The Tories assault on the NHS rolls on, now with various planted media stories about its unaffordability. Clearly the end game is not just mass privatisation of the service, but allowing those providers, and medical insurance companies, to maximise profits by charging what they like to who they like says Unison Labour member Nigel Johnson.
In 1948 when the NHS was founded, the UK generated 72% less real wealth per head (real Gross Domestic Product per capita) than in 2013. Yet, apparently, we could fund healthcare free at the point of delivery from general taxation in 1948, but in 2014, it is claimed, we can not.
Of course, the whole Tory critique of the NHS is a cheap debating trick. It’s obvious that the resources any society has to spend on healthcare, or indeed absolutely anything else, are finite. The real question is whether those finite resources should be available only to those who can afford to pay, so that the rich buy plastic surgery while the poor die of cancer, or according to real need.
An Issue that Unites Everyone
Support for the NHS is a crucial cause in itself, but is also a very effective way of expanding general public opposition to the Tories. This is an issue that potentially unites everyone.
Arguably, it is our most potent campaigning issue (by some way). But we need a focus.
Recently, an initiative has been launched that could provide that much needed focus. It is the Peoples March for the NHS, a protest march against the Government’s assault on the NHS that is repeating the route of the Jarrow march. Started by a group of ordinary concerned mums, the march is now supported by bodies such as the People’s Assembly.
The march commences on 16th August, to reach Parliament on 6th September. We don’t have to walk the whole 300 miles to offer our support: just a mile or two, or indeed any help we can offer, would be more than welcome.
Please go the web-site (http://999callfornhs.org.uk/home) and pledge your support (http://999callfornhs.org.uk/volunteer/). There’s also a very useful Resources part of the site with colour as well as black and white “People’s March For the NHS” posters and leaflets. There’s nothing to stop any of us with printers running a few off to pin up on notice-boards or drop into waiting rooms. And I’m sure we’ve all got plenty of other ideas too…
Spread the Message
Above all tell people: use email, social media and good old fashioned word of mouth to spread the message and get others involved too.
In 2002, the Countryside Alliance gathered 400 000 in London: to support fox-hunting. Is it too hard to believe we could have a million or two marching for the NHS? Imagine the impact of a couple of million of us marching into central London (behind the, frankly heroic, individuals who have done the whole 300 miles of course!) at the end of the march on 6th September. Then it would be game over for the unfolding plans to abolish a health service delivered according to need and funded (through taxes) according to ability to pay. And game over for the Tories.
Surely that’s well worth our support.