News from Labour Matters

Prime Minister joins show of support for NHS after Tory attack

The on-going row in the US about President Obama’s healthcare reforms, and the intervention in that debate by Tory MEP Dan Hannan, has today resulted in a spontaneous display of support for the NHS on Twitter.

Hundreds of people are giving their reasons for backing the NHS, making #welovethenhs a top topic on Twitter today. It hasn’t gone unnoticed either, with first Sarah Brown joining in and then Downing Street relaying the Prime Minister’s support, saying:

“PM:NHS often makes the difference between pain and comfort, despair and hope, life and death. Thanks for always being there #welovetheNHS”

Claims made by right-wing opponents of Obama’s health reforms have become more and more shrill and desperate recently, with one magazine writing:

“People such as scientist Stephen Hawking wouldn’t have a chance in the U.K., where the National Health Service would say the life of this brilliant man, because of his physical handicaps, is essentially worthless.”

But Professor Hawking, who has motor neurone disease, has hit back, telling The Guardian:

“I wouldn’t be here today if it were not for the NHS… I have received a large amount of high-quality treatment without which I would not have survived.”

Read Twitter real-time messages using #welovethenhs.

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