British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak experienced an 'awkward encounter' during a visit to Winchester city center, where he was challenged by a former NHS worker about the state of the health service. Initially, a partial clip circulated on social media showed Sunak laughing and walking away, leading to criticism from figures like Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting and MPs Christine Jardine and Bell Ribeiro-Addy, who accused him of lacking empathy for NHS patients and staff. However, several individuals including Jacob Young MP and journalist Dan Hodges highlighted that the 'cut clip' was part of a wider exchange and urged for the full context to be considered. Sky News released the longer version, which showed the conversation continued, ending with a handshake and the voter expressing concerns about her daughter who 'waited in A&E for 7 hours'. The incident has raised calls for a '#GeneralElectionNow' and sparked a debate over the accuracy and impact of social media on political narratives.
Why does Rishi Sunak just laugh in everyone's face. What is so funny? Is he a simpleton?
Labour left red-faced as full video reveals Rishi Sunak was NOT laughing at ex-NHS worker who confronted him over waiting lists - and shows the voter shaking hands with the Prime Minister and thanking him https://t.co/LdhKYRkB2a https://t.co/d1MbguQEH0
British PM Sunak confronted by voter over state of health service https://t.co/YsNTeApf20 https://t.co/yFSzOLtJnP
as long as Rishi Sunak doesn’t meet or speak to members of the general public during an election campaign he’ll be fine
The extended clip doesn’t make Sunak look that much better
This has been selectively clipped by this Sly News ‘journalist’/mouthpiece for the Labour Party. Here is the full video in which the Prime Minister engages with the woman (quite well if you ask me) and doesn’t walk off as suggested by this highly biased editing. https://t.co/OLuLFsaADR https://t.co/y3HPqLhb8k
It's no wonder our members don't feel listened to by the Prime Minister – when a former health worker tells him about the current state of the NHS he laughs in their face and walks away. Patients and staff deserve better then this. https://t.co/KaQRtcSJ7t
I’m no fan of Sunak & his cringe people skills but that clip doing the rounds is not accurate. He doesn’t just walk away. This fuller clip shows that he carries on chatting & shakes hands with the woman. All players including the media need to be careful about misinformation. https://t.co/9s48VLGN63
Not our billionaire prime minister laughing and running away as a former NHS worker suggests he should listen to striking NHS workers and pay them what they're worth instead of blaming them for the crisis his party has inflicted on the health service. https://t.co/sHreCaqoft
I retweeted the Sunak video from a mainstream journalist assuming it told the whole story. I was wrong. It does not.
This is a longer version of that encounter between Rishi Sunak and a voter, in which she shakes the prime minister’s hand and asks him not to move the local A&E https://t.co/wTG5Fd9mQ4
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 https://t.co/C7KAFDacSc
“You could stop it all”: Rishi Sunak was put on the spot by a disgruntled voter over the state of the NHS as he made a series of visits in the so-called blue wall https://t.co/ZFE2a48VRd
Have deleted earlier incomplete clip which didn’t show the full exchange between Prime Minister and a lady who wanted to talk about her daughter, they did actually continue the conversation - FULL clip here: https://t.co/I1PDjXGSEG
So this is the full video of Rishi Sunak talking to the woman👇🏼 They both start walking and carry on the chat. Funny how it’s edited to make it look like he just walked off. He didn’t. Labour already trying to deceive the public on this. https://t.co/yRHF19tQ5F
Anyone saying Sunak laughed and walked away is telling a provable lie. Watch the whole clip. Stop being idiots. https://t.co/PteWEpKMbk
Sky News journalist intentionally distributes reduced clip instead of full exchange, to try to sell a different story to what actually happened. Activists, not journalists. https://t.co/GF21qSru18
Having now seen the full version (which is still awkward but nowhere near as bad) - https://t.co/aIzeoIMcbr - that is some exceptionally misleading clipping from @tamcohen and really should be deleted. https://t.co/XuAhGCRf3n
Lib Dem Christine Jardine: "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." https://t.co/IbuxYZgDoi
This is a cut clip as part of a wider exchange. Please delete @tamcohen. Sky News have released the longer version here: https://t.co/8aaHqAFswX https://t.co/A3TcZJOZSd
This is a cut clip as part of a wider exchange. Please delete @KateEMcCann. Sky News have released the longer version here: https://t.co/8aaHqAG0mv https://t.co/VakbF8B56z
Classic problem with social media. Partial Sunak clip is circulated. We all react to that. Then the full clip appears. Shows completely different context. But people have to be tribal. So they have to say "well, it's just as bad". It isn't. It's totally different.
Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting: "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.” https://t.co/IbuxYZgDoi
Where is the empathy? A PM laughing and turning his back rather than listening to what's actually going on in our #NHS. Patients deserve better, we need a change, we need a #GeneralElectionNow. https://t.co/edNAERrCb5
OK, I've deleted the Sunak tweet. The footage being circulated is only a partial part of the exchange. He doesn't just laugh and walk off. Here's the complete footage. https://t.co/T6jFPCOOgy
Revealed: Sunak’s plan to win the election - laugh at voters trying to discuss problems….then ignore them and walk off https://t.co/zL8JnslM9S
Sometimes in politics we hear uncomfortable truths but laughing in the face of someone who is respectfully making their point and turning your back and running away when challenged does not suggest that Sunak takes these exchanges seriously. https://t.co/xhBweIXhJG
Prickly Sunak meets member of public. Patronises them, laughs at them, and then walks away halfway through encounter. A genuine sign of contempt from PM towards ordinary voters. https://t.co/mWn0XC13k5
Rishi Sunak has no idea of the misery NHS patients are going through. When patients and staff 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. https://t.co/b5RWjhj5bY
Watch moment PM laughs awkwardly when challenged by former NHS worker: https://t.co/Nr5BesnoHB
🚨Rishi Sunak Heckled Sunak just had his Gordon Brown moment On a walk around in Winchester where media weren’t invited He laughs uncomfortably at a woman who wants the NHS back , she says her daughter waited in A&E for 7 hours HE RAN AWAY 😵 #GeneralElectionNow #Sunackered https://t.co/PFALiQe1yR
NEW Awkward encounter between Rishi Sunak and a voter in Winchester city centre this morning - as he’s asked why he can’t do more for the NHS On @skynews shortly