I'm John Batchel with my colleague Joseph Sternberg, member of the editorial board of the

Wall Street Journal. He writes political economics column from London. And most recently,

the Prime Minister, Sir Kirs Starrmer, posting at the I read it in the Times of London,

I imagine everyone read it in their own newspapers, a defense of the NHS and how

the labor, with its overwhelming majority, is going to improve the NHS. I learn in this that his

sister, his mother, his father, and his wife at one time all work for the NHS. Reading through his

document, it's very well done, presented, but it came to me again and again

that Mr. Starrmer recognizes that the NHS must be privatized, but they just don't want to use that word.

They instead talk about improving patient care and hurrying up the waiting list for tests.

What is the waiting list for tests?

7.5 million.

Joe, like the man in Gladiator asked when they face the about to be defeated German tribes,

when do people recognize they've been beaten?

It's a good question. I mean,

the NHS is a strange animal in Britain because people have this very emotional connection to it,

despite the fact that it is ultimately just a government health care program. And, you know,

so I think that the big question has been what was labor going to do to fix it? Because, you know, politically you do need a Nixon and China moment with the NHS. Voters

have shown that they do not trust the, you know, formerly governing conservative party to reform

it. So the question has been whether the Labor Party government, who voters do trust with the

NHS, whether they can reform it.

And so far, what you're seeing is a lot of tap dancing around the issues and promises

to throw a bit more money added and administer it more competently.

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