Sir Rod Stewart says Government should ‘stand down to give Labour a go’

Sir Rod Stewart today used a TV phone-in show to reveal he’s abandoned his ‘long time’ support for the Tories and demand Labour be given ‘a go’ at running the country.

The rock and pop icon made a surprise call to a Sky News debate on the NHS crisis during which he condemned the ‘heartbreaking’ state of the health service.

The 78-year-old claimed it was a ‘bad time’ for Great Britain and said it was ‘ridiculous’ that NHS patients are ‘dying because they can’t get scans’.

He even offered to personally pay for 10 or 20 hospital scans for NHS patients after the TV news channel had earlier heard from those experiencing long waits for treatment.

Sir Rod Stewart made a surprise call to a Sky News debate on the NHS crisis during which he condemned the ‘heartbreaking’ state of the health service

The 78-year-old claimed it was a ‘bad time’ for Great Britain and said it was ‘ridiculous’ that NHS patients are ‘dying because they can’t get scans’

Sir Rod revealed he was prompted to call in to the programme after attending a private clinic himself yesterday that was ’empty’.

‘This is ridiculous, I would like to pay for 10 or 20 scans – I don’t know how we’re going to work this out – and hopefully some other people will follow,’ he said.

‘Because it seems ridiculous that this particular scanning clinic was empty and there are people dying because they can’t get scans.

‘I don’t need the publicity, I just want to do some good things and this, I think is a good thing. And if other people follow me, I would love it.’

Sir Rod suggested the current crisis in the NHS had persuaded him to change his political support.

Asked about recent strikes by NHS workers over a pay dispute, Sir Rod 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 heartbreaking for the nurses, it really is heartbreaking. In all my years of living in this country, I’ve never seen it so bad. Go on the nurses, I’m on your side!’

He added: ‘This is a bad time for us in Great Britain, it really is – change the bloody government!’

Sir Rod, who has previously battled prostate cancer, told the programme he has private healthcare because he has ‘a few shillings’.

He called for the NHS to be ‘rebuilt’ with ‘billions and billions’ of pounds amid the current pressures on hospitals, adding: ‘That’s the only way we’re going to get round it.’

Responding to Sir Rod’s comments, Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner said: ‘I agree with Sir Rod Stewart.’

Sir Rod, who has had six number one hits in the UK charts, had previously hinted at his political leanings on the morning after the 2019 general election when he posted on Twitter: ‘Well done Boris.’

His tweet prompted a backlash from some fans of Celtic, the Glasgow football club that Sir Rod has been a long-time supporter of.

Prior to that year’s election, Sir Rod had predicted that Boris Johnson would ‘sort it out’ amid the ‘muddle’ over Brexit, although he revealed he was ‘still a Remainer’.