Sir Rod Stewart tore into the Government over the state of the NHS, telling the Conservatives to make way for the Labour party as he demanded it was time to 'change the bloody Government.'
The 78-year-old musician was an unexpected caller to Sky News on Thursday (January 26) where he offered to pay for scans for people stuck on waiting lists, as he announced his support for the nurses who are going on strike.
During the call in, Stewart said that NHS workers 'aren't asking for a great deal' and said it was time to 'change the bloody Government', reports the Mirror.
READ MORE Tiny Manchester restaurant in an old railway arch named in Michelin Guide
He said: "I personally have been a Tory for a long time, but I think this Government should stand down now and give the Labour Party a go at it because this is heart-breaking for the nurses, it really is heart-breaking.
"In all my years of living in this country I’ve never seen it so bad and anything I can do to help. Go on, the nurses. I’m on your side.”
Sir Rod, who said he was able to pay for his family to get private healthcare, said the NHS needed to be rebuilt with 'billions and billions' of pounds. "This is a bad time," he said. "Change the bloody Government."
He added it was 'ridiculous' that so many people were waiting for care and described how he visited a private clinic yesterday for his yearly scan where they only had 'a couple of customers'.
"I would like to pay for 10 or 20 scans. I don't know how we're going to work this but hopefully some other people will follow," he said.
"It seems ridiculous that this particular scanning clinic was empty and there are people dying because they cannot get scans. Now listen to me, I don't need the publicity, I just want to do some good things and this, I think is a good thing. If other people follow me, I'd love it."
He said he had been listening to sad stories from callers on Sky News while he was working on his model railway, as he added: "I'm so proud to be British and I can't stand it being this way."
The unexpected intervention comes as health unions gear up for the biggest staff walkout in NHS history on February 6, when nurses and ambulance crews will down tools at the same time.
Read more of today's top stories here
READ NEXT:
- Woman died after developing hypothermia - she told her GP she 'couldn't afford heating'
- First glimpse inside Manchester Airport's planned new T2 with 27 shops, bars and restaurants
- A 14-year-old girl has been stabbed at Parrs Wood High School - a teenage boy has been arrested
- Woman fuming after partner, 48, refused entry from Manchester city centre bar for being 'too old'
- The North calls for levelling up to be ‘hard-wired' into UK law ahead of major Manchester conference
