Ukip's Paul Nuttall confirms he wants to privatise NHS, despite party's stance

Paul Nuttall, the newly elected leader of the UK Independence Party (Ukip), has confirmed that he is in favour of privatising the NHS, despite his party's stance on the subject.

Appearing on the BBC's Andrew Marr Show, Nuttall was questioned about a series of statements he made prior to becoming the Ukip leader in which he called the health service "a monolithic hangover from days gone by", "not fit for purpose" and a system which needs replacing for a more free-market approach.

The leader to replace Nigel Farage appeared on the Sunday (4 December) political show to fight his case for why Ukip is a valid alternative for heartland Labour Party voters, but did not say whether he still holds those views which are antithetical to traditional British leftist views.

However, Nuttall did say the debate whether to privatise the NHS would not be happening under his leadership.

He said: "I made it clear. We are an ageing population – we're a growing population as well. At some point, in this century, years on, we may well have to have a debate about how we fund the NHS in this country.

"But I want to make it clear, under my leadership will be committed to putting more money into the NHS, but onto the front line; into nurses, into doctors, into midwives."

Nuttall also dismissed reports he had faked his CV, blaming his "researcher" for dubious claims he holds a PhD and once played professional football for Tranmere Rovers.

He was forced to make the denials after a LinkedIn page in Nuttall's name contained the information was uncovered by the Mail on Sunday.

Nuttall said: "I've never claimed I've got a PhD. It's not on my website.

"It's on a LinkedIn page that wasn't put up by us and we don't know where it's come from."

About the erroneous fact he was a Tranmere Rovers professional, Nuttall said: "I played for five years for Tranmere Rovers as a schoolboy and a youth team player – I have never claimed I was a professional player.

"It was one press release in 2010, put out by a press officer, who knows nothing about football."