Wes Streeting has warned that a Reform UK government led by Nigel Farage could mean the end of the NHS. Speaking at an Institute for Public Policy Research event in London, the Health Secretary said the question of whether Britain should have a National Health Service was a "fight that is brewing", with local elections due in May.
Mr Streeting noted that Mr Farage had not appointed a shadow health secretary, suggesting this was because "there will be no NHS" under his premiership. He quoted the Reform leader as saying "we are going to have to move to an insurance-based system of healthcare" and that he did not want the service funded through general taxation. Mr Farage has previously called for a re-examination of the NHS funding model and said he was prepared to consider alternatives.
The Health Secretary urged Mr Farage to be open about his plans, including the type of insurance system he would introduce, the terms, premium costs, and protections for the uninsured. He accused Mr Farage of hiding a "guilty little secret" and said Reform UK must "come clean" with the public if it wanted to form the next government.
Turning to Wales, where Reform UK is expected to make significant gains, Mr Streeting said the thought of a Farage victory "sends shivers down my spine". Opinion polls show Reform UK tied with Plaid Cymru at the top in Wales, a nation where Labour has held power since the Senedd was established in 1999. Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer's Labour is predicted to suffer heavy losses, with voters defecting to both the Green Party and Reform UK.
Mr Streeting described the prospect of Mr Farage avoiding scrutiny on the NHS as "the biggest con since Brexit", adding that Mr Farage could not be trusted with the health service. He urged voters in Wales to support Welsh Labour to stop Reform UK and protect the NHS.
