NHS: Farage’s dire healthcare plans will “cost lives” say Greens
The leader of Reform UK’s plans to introduce private healthcare insurance to the UK would “cost lives”, says Scottish Greens health spokesperson Gillian Mackay MSP.
The statement was said by the millionaire politician Nigel Farage during an interview with Sky News political editor Beth Rigby, where he said “I do not want it [the NHS] funded through general taxation.”
The Reform UK MP implied that he would instead replace it with a system of private insurance, which would cost working people across Scotland more.
Scottish Greens have always stood up for publicly owned healthcare in Scotland and criticised moves from the Labour UK government to implement privatisation in sectors of the NHS south of the border.
Scottish Greens health spokesperson Gillian Mackay MSP said:
“Nigel Farage is a millionaire who has no problem funding his own healthcare, but he wants to push these dire plans to punish the least well off in society, the families and communities most likely to need crucial healthcare.
“Healthcare must always be accessible and free for everyone. We have that right now in Scotland, and any suggestion to introduce private insurance is a blatantly obvious attempt to Americanise our healthcare system.
“I have no doubt that these proposals from Farage would cost lives. Charging patients to access healthcare will have tragic consequences for those who need healthcare the most.
“Our NHS needs help to deal with the disastrous staffing crisis caused by the withdrawal from the EU - which Scotland didn’t vote for -, and recovery from one of the worst health crises in centuries. This kind of political distraction isn't going to help the nurses, doctors and patients; it simply drives profit from ill health.
“Scottish Greens have always worked to protect Scotland’s NHS, in the 2025/26 budget we supported a £2 billion increase in frontline NHS funding in order to reduce waiting times, improve access and ensure everyone can access the healthcare they need.
“With the real prospect of a far right Reform government without a single MP in Scotland, independence has never been so crucial. Next year, Scotland can reject the dire and dangerous ideas of Reform UK and Nigel Farage, by voting for Scottish Green MSPs who will protect our NHS, put money in people’s pockets and tackle the climate emergency.”