Rishi Sunak confronted over NHS waiting lists
Rishi Sunak has been accused of "laughing in the faces of voters", after an awkward confrontation while meeting voters in the South East.
Walking around Winchester, the Prime Minister was caught on camera being heckled by an upset voter about the state of the NHS.
The clip, captured by an off-duty Sky News cameraman, began mid-confrontation, with the PM seen explaining to the lady how strike rates had been improving towards the end of last year.
She said: “Last year we had two months with virtually no strikes in October and November… and do you know what happened? The waiting list fell by 150,000 in those two months. And it just shows that when there aren’t strikes we really can make progress.”
READ MORE: POLL: Would you prefer to be mates with Rishi Sunak or Keir Starmer?
Rishi Sunak was seen laughing during the exchange (Image: Getty)
While the voter praised the successes towards the end of last year, she retorted that the Prime Minister “could stop it all”.
She said: “You could make it all go back to how it used to be, where we had…”
At this point, Mr Sunak burst out laughing, while the voter clarified: “Not literally.”
Continuing, she pleaded: “But where, if you had a problem you could go to the hospital.”
When she carried on to complain about one recent incident where her daughter spent seven hours waiting, Mr Sunak walked off.
One handler was heard saying “we’d better get going to the next…”, while the voter trailed after the PM explaining her problems.
While the clip circulating on social media ends there and sparked criticism from Labour and the Lib Dems, the extended footage shows Mr Sunak continued his conversation while walking, and told the concerned woman he was "sorry to hear" about the unpleasant experience.
He continued arguing that the "key thing is we have resolved all the [inaudible] apart from the junior doctors who are still not saying yes, but everyone else has said yes".
The clip ends amicably, with the voter giving the Prime Minister a handshake and saying: "Thank you."
The clip of Sunak being talked to by a voter is being blasted, but it cuts off before the conversation ends, when they parted ways amicably with a handshake and a thank you.
Quite important context. https://t.co/ZBhXaHFvsV pic.twitter.com/C7KAFDacSc
— Calgie (@christiancalgie) January 19, 2024
Don't miss...
Keir Starmer suffers by-election humiliation after caving into woke trans mob [LATEST]
Rishi Sunak 'excited' about the return of this McDonalds menu item favourite [EXCLUSIVE]
Welsh Labour 'giving succour to separatists' with bombshell independence report [EXCLUSIVE]
Become an Express Premium member Support fearless journalism Read The Daily Express online, advert free Get super-fast page loading
Start 30-day
FREE trial
Mr Sunak walked off as the lady told him about her daughter's seven hour hospital wait (Image: Sky News)
Mr Sunak’s handling of the confrontation has now been criticised, with Labour’s Wes Streeting accusing him of “laughing in the faces of voters”.
He said: “Rishi Sunak has no idea of the misery NHS patients are going through.
“When patients try to tell him, he laughs in their faces and walks away. When Sunak asks for their vote later this year, he will get a taste of his own medicine.”
The Lib Dems also piled in, accusing him of either “not caring or not getting it”.
They said: "Out of touch does not even begin to describe Rishi Sunak's attitude to the NHS. Whilst his government cuts funding for the NHS it is patients that are suffering, waiting endlessly in pain.
"Laughing in the face of a former health worker whilst they are trying to explain to him the dire straits the NHS is in is frankly shocking.
"The Prime Minister either does not care or he does not get it. This Conservative government cannot be trusted with our NHS.”
DON'T MISS
Powered by
Hope for Rishi Sunak as shock analysis shows Labour needs to break records to win
25 Comments
Tories face 'worst election since 1997' as new poll reveals huge Labour majority
1193 Comments
Tories urged to oust Rishi Sunak now as ex-minister reveals exact number of letters needed
167 Comments
Nadine Dorries launches furious three word attack on Rishi Sunak's Rwanda 'karma'
52 Comments
Rishi Sunak to hold emergency Downing Street press conference in hours
1312 Comments
Guy Verhofstadt fumes at Ursula von der Leyen over EU's ￡8.5bn 'dirty deal' with Hungary
1198 Comments
Reform UK's olive branch to Lee Anderson and Brendan Clarke-Smith after Rwanda resignation
92 Comments
Nigel Farage rages at Rwanda 'charade' as Rishi Sunak faces crunch Commons vote
109 Comments
UK and EU held 'secret talks' over Rishi Sunak's Brexit deal in bid to end two-year row
541 Comments
The 40 countries whose elections will change the face of the world in 2024
4 Comments
The very survival of the Prime Minister seemed to be at stake - Leo McKinstry
7 Comments
The Tories will only survive 2024 if they make one dramatic change
20 Comments
Disaster for Rishi Sunak as pollster warns Tories are 'haemorrhaging' votes to Reform UK
217 Comments
How Rishi Sunak beat Tory right with Priti Patel deal, Keir Starmer's PMQs and 'wimp' MPs
871 Comments
Rishi Sunak has 48 hours to save his job as Prime Minister with Rwanda Bill rebellion
663 Comments
POLL: Do you want David Cameron to come back as Tory leader?
421 Comments
POLL: Who would you prefer to be mates with - Rishi Sunak or Keir Starmer?
107 Comments
Rishi Sunak launched new fightback against Labour with victory over Tory rebels, says poll
45 Comments
Penny Mordaunt and Lee Anderson among Tory big beasts facing losing seats - poll
858 Comments
Rishi Sunak to deploy last-ditch secret weapon with career on knife-edge over crunch vote
123 Comments
Hope for Rishi Sunak as shock analysis shows Labour needs to break records to win
25 Comments
Tories face 'worst election since 1997' as new poll reveals huge Labour majority
1193 Comments
Tories urged to oust Rishi Sunak now as ex-minister reveals exact number of letters needed
167 Comments
Nadine Dorries launches furious three word attack on Rishi Sunak's Rwanda 'karma'
52 Comments
Rishi Sunak to hold emergency Downing Street press conference in hours
1312 Comments
Guy Verhofstadt fumes at Ursula von der Leyen over EU's ￡8.5bn 'dirty deal' with Hungary
1198 Comments
Reform UK's olive branch to Lee Anderson and Brendan Clarke-Smith after Rwanda resignation
92 Comments
Nigel Farage rages at Rwanda 'charade' as Rishi Sunak faces crunch Commons vote
109 Comments
UK and EU held 'secret talks' over Rishi Sunak's Brexit deal in bid to end two-year row
541 Comments
The 40 countries whose elections will change the face of the world in 2024
4 Comments
The very survival of the Prime Minister seemed to be at stake - Leo McKinstry
7 Comments
The Tories will only survive 2024 if they make one dramatic change
20 Comments
Disaster for Rishi Sunak as pollster warns Tories are 'haemorrhaging' votes to Reform UK
217 Comments
How Rishi Sunak beat Tory right with Priti Patel deal, Keir Starmer's PMQs and 'wimp' MPs
871 Comments
Rishi Sunak has 48 hours to save his job as Prime Minister with Rwanda Bill rebellion
663 Comments
POLL: Do you want David Cameron to come back as Tory leader?
421 Comments
POLL: Who would you prefer to be mates with - Rishi Sunak or Keir Starmer?
107 Comments
Rishi Sunak launched new fightback against Labour with victory over Tory rebels, says poll
45 Comments
Penny Mordaunt and Lee Anderson among Tory big beasts facing losing seats - poll
858 Comments
Rishi Sunak to deploy last-ditch secret weapon with career on knife-edge over crunch vote
123 Comments
Hope for Rishi Sunak as shock analysis shows Labour needs to break records to win
25 Comments
Tories face 'worst election since 1997' as new poll reveals huge Labour majority
1193 Comments
Tories urged to oust Rishi Sunak now as ex-minister reveals exact number of letters needed
167 Comments
Nadine Dorries launches furious three word attack on Rishi Sunak's Rwanda 'karma'
52 Comments
Rishi Sunak to hold emergency Downing Street press conference in hours
1312 Comments
Guy Verhofstadt fumes at Ursula von der Leyen over EU's ￡8.5bn 'dirty deal' with Hungary
1198 Comments
Reform UK's olive branch to Lee Anderson and Brendan Clarke-Smith after Rwanda resignation
92 Comments
Trending
Meanwhile Patrick O’Flynn, former Ukip MEP and Express columnist, compared Mr Sunak to Gordon Brown’s infamous interaction with Gillian Duffy, where he was caught on mic accusing her of being a “bigoted woman”.
He said: “Real spoilt-little-rich-boy stuff from the PM here, turning away with a "yep". Displaying contempt for the electorate seldom works well as a vote-winner.
“More similarities with Brown and Gillian Duffy than with Blair patiently hearing out Sharon Storer.”
Related articles 'Nothing but a cash grab!' Sadiq Khan blasted over ULEZ as 100,000 fines issued Sunak launched new fightback against Labour with victory over Tory rebels - poll Keir Starmer given brutal verdict by voters in word cloud in new poll Sadiq Khan 'will introduce new tax on drivers' if re-elected Mayor, rival warns Nicola Sturgeon's WhatsApp messages from pandemic deleted, Covid inquiry told