‘It also means ending the flow of taxpayers’ money and public money flowing out of the NHS to the private sector.’