UK should ‘re-examine’ NHS funding model, says Farage ahead of Reform rally
Nigel Farage has denied wanting to make people pay to visit the doctor, but said Britain should “re-examine” how it funds the NHS.
In an interview on the BBC’s Today programme, the Reform UK leader insisted he supported healthcare remaining free at the point of use.
But he added: “Everyone knows we are not getting bang for buck, everyone knows we are not getting value, let’s re-examine the whole funding model and find a way that’s more efficient.”
With local elections and a crucial by-election test in Runcorn and Helsby looming, Labour has sought to go on the offensive against Mr Farage over his stance on NHS funding.
“Insurance-based system”
In a series of attack ads launched on Friday, the party has pointed to previous comments by the Reform leader advocating for a change, including one from 2012 in which he said: “I think we are going to have to move to an insurance-based system of health care.”
But speaking to the BBC, Mr Farage said people should have health insurance “only if they can afford it” and suggested that Health Secretary Wes Streeting had been “saying very similar things” about funding the NHS.
A Labour source said Mr Streeting had “always said the model of funding doesn’t need to change”.
The source added: “Farage told The Telegraph in December, ‘if you can afford it, you should pay’, and he has called for an insurance-based system for years – that’s healthcare delivered on your ability to pay.”
During his interview, Mr Farage also sought to distance himself from Donald Trump’s approach to Ukraine, suggesting Russia was “getting far too much”, and said he would be open to allowing chlorine-washed chicken to be sold in the UK as part of a trade deal with the US.
He said: “I would allow consumers in America to buy our products and consumers here to buy their products, and provided we have the right labelling, that’s good.”
Rally
Mr Farage’s interview comes ahead of a Reform rally in Birmingham on Friday evening at which he will launch his party’s local election campaign.
The party has claimed it will be “the biggest ever launch rally in modern British political history”, with 10,000 tickets said to have been sold.
But while Reform’s polling numbers remain buoyant, the party has also suffered a split after now-Independent MP Rupert Lowe criticised Mr Farage’s leadership. He was subsequently suspended over allegations of bullying in his parliamentary and constituency offices – allegations Mr Lowe strongly denies.
Ahead of the rally, Mr Farage told the BBC his party “might have had a problem with one MP” but would go into the local elections on May 1 “with a very upbeat agenda”.
He said: “We are going to point out to people the extent to which local government is broken in Britain and why it needs new people.”
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So Farage said he supported healthcare remaining free at the point of use but wants “an insurance-based system of health care.” I see so these far-right English nationalists want you to pay before point of use in their US style privatised health system.
Here we go with the nonsense that the only alternative to the NHS is an American system. Healthcare in most of Europe is also delivered via an insurance system – there is nothing inherently wrong with the concept, but it has to be done in a way that is affordable to all which European countries do through state-subsidised or free insurance for those who can’t afford the market rate. You raise an objection to paying before the point of use, but ignore the fact that we already pay before the point of use through our taxes. What we have is… Read more »
So by your own analysis Farage’s changes would mean most would pay twice for their health service (taxes and private insurance). What is “wrong” is the way Farage never comes clean with what he wants for the service because he knows this would put of many of his voters. He’s is not being honest.
NHS is a prime example of the corporatist state to which our major political parties are hell bent on shifting us. It is less to do with “service” and more to do with “rationing”. Access is difficult and may soon become impossible in some parts of the country. Many so called health professionals will be happy to see the entire service become increasingly privatised as they see it as the route to riches. How people secure treatment will become increasingly a matter of money and in a world of scarce resources those prices will escalate regularly. It’s called the law… Read more »
Yes. Vote Reform, vote remove, vote regret. The NHS and all public services will become ‘pay on approach’ shops atop which will be sitting the vultures who will cream off the billions with their ‘asset strip the individual’ plan. Obvious when they float the idea your basic £12,570 before tax should rise to £20,000. How will public services be funded? THEY WON’T. WE will all pay as we go OR NOT! This is their sick dream.
At present the NHS is primarily funded through general taxation and National Insurance contributions, with a small portion coming from patient charges like prescriptions and dental treatments. So, we are at present paying for the NHS indirectly.
Congratulations saying the obvious. But there is no limit on our use of it. No pre existing conditions to hike costs. And we pay communally, so means we get equal treatment, not based on our ability to pay. That alone wins me,because an elderly relative on a pension it’s not left to rot.
Elderly relatives on a pension are not left to rot by the insurance-based healthcare systems in Belgium or The Netherlands or Switzerland or Germany or Austria, nor are people with pre-existing conditions.
Meanwhile, the NHS leaves people to rot every day of the week.
Again Nation Cymru gives publicity to this obnoxious right winger. And a huge Union Flag to go along with it. If I want that I would buy the Express or The Sun. What are you doing?!!!!!!
What a truly idiotic comment. This revolting individual could be First Minister next year. He needs to be exposed and scrutinised by our media. Keep up the good work Nation.Cymru!
Great idea, let’s all live in little bubbles where we never listen to somebody we don’t like. Then we can all be comfortable in our ignorance, believing everybody shares our views.
We already have an insurance system. That’s what National Insurance is for. Or is he proposing an alternative insurance system that doesn’t cut out the billionaires.
Farage will burn the UK because he is an idiot.
now ask about the story in the NYT claims reforms involvement with a donor that helps arms Russia.
Ask farage how Tate is doing.
ask farage why he defends trump but attacks zelenskyy.
farage is a disgrace