Conservative candidates’ scripted answers to awkward questions leaked
James Cleverly preparing for a media appearance. The Conservative party's suggested Q&A answers have been leaked ahead of the general election. Picture: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire/PA Images - Credit: PA Wire/PA Images
You can now play your own game of Tory bingo after the party's suggested general election Q&A answers were leaked to the press.
The scripted answers help candidates sing from the same hymn sheet on a wide range of topics, including potentially awkward ones such as party donations and whether the NHS will be part of post-Brexit trade negotiations.
According to the document, which was leaked to Sky News, candidates asked about possible privatisation of the NHS might want to reply with the following:
"No. At every election Labour make ridiculous claims about privatisation, which are nothing more than baseless scaremongering. We have been running the NHS for 44 of its 71 years, and we fully support the NHS being free at the point of use for everyone in the country. Labour themselves have admitted there will always be a role for private providers within the health and social care sector."
The script, which was leaked to Sky News, also continues the Tories' semantic finessing of the "building 40 hospitals" claim with the answer:
This general election Q&A with suggested Tory candidates' answers has been leaked. - Credit: Archant
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"We are fully funding six brand new hospitals and are providing seed funding to progress plans to build a further 34 hospitals across England," adding that this is "the largest hospital building programme in a generation".
However, when health secretary Matt Hancock put this soundbite to use on September 29, he was forced to admit that the government had only committed £100 million to the project.
WATCH: Health secretary admits government announcement will only fund six hospitals rather than 40WATCH: Health minister forced to walk back NHS 'new money' claim in excruciating interviewOn the question of an electoral pact with the Brexit Party, the given answer is:
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"We will be contesting this general election as the Conservative Party and not an alliance, or a pact. Nigel Farage today admitted that a vote for him could stop Brexit altogether."
And on the date of Brexit:
"We will leave the EU with the prime minister's great new deal, and we will do that as soon as we get a majority government, with a parliament working in the interests of the British people."
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