Labour will tomorrow (Monday) launch NHS week, warning that the NHS is on life support and that the Tories will pull the plug after the next election.

The launch will include a new poster and be accompanied by the publication of a dossier setting out how David Cameron is offering the British people a double deceit on NHS spending.

• The Tories’ extreme spending plans, doubling the pace of cuts next year, will put the NHS at risk.
• Despite their promises, they cannot say where a penny of extra spending will come from.

The truth is that after five years of broken promises and a serious deterioration in services, the NHS cannot survive five more years of the Tories.

Tonight Labour is revealing new research that exposes the depth and breadth of support for the introduction of NHS charging and privatisation inside the Conservative Party.

A survey of Tory councillors  on the issue of future funding of the NHS conducted openly by Labour Party in recent months showed more than a quarter are willing to admit they support further charging and privatisation.  

The responses from 115 councillors include backing charges for GP appointments and other NHS services, increased privatisation and plans for cutting the NHS, while some went even further in calling for an insurance-based system of healthcare to replace the NHS or for another re-organisation led by the private sector.

• A total of 26 support introducing charges for NHS services.
• A further 12 support privatisation or increased use of the private sector.
• Another six want to make cuts to the NHS.

The disclosure comes amid evidence that the Tories’ extreme spending plans could lead to charging in the NHS, as in other countries which do not have a health service free at the point of delivery, as well as widespread warnings that Government legislation will lead to a new wave of privatisation in the years to come.

Ed Miliband, in his speech to the Scottish Trades Union Congress tomorrow will say:

“The Tory plans on the NHS are a double deceit.

“They are not being straight about their extreme plans to double the cuts to public services next year.

“And they are not being straight when they promise to protect the NHS, but cannot say where a penny of additional money will come from.

“This double deceit is a double danger to the NHS. They have extreme spending plans and they can’t tell us where the money is coming from.

“David Cameron poses a risk to the very fabric and foundation of our NHS.

“That’s why we will fight every day to 7th May to stop a Tory plan that threatens our NHS.

“And it’s why we have a different approach.

“A fully funded plan, with a mansion tax on properties worth over £2million to pay for more nurses and doctors in every part of the United Kingdom.”

Ed Balls, the Shadow Chancellor,  Andy Burnham, the Shadow Health Secretary, and Liz Kendall, the Shadow Health Minister, will launch the poster tomorrow.

Mr Balls will say:

“David Cameron is a serial offender when it comes to claims at election time. He broke his promises on the NHS, on VAT and on tax credits last time. And he’ll break his promises again.

“Because on top of their extreme spending plans to double the cuts next year, the Tories have made billions of pounds of unfunded commitments in this election including £10 billion of tax cuts and billions of pounds for rail fare freezes and paid time off for public servants to volunteer.

“And these unfunded promises will come before the NHS in the queue.

“The fact is the only party with a fully-funded plan to raise extra revenue for the NHS straight after the election is the Labour Party.

“You can’t trust the Tories with our National Health Service.”

Mr Burnham will say:

“This is the real face of the Tory Party. They have let the cat out of the bag - five more years of David Cameron means more NHS privatisation and charging.

“It is clear that, just like last time, Cameron’s NHS promises have an expiry date of election day stamped on them. He promised no top-down reorganisation and brought forward the biggest-ever top-down reorganisation. If he gets back in, the NHS will be sunk by a toxic mix of cuts and privatisation. Instead, Labour’s better plan will invest in 20,000 more nurses and 8,000 more GPs.”

Ends

Notes to editors:
1. Please find attached the NHS poster that Labour will launch tomorrow.
2. Please find also attached a dossier detailing the Tories’ secret plan for NHS charging, including the comments from Tory councillors.