Let’s form a cross party coalition alliance to save NHS from the Health Bill

Andrew George, Liberal Democrat Member of the Commons Health Select Committee and consistent critic of the Government’s Health Bill, is calling upon Conservative Cabinet Ministers and Backbenchers to form a Coalition Alliance to save the NHS from the Health Bill.

Mr George used Prime Minister’s Questions on 18th January 2012 to call on David Cameron to scrap the Bill and go back to the Coalition Agreement. Although the Health Bill is proceeding through further stages of debate in the House of Lords in the coming weeks, there are growing signs of unease and a strong sense that the Bill is likely to damage the NHS, and hence the reputation of the Coalition Government.

Mr George said: “Two thirds of Liberal Democrat Backbenchers rebelled on the Health Bill before it was passed to the House of Lords. Although some are resigned that it can’t be stopped, there remain others who believe that the responsible thing is to maintain the campaign to try to stop the Bill as it will do untold damage to the NHS.

“Of course, I acknowledge that stopping the Bill will be disruptive as well. But not as disruptive nor as catastrophic as allowing the Bill to carry on. Clearly, there is understandable restiveness even on the Tory benches. Hence the instruction to the Conservative social networking site to advance a campaign to have it stopped. Although it is very late in the day, I very much appreciate this clear sign of Conservative support for the campaign of some Liberal Democrat MPs to stop this destructive Bill.

“The fact is that we run the risk of creating a health service which is driven more by private profit than by concern for patient care.”

 

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