The prime minister also claimed the “issue of trust” at the general election was “all about… the failure of politicians across parliament in the last three-and-a-half years, who have totally refused to honour the mandate of the people and deliver Brexit”.
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) – the union which represents 435,000 nurses, midwives, healthcare assistants and other NHS staff – has called for “more detail” on the Tories’ pledge, despite describing it as “the right level of aspiration”.
Dame Donna Kinnair, the RCN’s general secretary, said: “The current shortage of 43,000 registered nurses can only be filled by registered nurses – with degree-level education.
“It is unfair on staff and inappropriate for patients to try to plug this gap with other staff.”
She added: “The emphasis must be firmly on growing the domestic workforce, as while we welcome nursing colleagues from around the world, an over-reliance on international recruitment is neither sustainable nor ethical in the long-term.”
Labour’s shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said: “The Conservatives’ claim on nurses is frankly deceitful – the sums simply don’t add up.
“First we had Johnson’s fake 40 new hospitals, now we have his fake 50,000 extra nurses.
“Matt Hancock and Tory ministers forced through the abolition of the bursary, partly causing the nursing crisis afflicting our NHS today.
“The new damaging Tory nurses’ tax on European nurses will make it impossible to deliver the nurses our NHS needs.
“Labour will deliver over 50,000 new nurses through bringing back the bursary and allowing ethical international recruitment.”
The Brexit Election on Sky News – the fastest results and in-depth analysis on mobile, TV and radio.
- Watch Dermot Murnaghan live from 9pm on 12 December
- See the exit poll at 10pm
- Watch KayBurley@Breakfast election special on 13 December
- Find out what happens next in All Out Politics special from 9am with Adam Boulton
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