I inject five times a day for diabetes but it will never hold me back, says May
PM discloses that insulin regime is more severe than previously known as she hints at more cash for NHS
THERESA MAY has revealed that she injects herself with insulin up to five times a day to treat her diabetes.
The Prime Minister suffers from type one diabetes and urged fellow sufferers not to allow the illness to hold them back from doing what they want in life.
In a 45-minute question and answer session broadcast on the internet, hinted that the Conservatives will commit more cash for the National Health Service in its manifesto this week.
Mrs May refused to comment on whether she would rule out ending free bus passes for pensioners and the disabled. However, The Daily Telegraph understands the commitment will be renewed.
She discussed her views on a range of issues from fox hunting, being a victim of fake news on social media, benefits cuts and what women should wear in the workplace.
Mrs May has previously disclosed that she had to inject herself discreetly in the stomach with insulin, four times a day following her diagnosis in 2012.
Asked by a fellow diabetes patient about her own experience of the illness, Mrs May said: “I am a type one diabetic. That means when I eat, I have to inject insulin, which I do.
“I will be injecting myself four or five times a day... You just get into a routine. You depend on that insulin and you just build that routine into your daily life. The crucial thing to me is being a diabetic doesn’t stop you from doing anything.”
Mrs May left the door open for committing more cash for the NHS, above the £10billion already being spent between 2015 and 2020.
Mrs May said the party’s spending plans in the NHS would be made clear in the manifesto later this week. She said: “Overall in the five years from 2015 to 2020 we are spending half a trillion pounds on the NHS. So as well as extra money going into the NHS we need to make sure we are spending is being spent as effectively as possible with an absolute focus on patient care.”
Around 40,000 questions were submitted by Facebook users and selected by Robert Peston, the political editor of ITV News. A counter on the website suggested that 400,000 people logged on for at least part of the event, with up to 15,000 people watching at any particular point. Users fired off 9,900 “angry
‘You depend on that insulin and you build that routine into your daily life. It doesn’t stop you doing anything’
face” emojis during the webcast, compared with 4,300 “thumbs-ups” and 1,200 heart-shaped “likes”.
During the session, Mrs May disclosed she had been the subject of “fake news” claims circulating on social media during last year’s Tory leadership contest. “We started to see some pretty nasty videos being sent round about me,” she said.
“I didn’t actually see any of them but I’m told it was in the realms of claims that weren’t accurate. So it is a concern. But social media does bring huge benefits as well.” The Conservative leader also defended benefit cuts insisting that reforms to Personal Independence Payments were “part of trying to ensure that we focus payments on those who most need it, those who are most vulnerable”.
Mrs May reaffirmed her support for a free vote in Parliament on restoring fox hunting, although she said she had never participated herself. “I have never been fox hunting,” she said.
Mrs May also confirmed if she was re-elected on June 8 she would serve a full term as Prime Minister and would see through the Brexit negotiations.
“If I am elected I will certainly serve my full term. I am pretty certain it (Brexit) can be done in those two years. A new parliament will take us through to 2022 which is three years beyond the 2019 and I will be around.”
Mrs May said she did not mind comments about her fashion sense. She said: “What I would hope for women out there, be it getting into politics or in business or the workplace generally, is be yourself. Obviously there is some employment where you have to wear a particular uniform, but generally don’t be afraid to be yourself.”
Mrs May was confronted by a questioner demanding to know why former Ukip leader Nigel Farage had not been given a knighthood. Mrs May laughed but did not reply.