BBC Breakfast fans vowed to “switch off” after Sally Nugent “skewered” Health Secretary Victoria Atkins in a “car crash interview” over NHS dentistry budgets.
On Wednesday’s programme (February 7), the MP and host Sally didn’t seem to see eye-to-eye over the budgets in place for new proposals to support dentists with more appointments being made available to the public. This came after reports emerged last year of helpless people pulling their own teeth out because they couldn’t get a specialist’s help with the pain.
Victoria appeared on the programme to pledge new plans which she explained would set back the government an extra “£200million” but eagle-eared Sally wasn’t sure that the figures were tallying up.
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Sally jumped in : “Ok, I’m really sorry to interrupt and want to keep it really simple for people watching at home. How are you funding it? Ate you funding it via an underspend in the budget?”
We are spending £3billion on NHS dentistry this is an additional £200M,” “Is that an underspend?,” said Victoria as Sally prompted: “Just a couple moments ago, Wes Streeting said there is a £4million under spend in the NHS budget for dentistry.”
Victoria went on to add that the new plans will focus on providing more training for dentists and hygienists. Other plans included professional fluoride brushing for children in schools so that teeth were protected for 12 months.
It was evident that Sally wasn’t getting the answers that she wanted and she began to become increasingly frustrated as she probed the MP over spending. Sally pointed out: “Great, but I’m just going to bring you back to that £200M figure.
“Am I right in thinking that the budget for NHS dentistry has dropped by £500m since 2014? So you might be putting in an extra £200m but that’s from a point where it is hugely smaller than it was ten years ago. The budget’s dropped hasn’t it?”
After Victoria went on to speak about training again, seemingly avoiding the question: The host prompted: “Just to bring you back one more time is the budget lower than it was?”
Again, the MP scooted around with her response as Sally became more annoyed asking once more “So is the budget lower?” Victoria hit back telling her “it’s little bit rich for labour to be questioning this” to which the presenter furiously said: “It’s not labour asking these questions, it’s me.”
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The furious clash seemed to divide fans online, as some insisted they would be “switching off” while others demanded for Sally to “improve her interview tactics” as others hailed the host for holding the MP to account.
One person penned: “Victoria Atkins completely skewered by Sally Nugent. Car crash.” Another said: “Had to switch off! This is painful,” as a third demanded: “You need to improve your interview tactics. Disgraceful waffle again.”
Meanwhile, others hailed Sally for standing firm during the chat as they wrote in support: “Sally can you take over from Laura K on a Sunday? Brilliant interview with the health sec,” as a second chimed in with: “Victoria Atkins in another car crash interview. Well done Sally for going at it.”
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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
