British rock singer Sir Rod Stewart made a surprise phone call to a live Sky News programme on Thursday to lambast the "ridiculous" state of the National Health Service, urge the government to stand down and give the opposition Labour Party a chance.
Stewart, known for hits including Maggie May and Sailing, called in to a Sky News programme that had been taking calls from members of the public about the crisis in the NHS.
"This is heartbreaking for the nurses," he said. "It really is heartbreaking. In all my years of living in this country, I've never seen it so bad."
The state-funded NHS, until recently a source of pride for many Britons, is under severe strain after years of underinvestment and the fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic, prompting nurses and other staff to take unprecedented strike action.
"I think this government should stand down now, and give the Labour Party a go at it," said Stewart, 78, noting that he had been a Conservative for a long time.
Recent opinion polls have given Labour a strong lead over the Conservatives after a year in which the party removed two prime ministers and Britons struggled with a crisis in the cost of living.
The party has been in power since 2010.
Stewart also said it was "ridiculous" that he had checked into an empty private clinic for a health scan on Wednesday when there were so many other patients "dying because they cannot get scans"
He then offered to pay for 10 or 20 health scans for members of the public and hoped others who could do so would follow his lead.
"I don't need the publicity. I just want to do some good things," he said, before ending the call by singing the opening lyrics to Maggie May.
"Wake up Maggie, I think I've got something to say to you," he sang in his trademark raspy voice.
Brief scores:
Manchester United 4
Young 13', Mata 28', Lukaku 42', Rashford 82'
Fulham 1
Kamara 67' (pen),
Red card: Anguissa (68')
Man of the match: Juan Mata (Man Utd)
Off-roading in the UAE: How to checklist
Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
Origin
Dan Brown
Doubleday
About Takalam
Date started: early 2020
Founders: Khawla Hammad and Inas Abu Shashieh
Based: Abu Dhabi
Sector: HealthTech and wellness
Number of staff: 4
Funding to date: Bootstrapped
Company%20profile
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The specs
Engine: 2.3-litre, turbo four-cylinder
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Power: 300hp
Torque: 420Nm
Price: Dh189,900
On sale: now
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
DRIVERS' CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS
1. Sebastian Vettel (Ferrari) 171 points
2. Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP) 151
3. Valtteri Bottas (Mercedes-GP) 136
4. Daniel Ricciardo (Red Bull Racing) 107
5. Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari) 83
6. Sergio Perez (Force India) 50
7. Max Verstappen (Red Bull Racing) 45
8. Esteban Ocon (Force India) 39
9. Carlos Sainz (Torro Rosso) 29
10. Felipe Massa (Williams) 22
Result
Arsenal 4
Monreal (51'), Ramsey (82'), Lacazette 85', 89')
West Ham United 1
Arnautovic (64')
Company%C2%A0profile
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