LABOUR shadow health secretary John Healey visited Warrington to support the local party’s “Save the NHS” campaign.
His visit also coincided with the Government’s “Health and Social Care” bill reaching the House of Lords.
Mr Healey addressed local party activists, councillors and members of the public in the town centre.
He applauded the efforts of the local Labour Party in raising
awareness throughout Warrington of the threat posed to the NHS by the Government’s planned reforms and took questions on a range of topics.
He spoke passionately about services including those for drug addiction and mental health.
He promised that Labour would not “sit back and do nothing”, but work to protect the most vulnerable.
Among those welcoming him were Labour’s Warrington South spokesman Nick Bent and spokesman for Culcheth, Glazebury and Croft, Chris Vobe.
There was a question and answer session lasting for more than an hour.
The Labour campaign is set to continue over the coming weeks and months.
Pictured: John Healey is welcomed to Warrington by Chris Vobe.
Shadow minister visits town
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Gary Skentelbery
Experienced journalist for more than 40 years. Managing Director of magazine publishing group with three in-house titles and on-line daily newspaper for Warrington. Experienced writer, photographer, PR consultant and media expert having written for local, regional and national newspapers. Specialties: PR, media, social networking, photographer, networking, advertising, sales, media crisis management. Chair of Warrington Healthwatch Director Warrington Chamber of Commerce Patron Tim Parry Johnathan Ball Foundation for Peace. Trustee Warrington Disability Partnership. Former Chairman of Warrington Town FC.
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Just wondering, in light of yesterday’s reports in various newspapers if the PFI debt that the last government saddled the NHS with, was discussed. Mr Healey, and Mr Vobe’s mother, the Warrington MP Helen Jones and their colleagues were responsible for spending money that we now know that this country did not have, and that they are in fact responsible for the current financial problems of the NHS. How is it that they condemn what they see as the “privatisation” of the NHS, yet used private sector finance to fund it. Maybe they didn’t realise PFI stands for Private Finance Initiative, the clue is in the first word, PRIVATE. PFI schemes were a way of hiding government debt, albeit at what we now know to be a very high price, the cheaper and more open and honest option would have been for the government to have borrowed the money itself and then funded the schemes, and then explained to the electorate why it had increased the national debt, the electorate could then decide if it felt such spending represented good value for money. Instead the then government took credit for lots of new vote winning hospitals, and hid the debt away, debt that will have to be repaid by our children and their children. Doesn’t seem very fair or honest to me, but there you go that is politics for you.
PFI – Well done Warrington North MP – Oh yes and Helen Southworth the previous MP for Warrington South – you not only damaged the country and its finances but you saddled us all with NHS debt – Thank you very much I will tell my child what a positive impact you played.
Did none of the Labour Councillors turn up? The MPs son tries to hog the limelight – yet again!