On Saturday, the ‘Darlo mums’ will complete a 300-mile ‘People’s March for the NHS’ when they arrive in London three weeks after leaving Jarrow.

Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham joined the march between Northampton and Bedford last week and other Labour MPs, councillors and activists have at every stage of the route. 

On Saturday, Burnham will welcome the campaigners to College Green where they will deliver a campaign pledge in a box and wear blue sashes to echo the arrival of the original Jarrow march. Burnham will then address the campaigners at London’s Trafalgar Square where a rally will be held. 

Speaking ahead of the rally, Andy Burnham said:

“Through their incredible endeavour, the ‘Darlo mums’ are speaking for the millions who are worried about what is happening to the NHS. It is our country’s most valued asset and this Prime Minister has never been given the public’s permission to put it up for sale.

“Mr Cameron promised there would be no NHS reorganisation but brought forward the biggest in its history. People can see how that reorganisation is dragging the NHS down and that is why anger is rising throughout the land. 

“Labour will repeal Cameron’s Health Act, remove market forces and restore the right values to the heart of the NHS: compassion over competition; people before profits.

“The founding father of the NHS once famously predicted that it would last ‘for as long as there are folk with the faith to fight for it’. Surely even the great Nye Bevan couldn’t have imagined a group with more faith and fight for his NHS than these Darlington mums. In them, David Cameron has more than met his match and their fighting spirit will give hope to people everywhere that the NHS can be rescued from the damage caused by his Government.”

Referring to SNP’s use of the NHS in the referendum debate, he added: 

“The SNP’s misuse of the NHS in the referendum debate is nothing short of shameful. The 'Darlo mums’ concerns relate solely to the NHS in England and it is wrong for their efforts to be misrepresented.

“The uncomfortable truth for Alex Salmond and the SNP is that only they can privatise the Scottish NHS and they've already made a start on that.

“There are now two Governments overseeing increases in private provision and failing on A&E waiting times. One is led by David Cameron and the other by Alex Salmond.

“The NHS unites people from Durham to Dundee, from Aberystwyth to Aberdeen, from Gloucester to Glasgow. It is high time that govermments everywhere listened to the people and respected their wishes when setting NHS policy.”