Boris Johnson says he’s given up booze until Brexit is done – hours after drinking whisky
BORIS Johnson vowed to give up booze until Brexit is done – hours after drinking whisky on the campaign trail.
The PM enjoyed a taster session at a distillery in Elgin yesterday afternoon and made his sober pledge to nurses in the East Midlands this morning.
WHISKY BUSINESS
Mr Johnson asked them to tell him more about the area, noting: "Someone said there's a lot of first-time mums who are smoking or something like that. Is that right?"
The PM was told a lot of people smoke in Ashfield before he switched his attention to vaping, saying: "I'm not certain about it. It might just encourage them to get into nicotine."
He then asked "what about alcohol?" before adding: "I've had to give it up until we get Brexit done."
What about alcohol? I've had to give it up until Brexit is done.
Boris Johnson
Mr Johnson did not clarify whether he meant the first phase of Brexit by the end of January 2020 or the end of the transition period in December next year.
Boris was speaking at Kings Hill Hospital in Sutton-in-Ashfield where he as promised a fast track “NHS visa” for overseas doctors under new immigration plans to solve the health service’s staff crisis.
Under the new scheme medical staff hoping to work in the UK will have their application whizzed through in just two weeks – with the visa fee half the normal price.
The proposals are part of Mr Johnson’s blueprint for an Australian points-based immigration system after Brexit – and was made to tackle concerns the NHS could struggle to attract staff.
Boris also rubbished claims made by Labour that the NHS would be up for grabs in his Brexit deal.
Jeremy Corbyn had suggested that government officials had secret meetings with US pharmaceutical companies about how the NHS could be open to a trans-Atlantic market.
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Asked if he would legislate to protect the NHS from US intervention, the PM told reporters: "We can do free trade deals with countries around the world but under us the NHS is not for sale. It's not going to be on any kind of international trade negotiation.
"This is pure Loch Ness Monster, Bermuda Triangle stuff.
"The NHS, free at the point of use, is a fantastic service and we not only believe in it, but are investing more in it than at any time in recent memory and we'll continue to do so."
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