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Tories can be trusted like ‘GPs after Shipman’, says Conservative by-election hopeful

Tories can be trusted like ‘GPs after Shipman’, says Conservative by-election hopeful

A Conservative election candidate has said that voters should still trust the scandal-hit Tory party in the same way they ‘still trust GPs’ despite serial killer GP Dr Harold Shipman.

Nadeem Ahmed made the comments when speaking to The Telegraph in reference to the jailing of disgraced former MP Imran Ahmad Khan, who he is running to replace.

Mr Ahmed is standing as the Conservative candidate in the 23 June Wakefield by-election, which was triggered after Mr Khan was convicted of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old boy.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Mr Ahmed said the Conservative party do not deserve to lose the election as a result of the actions of ‘one bad apple’.

He said: ‘He’s in prison, which is the right place. As a teacher, a father and as a human being, what he did was wrong.

‘He’s been convicted of that offence and I cannot stand here and say that was right. It was absolutely disgusting. And the people of Wakefield know that he was one bad apple.’

Mr Ahmed went on to compare Mr Khan to Dr Shipman, who died in Wakefield prison in 2004.

He said: ‘He was a GP – a trusted professional, like teachers and others.

‘When they put a vaccine in our arms, we trust what they are putting in us. Have we stopped trusting GPs? No, we still trust GPs and we know that he was one bad apple in there.’

In 2000, Dr Shipman was found responsible for a number of premature deaths and jailed for life.

A later enquiry estimated that he murdered more than 200 of his elderly patients by administering massive doses of diamorphine. 

Nottingham GP partner Dr Irfan Malik reacted with dismay to the comparison.

It comes as Boris Johnson this month said he will focus on cutting NHS waiting times after winning a no-confidence vote from his party.

The vote about Mr Johnson’s future as Prime Minister was triggered after a sufficient number of Tory MPs expressed their loss of confidence following the ‘Partygate’ scandal, which saw Mr Johnson attend drinks gatherings at Number 10 Downing Street during Covid lockdowns.


          

READERS' COMMENTS [7]

Please note, only GPs are permitted to add comments to articles

Patrufini Duffy 17 June, 2022 5:34 pm

Er, I think you have a bountiful and crate load of “bad apple” politicians and cover-up. Let’s start with the boss Bojo.
Comedy.

Bonglim Bong 17 June, 2022 6:16 pm

I don’t think that all the conservative politicians are as bad as former MP Imran Ahmad Khan. But they do have a slippery, totally dishonest and law-breaking leader of the Conservative party – and the MPs had the opportunity to vote on whether that was acceptable, and the majority of them said…. yeah that’s fine.

Slobber Dog 17 June, 2022 8:17 pm

Where do they get them from.

Vinci Ho 19 June, 2022 1:51 pm

Seriously ? 😳🤔👿
Use us , GPs as a easy ticket to sell his party for the sake of winning voters over
This act , in itself , is disgraceful, duplicitous and denigrating. Plus the fact that GPs essentially do not have any political power , whatsoever .
The desperation to save the Tory party which is currently totally broken , is unbelievable and laughable 😆🤣😂

David Church 20 June, 2022 1:42 pm

One might fairly compare a single bad politician, like IAK, to a ‘single bad GP’ ie Harold Shipman; but you cannot stand up now and say that IAK is the ONLY dishonest and denagerous politician having inappropriate sexual relations – it is much more common, and the party is welcoming dishonesty and lack of integrity. That is completely different!

Andrew F 22 June, 2022 11:19 pm

As seekers of popularity, politicians just cannot bare the fact that repeated public surveys find doctors to be the most trusted professionals, and politicians the least.

No Mr Ahmed, publicly smearing GPs by reminding us about Shipman is not going to win you favour, or change the situation.

David Jarvis 23 June, 2022 5:59 pm

But surely they need annuall appraisal 360 feedback a strengthened regulator that produces unpredictable outcomes and more oversight like what GP’s needed after Shipman.