Paul Nuttall vows that Ukip will not campaign to privatise the NHS under his leadership but the issue should be ‘up for discussion’

PAUL NUTTALL has promised that Ukip will not campaign to privatise the NHS under his leadership.

The new party boss said that despite earlier comments where he said the issue could be up for debate, he would not back changes to the health service.

3

“Under my leadership Ukip will be committed to keeping the NHS in public hands and free at the point of delivery,” he told the Andrew Marr Show this morning.

But the BBC played clips when he said that the possibility should be explored, and admitted he thought the issue should still be up for debate.

“Nothing should be a sacred cow in British politics; all things should be up for debate,” he said.

3

He vowed that Ukip has what it takes to take over from the Labour party and said that Labour were interested in issues that "swirl around Islington dinner parties" and that they did not represent the working class anymore.

Mr Nuttall also said that voters were more interested in the issues of crime, social mobility, and controlling immigration, which he would fight for.

RELATED STORIES

'TRYING TO REWRITE HISTORY'

Paul Nuttall accused German Chancellor Angela Merkel of 'cynically abusing' the Holocaust

'GUARD DOGS OF BREXIT'

Here's the lowdown on Ukip leader Paul Nuttall and what the party does now after the General Election

NEW UKIP LEADER

Paul Nuttall says he wants Ukip to 'replace Labour' as the party of working people as he's elected as leader

RIGHT WINGER

New Ukip leader scores an own goal after his website claims he was a PROFESSIONAL footballer

"We've got to target sensibly, drill down in these local communities," he said.

He also said he was not from any faction in the party, and promised to rule for everyone.

"My real aim is making Ukip that voice of working people," he said, admitting that he had a big job on his hands to take over from Nigel Farage. "I've got big shoes to fill," he said.

3

Despite previous comments that the NHS could be up for privatisation, he said that under his leadership, he would not go down that route.

"Let's face reality here, this is where it has to go," he has said previously.

"Ukip will be committed to putting more money into the NHS," he added. "I think everything in politics should be up for debate."

Mr Nuttall also dinied a claim, supposedly from his camp, that a researcher falsely claimed that he had a PhD.

His LinkedIn page referred to a PhD from Liverpool Hope University, but the institution did not win university status until 2005 and could not award PhDs until 2009, the Mail on Sunday revealed.

Today the MEP said today: “I don’t know where that comment has come from. It’s nothing to do with me."