Everyone agrees NHS needs major surgery – but Labour lefties will still demand billions more over reform
Surgery’s the only way to cure NHS
IT IS unusual to hear a Labour politician deliver an honest diagnosis of Britain’s health system.
Wes Streeting’s verdict that the NHS is “a service not a shrine”, is “falling well short” and if it “doesn’t reform it will die” is refreshingly frank.
The Shadow Health Secretary is passionate for reform and talks a good game.
But you don’t need to look far to see what actually happens when Labour are in charge.
The party’s record in Wales has been dire.
It has run NHS Wales for a staggering 23 years — ten more than the Tories have been in power in England.
It spends more per head on health than its English counterpart.
But you are still significantly more likely to die from a treatable disease in Wales than in England.
That is a shocking indictment.
Everyone agrees the NHS needs major surgery.
A cull of bloated middle managers and “diversity and inclusion” bosses followed by a war on waste would be a good start.
But that would enrage Labour’s trade union pals.
In reality, if Mr Streeting ever took over he would face the same old Labour lefties demanding he just throw billions more at the service.
The fact that the Tories already splurged an eyewatering £36billion in 2021 would not deter them.
In practice Labour always back more cash over NHS reform.
Just make it work
IT is crazy that we cannot train up enough of our school leavers to be brickies or roofers.
As think tank Policy Exchange says, the Government’s multi-billion pound apprenticeship scheme has failed to attract youngsters into construction jobs.
Ministers have allowed skilled foreign workers to fill the vacancies, swelling net migration, which could even hit a dizzying million this week.
The levy on businesses to pay for UK training schemes must be linked to immigration.
Every time a company brings in a migrant worker it must train a Brit too.
For too long this country has been hooked on cheap foreign labour.
The Government must get to grips with this addiction now or face voter fury.
Farewell to Phil
FOR more than 13 years Phillip Schofield and Holly Willoughby were the undisputed King and Queen of daytime television.
But yesterday Phil announced he had quit This Morning.
Thanks for the memories Phil.
And good luck with your new sofa buddy, Holly.