News from The Labour Party

Tory talk of progressive politics a cover for deep, wide and immediate cuts

Andy Burnham MP, Labour’s Health Secretary said in response to George Osborne comments today:

“George Osborne’s talk of progressive politics is vacuous. There is nothing to back it up. It’s designed to cover up the Conservatives’ plans for deep, wide and immediate cuts to public services – and their opposition to Labour’s public service reforms for the future.

“The Conservatives can’t get away from the fact they would cut £5 billion from public services right now. George Osborne needs to explain what is progressive about his priority for a £200,000 tax giveaway to a few thousand of the richest estates. And why he’s willing to cut public services to pay for his ‘queue’ of tax cuts for the highest earners.

“George Osborne can’t claim the mantle of reform when the Tories want to drop guarantees for patients on NHS waiting times, oppose tough measures on welfare reform and would reverse all the recent progress on making GPs open at times to suit patients.”

Other news from The Labour Party

• Miliband tells Cameron: Save 6,000 nurses by abandoning NHS reorganisation now - 5 February 2012
• "We need what you might call 'one nation banking'" - 3 February 2012
• Burnham: "Mental health must move from the edges to the centre of the NHS" - 31 January 2012