Lib Dems: break up the NHS and charge people for GP visits

(not satire – it’s the Lib Dems!)

I’m not sure why so many people are surprised that the Lib Dems so readily agreed to the Tory’s plans to break up and privatise the NHS.

Because their leaders have been talking about it for years.

Here are three historic quotes from senior Liberal Democrat figures on the ‘need’ to break up and privatise the NHS:

Lib Dem government minister David Laws said the NHS should be broken up because it would mean:

“Greater choice and competition for patients, better funding and health outcomes.”

Lib Dem peer Dame Shirley Williams said people should pay to visit their GPs because:

“the French I think charge something equivalent to £5 per appointment. It might get people to value the service.”

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg also said the NHS should be broken up because:

“I think breaking up the NHS is exactly what you do need to do to make it a more responsive service.”

There are also quite a few senior Liberal Democrat MPs who have financial links to private health firms:

Menzies Campbell MP – former leader: Non-executive director of Scottish American Investment Company plc, which took over care homes when Southern Cross collapsed.

Vince Cable MP – Business Secretary: Received a donation of £2,000 from Chartwell Care Services, which is 100% owned by Chartwell Health & Care PLC. It also owns Chartwell Private Hospitals plc, which provide day case surgery to NHS patients.

Nick Clegg MP – Deputy Prime Minister: Received a donation to his constituency office for £5,000 from Alpha Medical Consultancy.

Simon Hughes MP – Justice Minister: Received £60,000 donation to his constituency party from the founder of Alpha Hospitals, a private hospital firm.

Sir Robert Smith MP: Has shares in pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline.

Jo Swinson MP – Business Minister: Received a donation of £2,000 September 2013 from private optician firm, Peter Ivins Eye Care.

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Don’t let Clegg and co fool you now there’s an election coming up.

The truth is that the Liberal Democrats have always been fans of the so-called ‘marketisation’ and privatisation of the NHS.

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