News from Welsh Labour

Isherwood branded free prescriptions flip-flopper

A North Wales AM has been a “flip-flopper” for his contradictory views on free prescriptions.

Last year, Mark Isherwood, an Assembly Member for the North Wales region, complained that residents of North Wales, who had GP surgeries or pharmacies in England were being denied free prescriptions.

In April 2008 he told the Flintshire Evening Leader:

“It is unfair that people living in Holt face this problem when people in the rest of Wales receive their prescriptions free.”

But yesterday, during a debate on NHS budget priorities at the Senedd, he backed Tory proposals to abolish universal free prescriptions in Wales.

Car Sargeant, Assembly Member for Flintshire, said:

“Like his fellow Tory colleagues, Mark Isherwood doesn‘t know whether he is coming or going on policy matters.

“It’s absolutely hypocritical of him to moan about North Walian residents not receiving free prescriptions and then a year later pledging his support to get rid of them altogether. He is a complete flip-flopper. It’s a disgrace that him and his colleague want sick people to pay for their medicines.

“The Welsh Conservatives make policy off the hoof and are in no fit state to govern at the Assembly.”