Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has been criticised for his "ideological" stance on the NHS and private healthcare, after an exclusive interview with GB News.
Sitting down with Political Editor Christopher Hope in Harlow, Starmer affirmed that he "would not" use private healthcare if a family member was in need of treatment.
Defending his stance on private healthcare, Starmer told GB News: "I actually had an operation on my knee some years ago. I waited my turn.
"If I am elected to serve as Prime Minister, my job is to bring those waiting lists down, and I'm not going to at the same time say, but for me, I'm going to jump the queue."
Former Tory MP Dehenna Davison says Starmer's remarks about the NHS are 'painfully disingenuous'
GB News
Reacting to the remarks on GB News, former Conservative MP Dehenna Davison claimed Starmer's claims that he would not use private healthcare are "painfully disingenuous" and is her "biggest ick" about the Labour election campaign.
In a discussion with Patrick Christys, Davison revealed: "It felt so painfully disingenuous and it felt purely ideological.
"I think there's a place for ideology in politics. But when it comes to something like that, where pragmatism is desperately needed, that's what needed to shine through."
Patrick agreed and admitted that Starmer's remarks "chip away at the honesty and credibility" of him as a party leader, going into the election campaign.
The Labour Leader sat down with GB News Political Editor Christopher Hope
GB News
Patrick told the GB News panel: "In the same breath he said there with Christopher 'I'm not being ideological about it' - I think you are being really deeply ideological!"
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Sharing his thoughts on Starmer's interview with GB News, former Special Adviser for the Liberal Democrats Sean Kemp said politicians "have an image in their mind" of what will "annoy" voters, and suggested the main issue for Labour supporters is the NHS.
Kemp explained: "I think it's an answer of someone who's used to addressing rooms full of Labour members and activists who treat the NHS much more as a religion.
"I think most ordinary voters don't think you hate the NHS if you decide it might be better to go private. I have always found it a weird answer. I just don't get it."
In defence of Keir Starmer, Labour Councillor Brendan Chilton admitted that even though he "would use private healthcare" personally, the Labour Party and many Labour voters believe the NHS is "almost a religion".
Brendan Chilton claims the biggest issue for Labour at elections is the NHS
GB News
Chilton added: "The strongest issue in any election that Labour pulls is always the NHS. We will have an NHS week, probably in the last week of this campaign."
Praising Rishi Sunak's response to the question of private healthcare in the ITV leadership debate, Davison admitted she "really rated" the Prime Minister for "simply saying yes".
Patrick agreed, adding: "Because it was honest, wasn't it? And I do think there is a large section of the British people who think if you have got a bit of money, maybe you should go private.
"If we've got seven million people on NHS waiting lists, I don't think they necessarily think that's an elitist thing."
