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This Is Going To Hurt’s Adam Kay blasts ‘callous’ Prime Minister over partygate

The former doctor said he was angered when politicians were clapping for the NHS.
The former doctor said he was angered when politicians were clapping for the NHS. The former doctor said he was angered when politicians were clapping for the NHS.

This Is Going To Hurt author Adam Kay has blasted the “callous” behaviour of the Prime Minister over the partygate saga.

The former NHS doctor, who has penned bestselling books about his struggles as a junior doctor and time working in hospitals, said he was horrified when reports emerged of lockdown parties in Whitehall.

Boris Johnson has faced calls to resign and seen several key staff members quit over the ongoing saga.

Boris Johnson visit to north west England
Boris Johnson visit to north west England Prime Minister Boris Johnson (Peter Byrne/PA)

Kay told The Big Issue: “The rules were there to protect people. They weren’t rules, they were protections.

“I refuse to believe people would see the damage this virus does – seeing patients on intensive care units, saying goodbye to their relatives for the last time on a f****** iPad – and go straight from that to have cheese and wine.

“It just feels callous. All along, doctors were begging and continue to beg for people to just protect other people.”

Kay said he had been angered when politicians joined in on the clapping for the NHS during lockdowns, adding: “That was the turning point – and they stopped saying ‘the NHS’ and started saying ‘our NHS’.

“It’s not your NHS! You are the only people who aren’t allowed to say ‘our NHS’.

“Only the rest of us can say that, you are the ones f****** it up – so just stay away from the banging of pans and clapping!” he added.

The author warned that things are now worse than ever for the NHS, saying: “I’m not sure I know any doctors who don’t have a Plan B now. Everyone’s thinking, I can’t do this forever. And they can’t.

“The NHS is 110,000 members of staff short at the moment – we can all work out where the problem is. It’s something no amount of soundbites are going to sort.”

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