A Tory politician has resigned after claiming A&E departments were full of “fat mums in pot noodle-stained leggings” with their “snot-covered Asbo” children.
Constituency Conservative chairman Gareth Baines claimed mothers were were taking their children to hospital “for a day out” to “harvest Facebook likes”.
In one message over New Year’s, Baines wrote: “A&Es in Germany aren’t full of fat mums in pot noodle-stained leggings/ pjs taking their kids for a day out at A&E to harvest Facebook likes because their darling little snot-covered Asbo fell over. Happy New Year.”
Baines, who is also a councillor representing Chirk Town Council in Wrexham, Wales, said his comments, made in a series of tweets about the NHS, had been “taken out of context”.
He has since apologised and quit his role as chairman of the Clwyd South Conservative Association.
Baines also posted: “Our NHS is treated as a sacred cow and cannot be criticised. Those arguing for reform are deemed to be Satan incarnate.
“I’m sorry, but after spending most of my life working on the continent, the NHS isn’t the best in the world – it isn’t one of the best in Europe. Pales when compared with systems like Germany and Norway.”
The Welsh Labour party has said the councillor’s comments “shows what he really thinks about people who use the NHS”.
This is terrible and shows what he really thinks about the people who use the NHS
— Wrexham Labour Party (@WRX_Labour) January 1, 2021
Baines said in a statement: “Whilst I feel my comments have been taken out of context, I do offer my sincere apologies for any offence they may have caused.
“I have also taken the decision to step down from my role as chairman of Clwyd South Conservative Association with immediate effect.”
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