Liberals' 'democratic' conference

While the Socialist Party held its national congress in Clacton-on-Sea and committed itself to the fight to save the NHS, the Lib Dems had their conference in Gateshead.

The Lib Dems' website claims their conferences are "democracy in action". At this year's conference, party leader and deputy prime minister Nick Clegg claimed he is "as radical as ever".

To prove this, Clegg ignored the party's spring conference's vote to reject the Health and Social Care Bill at the next Lords reading.

And in an attempt to face both ways at once, Clegg claimed 'it's not a Lib Dem bill, but it's now a better bill thanks to our input'.

This 'better bill' would cost £1.7 billion to implement and means that 49% of the NHS could be used for private practice. 80% of the NHS budget would be given to Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCG). CCGs are already being set up even before they are written into law with many senior GPs spending up to four days a week on doing so.

CCGs are being 'advised' by huge corporations. So instead of 'handing control over to family doctors' - which is what the Con-Dems claim - it's really handing control over to big business that will 'advise' that more money goes to private health companies.

The would make the NHS into a badge behind which private companies seek huge profits.

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Finance appeal

The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.

The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.

The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.

The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.