News from Plymouth Labour

Plymouth Labour pledges to fight NHS reforms as battles moves to the Lords

Plymouth’s two Conservative MPs voted for controversial plans to break up the NHS last week. Today, Plymouth Labour pledges to take the fight to the House of Lords as the controversial Health and Social Care Bill passes its Commons stages in Parliament.

Councillor Tudor Evans, Leader of the Labour Group on Plymouth City Council said: “Let every voter in Plymouth know that our two Tory MPs voted to break up the NHS. They didn’t vote for better healthcare at Derriford, for more doctors or more nurses. They voted to inject more private healthcare companies into the health service and begin the break up of the NHS.”

Councillor Sue MacDonald, Labour’s health spokesperson on the Council, said: “I wonder how many people know what is already happening at our local hospital. I am concerned that from October staff start transferring from being employed by the NHS to being employed by a company limited by guarantee. The break up of the NHS has already begun thanks to this Government’s health reforms and we have to stop it before it is too late.”

Labour’s Alison Seabeck, MP for Plymouth Moorview, who spoke in the Commons debate raising concerns voiced by constituents and who voted against the Health and Social Care Bill said: “Plymouth does not need private companies taking profit out of the NHS. We need further investment in facilities, drugs and the superb doctors and nurses who do so much for everyone in Plymouth. These reforms will mean less money for patients and more for shareholders of private healthcare companies.”

Plymouth Labour is joining the TUC’s Adopt a Peer scheme and is encouraging its members to adopt a peer and lobby Members of Parliament’s Upper House directly.

Tudor Evans added: “Members of the Lords do not represent geographical constituencies like MPs do so we are allocating Lords and Ladies for people to lobby directly. It has never been done before like this but with the NHS’ future at stake, we will do everything we can do stop the break up of our health service.”

Other news from Plymouth Labour

• Pasty Tax U-turn a victory for the Westcountry against out of touch Tories - 28 May 2012
• Jobs and the economy will be top priority for a Labour Council in Plymouth - 25 April 2012
• Now the Tories choose to hammer the South West - 22 April 2012