Covid rebuilding a ‘1948 moment’

THE UK can have a “1948 moment” in rebuilding the country after the Covid-19 pandemic, according to Jeremy Hunt.

The Conservative former health secretary suggested the crisis could provide an opportunity for the country to reform in a similar way to Clement Attlee’s Labour government after the Second World War.

Mr Hunt, MP for South West Surrey, also said Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is a threat to his party at Westminster.

Speaking on Sky News’ Sophy Ridge programme, he said: “I think he [Sir Keir] is a very serious threat, a much bigger threat than we’ve had for many years, indeed since Tony Blair, I would definitely say that, yes.

“On the other hand, this could be a very exciting period for this country and if you look at what is, I think, generally recognised as the most successful Labour government since the war, the Attlee government, they were running the country in a period after a great crisis, the second World War.

“They showed enormous imagination in the setting-up of the NHS in 1948. I think we could turn this into a 1948 moment for the country as we come out of this crisis by completely reforming the social care system.”