Rebecca Coulson: My experience of hustings as a candidate in this election. And why they are important.
First, a left-wing health event. Second, immensely clever students at my old school. Third, a hustings about motorbikes, chaired by Lembit Opik.
First, a left-wing health event. Second, immensely clever students at my old school. Third, a hustings about motorbikes, chaired by Lembit Opik.
There are policies here that provide the common ground with both major parties, from hawkish deficit reduction targets to envy taxes.
The Liberal Democrat leader claims his party has been “very clear” on where it will find an extra £8bn for the Health Service. and aims to balance the books before the Tories.
They and other similar groups are a minor curiosity in this election, but they are a sign of a culture to the left of Labour in parts of our healthcare system.
The Opposition allocate public spending with the silly illogic of over-competitive children.
“We’re able to fund the NHS’ own plan in full because we have a strong economy… that is linked to the difficult and long-term decisions that we’ve taken elsewhere.”
The Government has made great strides toward making the NHS truly accountable to patients, but can and must go further still.
UKIP’s false dichotomies demand we become brutal to prove our loyalty to Britain. Doing so is indecent.
Wasted money, silenced whistleblowers and scandal upon scandal are the record of the “party of the NHS”.
The inconvenient truth is this: the UK has significantly worse outcomes than many other advanced countries which deliver universal access to healthcare.
The Conservatives are doing what is right and doing it well – winning votes is a happy by-product of that approach.
Through saving our economy and protecting the public finances the Conservatives have ensured increased funding and have saved the NHS as we know it today.
My work with whistleblowers in this Parliament, especially those who work in the NHS, has helped to taught me that integrity is more important than institutions.
It was the wartime Minister for Health, the Conservative Party’s Sir Henry Willink, who actually published the 1944 White Paper in response titled ‘A National Health Service’.
An arbitrary limit on profits dismays both supporters and opponents of private sector involvement in the NHS .