Boris Johnson sides with Nigel Farage on issue of English-speaking NHS workers
London Mayor made remarks, calling the healthcare workers unable to speak English 'completely wrong', during a phone-in question and answer session
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Boris Johnson has rubbished the “multi-culti, balkanisation” of London society as a “disastrous” approach that has led to some NHS health workers being unable to speak English.
The Mayor of London remarks follow those made by Ukip leader Nigel Farage yesterday when Mr Farage said that health workers who “cannot speak English properly” should not be employed by the NHS.
Mr Johnson said he “passionately” agreed with a caller regarding the issue of healthcare professionals speaking English during a phone-in questions session on LBC radio.
“It’s a huge wasted opportunity for them and I think everybody in this country – particularly those working in our public services – should speak English.”
“I’m amazed by reports that people cannot make them understood in English to people working in the NHS – to me that is completely wrong,” Mr Johnson added.
The London Mayor, who announced last year he intends to run for parliament in the next general election, went on to say that migrants should learn to speak the language spoken on these lands for “getting on a thousand years.”
He claimed: “I think we went through a long period in Britain having a multi-culti, balkanisation of our society and we thought it was a very good idea to teach kids in their own language in primary school classes in London.
“I think that’s a disastrous approach.”
Mr Johnson, who studied Classics at Oxford University, went on to claim that: “It [English] is not a difficult language… English is unbelievably easy to get the hang of.”
He was careful to say that he did not suggest “punitive” measures for those that did not learn, but stressed it was a “wasted opportunity” for families in “Tower Hamlets or places like that” who did not speak English, despite having lived in the capital for decades.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments