LUKE MARSDEN: 'Bet Gate' scandal is missing the point in election year

Much has been made of Rishi’s now infamous £1,000 bet with Piers Morgan this week but, as ever, we are missing the point.Piers bet the PM in an interview that no flights to Rwanda would leave the Tarmac before the next general election. Rishi was in an impossible situation: if he’d refused the bet he would look out of touch and, dare I use a primary school phrase, a chicken.

They shook hands. Now many want him burned at the stake for betting £1k when many can’t afford to switch the heating on.

This isn’t breaking news when I repeat, he is worth many millions of pounds; £1k to him is like us finding a quid down the back of the sofa.

The point that is being missed with "bet gate” is the fact that we may not actually see the Rwanda flights take off: a policy that most logical people should and many do, get behind.

Illegal migration has fallen this year but not fast enough, we are a small island and our population size is due to reach 75 million+ by 2030, but where will we all go? There are only so many Kilhey Courts in Wigan.

We should be more focused on a conversation around the failed pledge to cut NHS waiting list times.

As documented previously I live with an incurable eye disease called keratoconus. For this I’m supposed to receive regular check-ups at Liverpool’s specialist eye hospital. I’ve not had an appointment in two years!

It is an election year, heck we’ve got local elections coming up in May. Let us focus on the real issues at hand.

Wigan in particular is a literal demolition zone. In this columnist’s opinion our town is in the worst state it has ever been in and I’m willing to bet anyone £10 (I’ve not got Rishi’s bank balance) that we’ll see Rwanda flights in the air before we’ve got our brand spanking new look town centre!