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A few recent news articles about the UK’s Conservative and Liberal-Democrat (Conservative) coalition government – the ConDem’s – brutal attack on the National Health Service.

 

Shirley Williams calls for competition to be dropped from NHS ‘reforms’.

Nick Clegg states that Lansley is the right man to destroy the NHS.

 

 

Shirley Williams says Lansley should drop NHS competition clauses

Liberal Democrat peer says public fear privatisation of NHS, as David Cameron and Nick Clegg back health secretary

 

The government’s health reforms have been plunged into fresh doubt by a call from the Liberal Democrat peer Shirley Williams for Andrew Lansley to drop competition from the health bill – hours after the prime minister and his Lib Dem deputy defended the health secretary.

Writing in the Guardian, Lady Williams calls for the government to drop the chapter on competition, adding that the public has a fear of privatisation founded on the idea that GPs “might become dependent on advice from powerful private health companies, and that the imposition of UK and European competition laws, addressed to markets and not to social goals, might destroy the public service principles of the NHS“.

“What is needed is willingness by the government, including the prime minister, to reach a compromise on the most contentious issues,” Williams writes.

Her intervention, as leftwing Lib Dems mobilise to “kill the bill”, echoes Labour’s stance. With opposition mounting, the government has conceded more amendments. But Downing Street dismissed a call by the Lib Dem deputy leader, Simon Hughes, for Lansley to quit. The prime minister’s spokesman said: “It’s not an issue for Simon Hughes. The government is fully behind the health bill.”

Hours later, Nick Clegg told the BBC: “Andrew Lansley is the architect of the NHS bill. He cares passionately about the NHS. He’s the right man for the job and he must see it through.”

As plans face fresh attack by Labour peers, Clegg insists Health Secretary is right man to lead shake-up

David Cameron will stage a high-profile hospital visit tomorrow as he attempts to win the public-relations battle over the Government’s controversial health reforms.

The Prime Minister will intervene after the plans to overhaul the structure of the NHS came under fire last week from three unnamed Tory cabinet ministers. Downing Street was forced yesterday to express Mr Cameron’s full confidence in Andrew Lansley as Health Secretary amid fresh criticism of his failure to make the case for the Health and Social Care Bill.

A spokesman insisted Mr Cameron was “fully committed to the reform and modernisation of the health service”.

27/11/13 Having received a takedown notice from the Independent newspaper for a different posting, I have reviewed this article which links to an article at the Independent’s website in order to attempt to ensure conformance with copyright laws.

I consider this posting to comply with copyright laws since
a. Only a small portion of the original article has been quoted satisfying the fair use criteria, and / or
b. This posting satisfies the requirements of a derivative work.

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