38 Degrees Petition Against Labour Plan to Privatise NHS

I’m going to have to check this story because it adds some worrying details to some of the things Labour has previously said about their plans for the NHS. It appears to be based on a Financial Times story that states that Wes Streeting intends to reform the NHS so that it uses private healthcare companies to cut waiting lists. He’s said this before, but the fear is that this is then end of the wedge towards full privatisation, as he wishes greater private involvement and privatisation. There’s nothing incredible whatsoever about this, unfortunately. Alan Milburn, Tony Blair’s health secretary, wanted the NHS to be reduced to just a kitemark for services provided by private healthcare firms. But Streeting and Labour have previously claimed that they only intend to use private companies to clear the patient backlog. I’ve also had a statement from my local Labour MP, Karin Smyth, stating that she and Labour fully support the NHS as a privatised concern. If Streeting does want to go further than using private companies to clear the backlog and wishes to privatise the NHS as a whole, then it clearly contradicts all that and shows that the Starmer leadership, if not the Labour party itself, has been lying. And if they are going to sell off Britain’s most precious and greatest public institution, then there is absolutely no reason for anyone on the left to vote for them anymore.

‘David, this is a disaster. Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, Wes Streeting, is arguing for MORE privatisation of the NHS today to tackle waiting lists. [1] But we all know that opening up the doors of our NHS to profit hungry private companies could signal the end of the NHS as we know it. [2]

Chronic underfunding by political parties of all stripes has left the NHS weak and vulnerable to being ripped apart by private companies – and it’s patients who end up paying the price. [3] It’s not an accident, but it is an emergency. Fighting for the future of our NHS can feel like an uphill battle but with a General Election on the horizon, we have a real chance for change this year.

Right now, political parties are thinking about what will be in their manifestos, looking to see what voters care about and testing the waters to see how much more NHS privatisation the public will accept. If hundreds of thousands of us sign a huge petition we can send a clear message to whichever party forms the next Government that we – the public – want investment in our NHS, not more money in private pockets.

So David, will you add your name to the petition today calling on all political parties to stop NHS privatisation? Clicking the button below will add your name automatically with one click:

ADD MY NAME

I’M NOT SIGNING BECAUSE…

Here’s what the petition says:

Stop NHS Privatisation To: All political parties in Westminster Petition text:  Stop NHS privatisation. We want an NHS free at the point of use, no charges for healthcare – anytime, anywhere. Healthcare is a right, not a privilege, for all of us who need it.

ADD MY NAME

I’M NOT SIGNING BECAUSE…

Thanks for everything you do,

Jemmar, Mike, Tom and the 38 Degrees team

NOTES:
[1] The Financial Times (paywall): NHS should ‘seek to use’ private healthcare capacity, Wes Streeting says 
[2] The Financial Times (paywall): Investors eye opportunities in Labour pledge to boost private health sector
[3] BBC News: The NHS crisis – decades in the making
Financial Times (paywall): UK healthcare is already being privatised, but not in the way you think‘

Tags: 38 Degrees, Alan Milburn, BBC News, Financial Times, General Election, Internet Petitions, Karin Smyth, Labour Party, NHS, NHS Privatisation, NHS Underfunding, Private Healthcare Companies, tony blair, Wes Streeting