Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/674/12188
From The Socialist newspaper, 8 June 2011
NHS: Lansley must resign!
'Were I Andrew Lansley, I would resign over this issue," claimed Mike Hancock, Lib Dem MP for Portsmouth South, when presented with a 'Save Our NHS' petition by local anti-cuts campaigners, health workers and trade unionists.
"But Hancock, who chaired the committee which scrutinised the government's bill to cut and privatise the National Health Service, was unable to answer why the health secretary of his government had failed to consult the public during the recent 'listening exercise', and was presented with evidence that the original consultancy process had been stage-managed to avoid dissent from health workers.
"The campaigners also demanded a full public inquiry into Andrew Lansley's connections to the private health companies which stand to profit from the proposed bill.
"While Hancock wished to distance himself from the bill, and the policies of his government, he is no politician of principle; having achieved a rare political hat trick of having defected from Labour to the Social Democratic Party to form the Liberal Democrats.
"Then, following the last general election, he was the first Lib Dem MP to appear on national news to praise the coalition agreement with the Conservatives.
"The NHS campaigners are following up the lobby of Mike Hancock with plans to present the petition to Tory MPs Penny Mordaunt of Portsmouth North and Caroline Dinenage of Gosport.
"This activity will be part of the build up to launching a new 'Save Our NHS Portsmouth' campaign, backed by the city's trades union council, to stand against all spending cuts and privatisation of the National Health Service.
Ben Norman, Portsmouth Socialist Party
Campaign launch meeting: Thursday 23 June, Portsmouth Central Library, 7.30pm
More info: SaveourNHSportsmouth@gmail.com
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In The Socialist 8 June 2011:
Socialist Party editorial
Economic crisis in 'them and us' Britain
Anti-cuts action
Cuts in jobs and services: We are fighting back!
Birmingham: city of a thousand cuts
Human rights service staff defend jobs
Socialist Party workplace news
CWU conference - unanimous call for 24-hour general strike
Strike action against pensions attack at Sheffield university
Mood for action among Unison members in Waltham Forest
Saltend dispute: lessons for future struggles
Socialist Party feature
Fighting the anti-strike legislation
Socialist Party women
Sylvia Pankhurst: Everything is possible
International socialist news and analysis
'Butcher of Bosnia' faces trial
Tamil Solidarity: important resolution agreed at the European Parliament
Young people fighting back
Protests grow as young people say: 'We want a future!'
Socialist Party news and analysis
Southern Cross - Social care on the brink
Vulnerable patients abused at privately run Bristol hospital
End the 'insane' pursuit of oil profit
Fight Welsh universities' fees hike
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