A fiery moment unfolded on BBC Question Time Thursday night when a member of the audience tore into politicians over their handling of the NHS, leaving the panel squirming.
The Diagnosis: Politician Fatigue
Amid a discussion about why NHS waiting times are so long, an exasperated audience member took centre stage with a blunt assessment:
“I think we’re all absolutely sick and tired of listening to you guys kick this back and forth, parliamentary term in, parliamentary term out,” she began, drawing a mix of laughs and applause.
Her prescription? Less political point-scoring and more focus on those who actually run the NHS.
“What I can’t get to grips with is why do we never hear from the people running the NHS? Why don’t we hear from Amanda Pritchard [the NHS England chief executive]? Instead, we get you lot. And let’s be honest—you’ll all move on to reality TV or Strictly Come Dancing eventually.”
Cue awkward smiles and a round of applause.
The Panel’s Prognosis
Health secretary Wes Streeting, Labour’s NHS lead and perhaps the most likely to take a turn on I’m a Politician…Get Me Out of Here!, defended Labour’s track record since taking office in July. He rattled off the party’s achievements with a tone suggesting the audience might break into a slow clap at any moment.
However, Tory MP Nigel Huddleston wasn’t having it. He quickly interjected to claim Labour had “scrapped” plans from the previous government.
Streeting shot back, accusing the Conservatives of failing to acknowledge the scale of the NHS crisis. “You won’t even admit how bad it is. At least we’re facing the facts.”
It was the political equivalent of two kids arguing over who broke the toy—while the audience just wanted someone to fix it.
A Call for Cross-Party Surgery
Lib Dem MP Christine Jardine attempted to play mediator, suggesting, “We need to work cross-party on this. Stop the political squabbling and focus on what really matters—health, not politics.”
She added, “Ideally, none of us would have anything to do with the NHS. Let the professionals who actually know medicine run the system, not people who only know how to argue on TV.”
While it was a sentiment many likely agreed with, the audience’s trust in politicians handing over control gracefully felt about as likely as a GP appointment next week.
The Final Word
The guest’s frustration highlighted a sentiment many Brits share—when it comes to fixing the NHS, fewer soundbites and more solutions are sorely needed. Meanwhile, as Question Time wrapped up, viewers couldn’t help but wonder whether Amanda Pritchard might’ve been watching with her own thoughts on the drama.
Perhaps, if she ever does appear on the show, she can offer the NHS panel the kind of critical care it so desperately needs.
You may also like: Ian Hislop tears into Ed Davey over the Post Office scandal on HIGNFY
