During the ITV Debate, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak faced significant backlash from the audience while discussing NHS waiting lists. Sunak claimed that NHS waiting times are 'coming down from when they were higher,' which was met with laughter and groans from the audience. Opposition leader Keir Starmer challenged Sunak's assertion by pointing out that the waiting lists have increased from 7.2 million to 7.5 million, contradicting Sunak's claim of improvement. Sunak's attempt to blame industrial action and Covid for the waiting lists was also poorly received. The situation was described as 'pretty dire' for the Prime Minister and is likely to haunt him.
Audience groans as Sunak blames industrial action for NHS waiting lists. Unwise for Sunak to continually invoke Covid and then turn on health staff…
The first laugh of the night from the audience - but it's at Sunak, not with him, as he says NHS waiting times are "coming down from when they were higher".
Audience literally laughing at Sunak on the NHS - pretty dire for the PM. #ITVDebate
Audience laughing at Sunak for insiting NHS waiting lists are coming down after Starmer said they're 7.5m which is higher than the 7.2m when he vowed to cut them
Uproarious laughter as Rishi Sunak argues that waiting lists are lower now “than they were when they were higher”. That’s going to haunt him.
First laughter of the night as Rishi Sunak claims NHS waiting lists are falling. "They were 7.2m now they're 7.5m - how is that coming down?" asks Starmer. "They're coming down because they were higher" says Sunak. #ITVDebate