NHS cash boost 'makes no difference' to health funding crisis, says Jeremy Corbyn
2 min read
Theresa May’s cash boost for the NHS will make "no difference whatsoever" to the immediate funding crisis gripping the health service, Jeremy Corbyn has said.
The Labour leader hit out at the £20bn “birthday” cash injection promised by the Prime Minister last month, saying that the boost will fail to fix the immediate funding crisis facing the health service.
The Conservative cash boost will give the NHS an average rise of 3.4% on its £114bn annual budget, but falls short of the 3.7% rises that the service received on average since before 2010.
In an interview with Sky News, Mr Corbyn said: “Nothing she [Theresa May] has promised means any money this year… and it’s only 0.1% above what the IFS says is necessary for the NHS to stand still.”
He added: “What Theresa May has promised doesn’t actually make a difference whatsoever… now, this winter, this financial year.
“What she is promising over five years is 0.1% above the standstill budget. We would offer 2% above.”
Speaking in Wales later today, the Labour leader is expected to say that the Government’s economy balancing measures are killing people.
“There is clear and mounting evidence that austerity and inequality are killing people," he will declare.
“For years people were living longer and life expectancy was increasing. That has now ground to a halt and in some parts of the country life expectancy is falling. This is unprecedented.”
He will add: “Labour will declare war on health inequality, both within communities and across our regions and nations. As a country, we cannot tolerate a situation where one citizen or one community is denied the chance of life and health in another. That can and must change.”
Healthy Secretary Jeremy Hunt said the £20bn was a “significant increase in resources”, adding that the new funding “presents enormous opportunity for the country in terms of the type of NHS that our children and grandchildren will experience”.
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