McDonnell warning shot to New Labour over NHS

Labour leadership contender John McDonnell MP today issued a blunt warning to New Labour - scrap your cuts and privatisation policy for the NHS or risk losing dozens of seats in areas affected by those policies come the next election.

John McDonnell said:

"Every weekend now there are thousands of people up and down the country marching against the Government's cuts and privatisation policy for the NHS and I have supported those demonstrations whenever I have had the chance.

"But it's those policies, alienating core Labour voters in their tens of thousands, which have given the Tories the opportunity to march in and try and hijack our territory, our NHS and our votes.

"David Cameron's attempt to con the public into believing that the Tories are now the party of the NHS ignores 60 years of political history and is sheer brass neck on his part. But it's New Labour's marketisation and cuts which have created a vacuum that Cameron now seeks to fill.

"The only solution is for the Government to listen to the heath workers and listen to the public and abandon the plans to close more hospitals and extend privatisation to the outer limits - if they don't change direction sharpish we will inflict lasting damage on both our health care services and our electoral prospects for years to come."