Author: The Argus

On a visit to Sussex today, where he met Sea Scouts in Shoreham and Border Force officers at Gatwick, the Prime Minister told The Argus that he was committed to ensuring the NHS is “fit for the future”, amid scenes of people waiting in corridors at an A&E department in Brighton.

Earlier this week, a crash victim told The Argus how she had a “horrific and shocking” experience at the major injuries department at the Royal Sussex County Hospital, with her bed outside the resuscitation room at one point during her stay.

In an exclusive interview with The Argus, the Prime Minister said he “understood” the importance of the health service and said: “Shortly after becoming Prime Minister, I announced extra funding for the NHS, which is now receiving a record amount of funding and there a record number of doctors and nurses in the NHS working incredibly hard.

“One of our priorities is to bring down waiting lists, which have reached very high levels because of the pandemic, and we saw good progress on that. In October and November, where there were no strike days, we saw waiting lists come down by over 150,000.

“That shows that all the investment, when there is no industrial action, can bring waiting lists down and improve care for people.”

He also said his government announced the NHS’s first long-term workforce plan to increase the number of medical professionals and reduce the reliance on workers from overseas.

“That won’t help overnight, but that’s an example of this government doing the right long-term thing for the country because I want to make sure we have an NHS that is fit for the future, and we’re putting in the money to make sure that happens,” he said.

Rishi Sunak was joined on his visit to Shoreham Port by local MP Tim Loughton, who heralded the “state-of-the-art” GP and health centre in Worthing, due to open later this year.

Mr Loughton said: “We’ve been attracting some new doctors so it’s a really exciting opportunity. There is some really good innovation going on this part of the coast.”

Rishi Sunak met with Border Force officers at Gatwick Airport (Image: Carlos Jasso/PA Wire)

The Prime Minister also visited Gatwick Airport earlier in the day, meeting Border Force staff along with local Conservative MP Henry Smith.

He also took the time to pet Jinx, one of the force’s detector dogs.

Gatwick Airport is in the Crawley constituency, which is anticipated to be won by Labour from the Conservatives at the general election. Henry Smith announced last year he will not run for re-election.

The PM’s visit to Sussex came the day after his Rwanda Bill won approval from MPs in the House of Commons, after a potential backbench revolt on the flagship legislation largely melted away.

The Safety of Rwanda Bill passed its third reading unamended with a majority of 44 after only 11 Tory MPs, including former Home Secretary Suella Braverman, voted against the Prime Minister’s immigration plan.

At a press conference in Downing Street, he urged members of the House of Lords to “get on board and do the right thing” in supporting the Bill, warning peers not to “frustrate the will of the people”.