Therese Coffey has admitted she is “not the role model” when it comes to her personal health after being questioned about her weight and smoking.
In an interview with LBC’s Nick Ferrari, the new Health Secretary was asked about her own smoking and drinking habits as well as whether she could “could possibly do with losing a pound or two”.
Ms Coffey responded: “My focus is on how we deliver for patients and I appreciate I may not be the role model, but I am sure that the Chief Medical Officer and others will continue to be role models in that regard and I will do my best as well.”
She added: “I will probably get all sorts of comments, Nick, but nevertheless, on a more serious matter, I have been a patient of the NHS too and have had some brilliant experiences and I have had some experiences where it could have been better. My focus is on patients and that is what I will be making sure the department focuses on too.”
The admission comes as the British Pregnancy Advisory Service called her record on abortion rights “deeply concerning”.
Ms Coffey, a Catholic, has previously voted against making at-home abortion pills permanently available in England and Wales, after the measure was introduced to improve access during the pandemic.
When asked about her views, Ms Coffey has said she is not seeking to undo any aspects of abortion laws.
“I’m conscious I have voted against abortion laws,” she told Sky News.
“What I will say is I’m the complete democrat and that is done, so it’s not that I’m seeking to undo any aspects of abortion laws.”
**Voted against same-sex marriage**
She has previously spoken out against abortion based on her religious views, admitting that she would “prefer that people didn’t have abortions but I am not going to condemn people that do”.
Ms Coffey also voted against same-sex marriage in 2013 and extending abortion rights in Northern Ireland.
As a backbencher in 2010, Ms Coffey introduced a motion in Parliament that called for “mental health assessments” for women seeking an abortion.
Clare Murphy, chief executive of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, told the BBC the UK should be “a beacon for women’s reproductive choice”, especially after the repeal of Roe v Wade in the US.
“We need a health secretary who wants to improve access to a medical procedure that one in three women will need in their lifetime, not impose further restrictions.”
She’s an absolutely horrid, ghastly, grotesque human being.
But that has nothing to do with how she looks.
Health Secretary doesn’t require the bearer of the title be an decathlon champion. It’s all about funding and distribution, basically.
Is Therese a cunt who deserves severe scrutiny? 100%. But it has nothing to do with how she looks. And we shouldn’t be resorting to that.
Who’s deciding to smoke or not smoke based on the personal choices of the health secretary? She does sound awful though.
She’s a manager not a health model these headlines are just barf
Glad to see everyone here (so far) agreeing that these attacks are not on.
They have literally put a person named ‘re-smog’ as energy secretary. This is all a giant fuck you.
In all fairness we can’t mock her for appearance. I remember about 8 years ago in Belgium, Maggie de Flock was appointed Minister of Social Affairs and Health. She’s obese, far more than Therese.
That said, the comparison ends there. Maggie is a qualified physician (yes, politicians can be qualified for a role unlike what happens here). She was incredibly popular in Belgium and they’re pretty divided in a lot of things given their North/South divide. Her response to criticism was very good as well.
Attacking Therese for looks is cheap. Focusing on how she’s grossly unqualified for the role should be the focus, unless holding a chemistry degree is enough to make you an expert in healthcare.
What’s sad is professionally she should be good for the role. Her position in Mars Inc. suggests she should be good at sourcing and finance. However, principally she’s abhorrent. The party she represents doesn’t care and it’s survival of the fittest and richest. That’s another thing to focus on.
I too think that we should appoint a flat-earther as Science minister or an oil baron as climate change minister…
Therese is the poster child for “how not to be” when it comes to health. I see what the Tories are going for here.
Don’t see how it’s relevant to her job if she has one too many fag breaks and too many chips, if I’m being honest.
There’s a middle ground between making an athlete Health Secretary and someone obscenely unhealthy. A very visibly obviously unfit individual should not be the person in charge of the entire country’s health. It’s absurd.
Ugly fat heffer. 50 years of age.. A disgraceful look for a HEALTH secretary.
I went to school with her. Her dad was the headteacher.
>’I’m not a role model’
A thousand bag ladies might disagree.
Though it would be better to concentrate on what an utterly awful human being she is. Even my rabidly Tory friends who live in her constituency detest her.
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Therese Coffey has admitted she is “not the role model” when it comes to her personal health after being questioned about her weight and smoking.
In an interview with LBC’s Nick Ferrari, the new Health Secretary was asked about her own smoking and drinking habits as well as whether she could “could possibly do with losing a pound or two”.
Ms Coffey responded: “My focus is on how we deliver for patients and I appreciate I may not be the role model, but I am sure that the Chief Medical Officer and others will continue to be role models in that regard and I will do my best as well.”
She added: “I will probably get all sorts of comments, Nick, but nevertheless, on a more serious matter, I have been a patient of the NHS too and have had some brilliant experiences and I have had some experiences where it could have been better. My focus is on patients and that is what I will be making sure the department focuses on too.”
The admission comes as the British Pregnancy Advisory Service called her record on abortion rights “deeply concerning”.
Ms Coffey, a Catholic, has previously voted against making at-home abortion pills permanently available in England and Wales, after the measure was introduced to improve access during the pandemic.
When asked about her views, Ms Coffey has said she is not seeking to undo any aspects of abortion laws.
“I’m conscious I have voted against abortion laws,” she told Sky News.
“What I will say is I’m the complete democrat and that is done, so it’s not that I’m seeking to undo any aspects of abortion laws.”
**Voted against same-sex marriage**
She has previously spoken out against abortion based on her religious views, admitting that she would “prefer that people didn’t have abortions but I am not going to condemn people that do”.
Ms Coffey also voted against same-sex marriage in 2013 and extending abortion rights in Northern Ireland.
As a backbencher in 2010, Ms Coffey introduced a motion in Parliament that called for “mental health assessments” for women seeking an abortion.
Clare Murphy, chief executive of the British Pregnancy Advisory Service, told the BBC the UK should be “a beacon for women’s reproductive choice”, especially after the repeal of Roe v Wade in the US.
“We need a health secretary who wants to improve access to a medical procedure that one in three women will need in their lifetime, not impose further restrictions.”
She’s an absolutely horrid, ghastly, grotesque human being.
But that has nothing to do with how she looks.
Health Secretary doesn’t require the bearer of the title be an decathlon champion. It’s all about funding and distribution, basically.
Is Therese a cunt who deserves severe scrutiny? 100%. But it has nothing to do with how she looks. And we shouldn’t be resorting to that.
Who’s deciding to smoke or not smoke based on the personal choices of the health secretary? She does sound awful though.
She’s a manager not a health model these headlines are just barf
Glad to see everyone here (so far) agreeing that these attacks are not on.
They have literally put a person named ‘re-smog’ as energy secretary. This is all a giant fuck you.
In all fairness we can’t mock her for appearance. I remember about 8 years ago in Belgium, Maggie de Flock was appointed Minister of Social Affairs and Health. She’s obese, far more than Therese.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maggie_De_Block
That said, the comparison ends there. Maggie is a qualified physician (yes, politicians can be qualified for a role unlike what happens here). She was incredibly popular in Belgium and they’re pretty divided in a lot of things given their North/South divide. Her response to criticism was very good as well.
Attacking Therese for looks is cheap. Focusing on how she’s grossly unqualified for the role should be the focus, unless holding a chemistry degree is enough to make you an expert in healthcare.
What’s sad is professionally she should be good for the role. Her position in Mars Inc. suggests she should be good at sourcing and finance. However, principally she’s abhorrent. The party she represents doesn’t care and it’s survival of the fittest and richest. That’s another thing to focus on.
I too think that we should appoint a flat-earther as Science minister or an oil baron as climate change minister…
Therese is the poster child for “how not to be” when it comes to health. I see what the Tories are going for here.
Don’t see how it’s relevant to her job if she has one too many fag breaks and too many chips, if I’m being honest.
There’s a middle ground between making an athlete Health Secretary and someone obscenely unhealthy. A very visibly obviously unfit individual should not be the person in charge of the entire country’s health. It’s absurd.
Ugly fat heffer. 50 years of age.. A disgraceful look for a HEALTH secretary.
I went to school with her. Her dad was the headteacher.
>’I’m not a role model’
A thousand bag ladies might disagree.
Though it would be better to concentrate on what an utterly awful human being she is. Even my rabidly Tory friends who live in her constituency detest her.