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Rupert Murdoch and the jab - what ?!?

(55 Posts)
biba70 Sat 19-Dec-20 14:09:01

Australian born USA citizen- is he officially resident and tax payer in the UK?

Whitewavemark2 Sat 19-Dec-20 14:15:59

God knows, but from someone who has constantly trashed the NHS he’s has a bloody cheek imo

Riverwalk Sat 19-Dec-20 14:26:06

I expect like a lot of very rich people he also has an NHS GP in the mix - so if he's in the UK and his practice called him, on account of his age, then he is entitled to the vaccine.

MaizieD Sat 19-Dec-20 14:53:29

I hope he pays the NHS premium that non UK nationals are charged...

biba70 Sat 19-Dec-20 14:59:44

Riverwalk- not if he is a USA resident- aka an illegal immigrant. He cannot be treated under the NHS unless he is a legal resident and tax payer.

biba70 Sat 19-Dec-20 15:00:58

So he could be treated by a UK GP as a private patient- but he would not be entitled to NHS vaccines, operations or prescriptions, etc.

Riverwalk Sat 19-Dec-20 15:06:41

I'm afraid you're wrong biba79 - the super rich do things differently.

And being a USA resident doesn't make him an illegal immigrant!

As I said, the super-rich have a different status. In any event, his wife Jerry Hall, is surely a UK citizen by now having been here for around 40 years, so that also give him a certain status.

biba70 Sat 19-Dec-20 15:20:03

NO they do NOT have a different status- not in the eyes of the NHS.

And NO his wife's citizenship is neither here nor there- at all.

Is he, or is he not- 'ordinarily resident and tax payer' in the UK? If not, NO he is NOT entitled to NHS vaccines.

Riverwalk Sat 19-Dec-20 15:34:02

If he is currently in the UK then he's entitled to the vaccine - after all this is a pandemic!

Should we let him catch the virus and take up an ITU bed?

Baggs Sat 19-Dec-20 15:35:13

From ukreuters.com:

"The 89-year-old executive chairman of Wall Street Journal owner News Corp and chairman of Fox News’s Fox Corp received the vaccine at his local doctor’s office in Britain on Wednesday after being told he was eligible, a spokeswoman confirmed on Friday."

So somebody in Britain thinks Murdoch was eligible for the vaccine, it seems.

welbeck Sat 19-Dec-20 15:35:37

i think it is in all our interests for as many people as possible to have the vaccine.
anyone can be infected, and anyone can be a vector to carry and pass infection to the rest of us, pauper or prince is irrelevant in this context.

Baggs Sat 19-Dec-20 15:36:36

I suspect age and UK residence have more to do with his eligibility than anything else, biba.

Casdon Sat 19-Dec-20 15:37:56

I’m not sure why this is an issue as he lives in the U.K., he has residency rights and a U.K. GP?

EllanVannin Sat 19-Dec-20 15:47:52

Illegal immigrants will be vaccinated, it's in our interests.

Baggs Sat 19-Dec-20 15:51:54

Haters love to squawk.

Callistemon Sat 19-Dec-20 15:52:44

I'd rather he was vaccinated than risk catching the virus and passing it on.

He does live here, he hasn't just popped over from overseas to have the vaccine then go again.

Callistemon Sat 19-Dec-20 15:54:51

Added to which, he is a high profile 89 year old, so having the vaccine may encourage others who are reluctant to come forward and have theirs.

Callistemon Sat 19-Dec-20 15:59:34

It is not available privately.
www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/uk-news/you-able-buy-coronavirus-vaccine-19260068
Professor Van-Tam
The deputy chief medical officer for England said he believed a vaccine should be distributed according to clinical priority rather than allowing the wealthy to be able to pay privately to jump the queue.

He told the briefing: “I am a doctor and I have worked in the NHS for many years.

"One of the things I like about the NHS is that it’s there for everybody, irrespective of their level of wealth or who they are in society. That’s a really important principle to me, personally.”
“I am giving you my views as a clinician that I think these vaccines need to be prioritised to those who need them, not those who can afford to pay for them privately.”

I agree with him.

biba70 Sat 19-Dec-20 17:37:07

So do I 100%.

It just grated me, and many many more- that someone like him should be in the first wave of priority for the vaccine- has someone who has done do much to damage this country and to avoid paying taxes here. (unless anyone can tell me that he does indeed pay tax here on his massive fortune).

biba70 Sat 19-Dec-20 17:40:14

He has, apparently, not paid tax in UK since 1988.

biba70 Sat 19-Dec-20 18:59:27

we have such a limited number of jabs for 85 and over - 10s of 1000s will not be getting them- and are at much higher risk than Murdoch living in such privileged circumstances. These over 85s in poor communities and Care Homes are at a much much higher risk of catching Covid, and passing it on.

Lucca Sat 19-Dec-20 19:07:05

If murdoch having the jab encourages any of the “I’m going to wait and see “ brigade then it is fine by me!

Chewbacca Sat 19-Dec-20 19:21:02

That's just one more thing that's great about Great Britain biba; we're making sure that everyone gets the vaccine, whether they're an "illegal immigrant" hmm or not. It's to everyone's benefit, wouldn't you agree?

MawBe Sat 19-Dec-20 19:21:54

biba70

we have such a limited number of jabs for 85 and over - 10s of 1000s will not be getting them- and are at much higher risk than Murdoch living in such privileged circumstances. These over 85s in poor communities and Care Homes are at a much much higher risk of catching Covid, and passing it on.

He is setting an excellent example
"I strongly encourage people around the world to get the vaccine," he is quoted as saying.
Rupert Murdoch, 89, has received his COVID-19 vaccination.
He was vaccinated at his local general practitioner surgery "after he received a call saying he was eligible “ according to a statement provided by a News Corp representative on his behalf. "He has been isolating in the U.K. since the summer, with his wife Jerry Hall.
Murdoch in the statement thanked the National Health Service (NHS), the publicly-funded healthcare system in the United Kingdom
He is eligible, so put your pearls down again and let’s not be insular.

MawBe Sat 19-Dec-20 19:23:06

we have such a limited number of jabs for 85 and over - 10s of 1000s will not be getting them

Do you have evidence for this statement? hmm