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Nick Ferrari challenges Boris Johnson over misrepresenting figures for new nurses
29 November 2019, 12:21
Nick Ferrari asked Boris Johnson why he keeps misrepresenting the number of new nurses he will introduce if the Conservatives win a majority.
The Prime Minister has consistently said there would be 50,000 more nurses if they remain in power, but people have pointed out that there would only be 31,000 new nurses. That was something that Nick put to him.
Nick asked him: "Why did you misrepresent the number of new nurses that would be achieved under a Conservative government?"
Mr Johnson insisted: "I didn't. It's 50,000 more nurses. Let me try to explain that because I understand the controversy about this.
"There are 19,000 that are currently in nursing at the moment and we thank them very much for what they do. The risk is that they will leave the profession. So we're putting in the funds now to make sure that they stay.
"There are a further 31,000 that we wish to recruit.
"What we are saying is that there will be a substantial increase from 280,000 to 330,000 nurses."
Nick then pointed out: "So the new ones, 31,000. You've misrepresented the figures. They're not new are they?"
The Prime Minister admitted: "No, that's correct, what I said is more nurses."
Nick summed it up: "So you're retaining 19,000. And it's 31,000 new nurses."
