Trump says NHS must be 'on the table' in post-Brexit trade deal

[highplainsdem]

Source: Independent

Donald Trump has insisted the NHS should be "on the table" in any post-Brexit trade deal negotiations between the UK and the US.

Echoing remarks made by Washington's ambassador to London, the president said any future transatlantic talks must mean "everything" being discussed.

-snip-

"When you're dealing in trade everything is on the table. So NHS or anything else, a lot more than that, but everything will be on the table, absolutely."

-snip-

Matt Hancock, the health secretary vying to replace Ms May as prime minister, immediately hit back on social media making clear any future trade deal brokered between the UK and US will not include the NHS.

-snip-

Read more: https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/trump-nhs-brexit-trade-deal-talks-theresa-may-press-conference-uk-a8943656.html

---

More reaction from British politicians:


Jeremy Corbyn:

Link to tweet

Theresa May stood next to @realDonaldTrump as he said the NHS will be "on the table" in a US trade deal. And that’s what Tory leadership contenders and Farage are lining up for the No Deal disaster capitalism plans they have.

They all need to understand: our NHS is not for sale.

Dr. Paul Williams, MP:

Link to tweet

I've been proud to work in the NHS for more than 20 years.

Donald Trump has today confirmed the cost of a post-Brexit trade deal.

I'll always fight to make sure that our NHS can't be sold off to predator US healthcare companies.

Who's with me?

@peoplesvote_uk @LabourHealth

[Sanity Claws]

1. The end game of Brexit is now being seen

It was to carve out parts of the British economy and sell it to the elites, oligarchs, etc. at the expense of the ordinary folks in Britain.
I wonder whether this will wake up people and have them demand a second referendum.

[KPN]

3. Yup, basically Americanize the UKs health plan. Geezuz!

[highplainsdem]

2. Tweet from Nicola Sturgeon, First Minister of Scotland:

Link to tweet

As @ScotGovFM my view is clear - Scotland’s NHS is not and must never be ‘on the table’ in a trade negotiation with President Trump, or anyone else for that matter.

[asiliveandbreathe]

11. I am catching up due to dealing with our Health Insurance Co and Dr. staff who can't seem to

get information and docs accurate, on time, and to the right facilities...it is like a push me pull you, they should put ME on their payroll...and then when they do, BCBS decides an MRI will not be approved...as one of the staff members in the Dr's office said..the insurance companies dictate prescribed procedure...

3 hours on the phone yesterday morning just to make sure the radiation facility is in network...this has been going on since Feb 28th first visit to PCP....I am NOT blaming the doctors...I blame those who need to create accurate referrals - they are not paying attention to the details - hubby will be fine - he has been a trooper...he didn't want to hear the results of the biopsy..but he sucked it up (considering he went through the biopsy) and after the initial shock we, together, with his Dr. set into motion the next steps -

For those who have no one to do the leg work, fight through the maze, should always have an advocate..

Moral to story...NEVER accept the first NO...

I had to look up NHS..

Britains NHS National Health Service, since 1946 sounds terrific..they should never let the American Health Cos get their mitts on it....

National Health Service (NHS), in Great Britain, a comprehensive public-health service under government administration, established by the National Health Service Act of 1946 and subsequent legislation. Virtually the entire population is covered, and health services are free except for certain minor charges.

[KPN]

4. Health must be for sale! In so many words ...

Why am I using those two smilies so often lately??????

[3Hotdogs]

12. Yours and my health. Not his.

[CanonRay]

5. He can't even just wreck one country at a time.

[eShirl]

6. WTF I don't get it.

Is our Medicare on the table too?

[groundloop]

7. Who the fuck gave dotard the right to dictate healthcare to other countries??????

[Fritz Walter]

10. This was a direct order from his lord and master, Vladimir Putin

It's all part of Vlad's grand scheme of destabilizing western civilizations, while allowing oligarchs and corporations to raid the public coffers.

[demigoddess]

33. that is what I was thinking. We negotiate things that we work together on,

not programs that are for their countries only. Why in the heck should our insurance companies be allowed to influence their health care decisions? Are they aiming to take abortion away from the UK also? Has no one but trumpists got rights?????/

[highplainsdem]

8. Theresa May's face when Donald Trump said the NHS is 'on the table' :

Link to tweet

[Eugene]

9. Making the world safe for predatory capitalism. nt

[dhill926]

13. the arrogance is astounding...

fucking asshole....

[Soph0571]

14. Trump has done more for the second referendum crowd than he could ever imagine by this statement

Seriously? New message - get Brexit and lose the NHS to the American Private Sector. The polar opposite of what vote leave said in the referendum campaign....

[highplainsdem]

15. I agree.

[highplainsdem]

20. I'm already seeing tweets about this from people who hadn't backed a second referendum till now.

[Maine-i-acs]

16. destroying the US health care system is not enough?

he has to take out the UK's with its 80+% approval rating?

[sop]

42. It's called Disaster Capitalism

"The Shock Doctrine: The Rise of Disaster Capitalism," by Naomi Klein (2007), argued that neoliberal free marketeers (like Trump's corporate backers) take advantage of other countries' economic crises to impose austerity and privatize the commons (NHS), just to increase profits for their investors.

[mainer]

17. Will the Brits want to exploit our Medicare and Social Security?

I'm not sure why Trump thinks we have any business tinkering with their national safety net.

[highplainsdem]

18. The NHS interferes with profits American insurance and drug companies think they could make there.

That's what this is all about.

[notdarkyet]

19. Did he go to England just to drop his vicious trade piece? Oh yeah, and to golf at his golf club.

[Myrddin]

21. Unfortunately - Brexiters will be all for it...

..just as long as they get their blue passports back.

The 'Wall of Gammon' will be cheering the demise of the NHS, until they need it that is, in the name of 'soverintee'. If it pisses Remainers off, that's an added bonus.

Brexit slang Gammon explanation should it be needed

[Soph0571]

23. Not all of them

But it depends on the messaging on it. A lot of working class voters who voted for B exit would be horrified at the idea of selling off any part of the NHS

[Myrddin]

38. I hope so..

...but many Brexiters appear to be highly selective when it comes to pros v cons. Negligible pros, like blue passports are elevated mid-blowing awesome status, while significant cons like loss of jobs, investment, exports, opportunities for the youngsters, and maybe even the NHS, are routinely brushed away with the cure-all of the 'Dunkirk Spirit'?

Many (granted not all) of them would be happy to blame the EU if we end up with a corporate insurance based health system. They blame it for every other mishap in their lives.

[sop]

46. Yeah, I think they went way too fast with the messaging on this, and Trump didn't help

The trick was to raise the temperature gradually, so the frogs didn't notice the water was coming to a boil. The biggest mistake they made was turning up the heat too fast with Trump's announcement. Now Brexit supporters might jump out of the pot before they're cooked.

[mercuryblues]

22. What I don't understand is

republicans have always said the NHS is a failure. Why would anyone in the US want a healthcare system like theirs. Now the republicans and US insurance companies want to buy into it.

[highplainsdem]

24. Tweet from the Labour Party: Our NHS is not for sale.

Link to tweet

[yardwork]

48. Maybe this will wake up Labour a little bit.

[lamp_shade]

25. He looked confused. I don't think he knew what NHS stands for.

[highplainsdem]

29. Theresa May had to explain it to him -- here's a tweet with video:

Link to tweet

But the Trump admin DOES want the NHS on the table in any trade talks. The US ambassador to the UK already made that clear a couple of days ago:

https://www.mirror.co.uk/news/politics/chlorine-chicken-private-healthcare-on-16242664

[Midnightwalk]

26. Makes sense

Paying one third per capita than we do for health care gives the UK a completely unfair economic advantage. We can’t afford to ignore that.

[jalan48]

27. The Corporate State does not want to subsidize healthcare for its citizens. For profit only.

[appalachiablue]

28. What the predatory trip was about it seems. Big bucks in medical.

[RobinA]

30. I Totally Don't Get It

What does NHS have to do with US-Britain trade? Is the metro on the table too? How about driving on the left? The US interstate system? I don't understand how Trump can say what of theirs is on the table. Sure, I'l play poker with you, your beach house is on the table. Uh????????

[Honeycombe8]

31. I'm with you. I don't get the connection. nt

[jalan48]

32. It's about the privatization of services by corporations. Corporations are international

entities seeking profit everywhere. Trump is representing the Corporate State, not the citizens.

[Novice Patriot]

41. Correct!

That is why Steve Mnuchin made the trip. The U.K. is vulnerable now and needs the help of the United States. If the trump team of vultures can pull this off, Trump may become a legitimate billionaire.
Sitting in the PM seat, it sure looks tempting to make an alliance with China instead or just try and keep their heads down until Trump is gone.

[gopiscrap]

58. welcome to DU

[avebury]

34. It is all about Putin's continuing efforts to destroy the west.

Trump is carrying out the wishes of his master.

If the British government is stupid enough to destroy the NHS I will have no sympathy for them.

[Kaiserguy]

55. I'm sure that Trump

would be very happy to sell off everything in America as long as the money when into his pocket. As for Britain the greed of the 1% is endless they want to steal everything in sight no matter what nation it is in.

[Mme. Defarge]

35. This, tout simplement, defies comment.

[NCjack]

36. Trump to Brits: "Now listen you, Dimwits. You see what I doing to Mexico? When I squeeze

you with tariffs, you will put your grandmother on the bargaining table. Suckers! You should have stayed with the EU."

[TeamPooka]

37. If everything is on the table then let's bring NHS to the USA.

[sop]

43. We'll call it "Medicare for all"

[Bernardo de La Paz]

39. Brit Cons angry about EU "control" want to swap it for US control of their economy? Nuts. . . . nt

[DeminPennswoods]

40. Trump is truly a global menace

to peace and prosperity.

[Sapient Donkey]

44. Like many I was confused about this statement, but then I remembered that Trump is a moron

He literally just says words without any understanding of what he is saying.

[highplainsdem]

45. He really means it. His ambassador to the UK said the same thing. They intend to force the NHS

to pour money into American companies.

[Sapient Donkey]

49. I started reading into it a bit more

I found some stuff from last year with him talking about how they don't pay enough for medicine over there. :/

Instead of making changes here to reduce our costs, they want everyone else to suffer to same fate. Twisted bunch of folks, I say.

[raccoon]

47. Brits, Don't let them take away your NHS! NT

[Marthe48]

50. I don't think U.S. health/pharmas have anything to offer

Any other country in the world would be crazy to sign any agreements with any entities selling American healthcare. Talk about the short end of the stick.

[sheepfarm]

51. Oh dear! Tiny Hands Trump has just "dropped a bollock"...

...as we say over here.

The main Brexit pushers three years ago in the run up to the referendum complained about Obama warning the UK that they would "be in the back of the queue" for a trade deal with the USA post-Brexit, complaining about a foreign political leader interfering with a national vote.

Unless they are actual advocates for wanting to asset strip the NHS to a full or mostly private voluntary insurance model, then anyone who supports Brexit still whom heard Trump mention what they did will either have their head in their hands, and or seriously consider changing their mind about Brexit.

That slogan on the side of the red bus, if it wasn't already meaningless, has just been buried ten foot under by a POTUS who may have not realised at the time what he has done!

The NHS is a sacred cow in British politics. Not even Margaret Thatcher dared to dismantle the NHS during her government's reign, instead limiting reform to the way internal markets in the NHS were conducted. Some more reforms have been made since then by various governments, but a strong point of principle remains in that treatment is free at the point of delivery - the only notable payment is usually for prescription medicine. And that's only in England, and it's largely subsidised at a flat-rate cost, and that's only for those not entitled to free prescriptions like children, the elderly, the unemployed & low waged, those with long term health conditions etc. In Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, prescription medicine is universally free.

The NHS most certainly isn't perfect. There are currently increasing waiting lists, getting an appointment to see a family doctor on the same day in many areas is close to impossible, most sectors are under financial strains etc. However the near universal attitude among the British public is that it's not the core of the system that is broke, but that the system isn't being given the right resources to run at the best it can. Opinion polling over decades have shown ongoing popular support for a small or modest increase in income tax if it was ring fenced for the NHS.

The irony in all of this is that the demographic that weighed the most towards voting for Brexit was the over 50's - the part of the population that in the future will be depending upon a present day NHS the most. Tell those especially close to retiring what their medicine costs and potential insurance premiums will be, assuming no American-style Medicare is put in place, and the penny might just drop with quite a lot of them.

Seriously if the main figureheads of those whom want Brexit revisited by either cancelling the Article 50 notice or by a second referendum/peoples vote can't make hay of this dropped bollock over the summer, then they don't deserve anything.

[DeminPennswoods]

52. Heard reporting this afternoon that Trump doesn't

even know what NHS is.

[applegrove]

53. F that.

[Blue_Tires]

54. It's funny only because one of the original

selling points of #Brexit that wasn't centered on race or immigration was all the money they'd be able to dump into the NHS instead...

Of course not even 12 hours after winning, Nigel and Boris were on the news denying ever having made such a promise even as buses splashed with ads for that claim whizzed by in the background...

[Nitram]

56. That's a deal-breaker before a deal has even been proposed.

It'll go over like a lead balloon.

[Stuart G]

57. This man, Donald Trump is so stupid, that he doesn't know what NHS is. Saying something like this,

amplifies his over all "stupidity" to the rest of the world. This statement is a total embarrassment to every knowledgeable person in the U.S. and Great Britain.

Trump just showed how stupid he really is....