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General election: Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn square off over NHS and national security in last Commons clash | General election: Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn square off over NHS and national security in last Commons clash |
(about 1 hour later) | |
Theresa May and Jeremy Corbyn squared off over the NHS and national security, in their last Commons clash before the general election. | |
The Labour leader seized on growing fears over the creaking health service, highlighting a pensioner who had told him she was “scared at the thought of going into hospital”. | The Labour leader seized on growing fears over the creaking health service, highlighting a pensioner who had told him she was “scared at the thought of going into hospital”. |
But the Prime Minister hit back by attacking Mr Corbyn for employing a policy chief who wanted to “disband MI5, disarm the police and scrap our nuclear deterrent”. | |
Again and again, she returned to her favourite election soundbite – that the nation faced a choice between her “strong and stable leadership” and a Labour-led “coalition of chaos”. | |
Brexit barely featured in the final Prime Minister’s Questions before voters go to the polls in June, despite being the reason the election was called, according to Ms May. | |
The Prime Minister also refused twice to deny the so-called triple lock on pension increases would be scrapped. | |
Mr Corbyn highlighted Labour’s overnight pledge to axe the Tories’ long-standing 1 per cent pay cap, which meant struggling NHS staff had “15 per cent less buying power”. | |
And he read out the words of a pensioner called Sybil, who had told him: “I’m 88 and have had a wonderful service from the National Health Service. | |
“But, nowadays, I’m scared at the thought of going into hospital, with more people waiting more than four hours in A&E, more people waiting on trolleys in corridors, more delayed discharges, thanks to the Tory cuts.” | |
Mr Corbyn said: “Isn’t Sybil right to be frightened about the future of the NHS as long as this Government remains in office?” | Mr Corbyn said: “Isn’t Sybil right to be frightened about the future of the NHS as long as this Government remains in office?” |
In reply, the Prime Minister insisted the NHS in her hands was treating more patients and boasted “more doctors, more nurses, more midwives, more GPs and record levels of funding”. | In reply, the Prime Minister insisted the NHS in her hands was treating more patients and boasted “more doctors, more nurses, more midwives, more GPs and record levels of funding”. |
And she ridiculed shadow Home Secretary Diane Abbott’s endorsement of the “I like Corbyn, But…” website which highlights concerns that Mr Corbyn will “increase taxes” and is a “terrorist sympathiser”. | |
To Tory cheers, Ms May said: “They are right to be worried. Even his own supporters know he is not fit to run this country.” | To Tory cheers, Ms May said: “They are right to be worried. Even his own supporters know he is not fit to run this country.” |
Earlier, she turned her fire on a 2015 programme put forward by a group called the Socialist Campaign for a Labour Victory. | Earlier, she turned her fire on a 2015 programme put forward by a group called the Socialist Campaign for a Labour Victory. |
It was backed by Andrew Fisher, Jeremy Corbyn’s policy chief, who has now been picked to write Labour’s election manifesto, to be published on 15 May. | |
Ms May told MPs: “The plan to disband MI5, to disarm our police and to scrap our nuclear deterrent was endorsed by the Right Honourable Gentleman’s policy chief and even by his shadow Chancellor. | |
“Refusing to say he would strike against terrorism, refusing to commit to our nuclear deterrent and refusing to control our borders. | “Refusing to say he would strike against terrorism, refusing to commit to our nuclear deterrent and refusing to control our borders. |
“Keeping our country safe is the first duty of a prime minister – the Right Honourable Gentleman is simply not up to the job.” | “Keeping our country safe is the first duty of a prime minister – the Right Honourable Gentleman is simply not up to the job.” |
Later, a senior Labour source attacked Ms May for referring to Mr Corbyn as a “terrorist sympathiser" in the Commons chamber, describing it as a “discredit to the office of prime minister”. | Later, a senior Labour source attacked Ms May for referring to Mr Corbyn as a “terrorist sympathiser" in the Commons chamber, describing it as a “discredit to the office of prime minister”. |