Thursday, October 12, 2006
A Tory NHS?
Labour's Health Minister Andy Burnham responding to Andrew Lansley's interview today on The Daily Politics, has written to Andrew Lansley to correct misleading figures currently being circulated by the Conservative Party.
Andy Burnham MP said:
'The Tory health campaign is unravelling.
'Yesterday in Parliament, David Cameron asserted that '20,000 jobs are being cut'.
'But today Shadow Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley, was asked by Andrew Neil:
'Are you saying these are job cuts, that there are 20,000 people currently in jobs who are going to lose their jobs?
'And he replied:
'No I'm not.'
'He further clarified the matter by saying:
'20,000 individuals are not losing their jobs, no...
'This clearly contradicts what David Cameron said yesterday.
'Moreover, it is clear that the figures currently being circulated by the Tories on NHS job losses are misleading and wrong.
'For example, the Tories list Bolton Hospitals Trust as having suffered 130 job losses but the BBC reported today , having spoken to the Trust, that there has been the loss of two administrative jobs.
'The Tories also list Mid Cheshire Hospitals Trust as having suffered 250 job losses, however once again the BBC, having spoken to the Trust, reported the loss of three jobs.
'So today I am writing to Andrew Lansley to give him the opportunity to both correct David Cameron's assertion of yesterday, and to withdraw the misleading figures the Tories have published.
'If the Tories refuse to do so, it will be clear to everyone that the current campaign being waged by the Tories is dishonest and misleading.'
Andy Burnham MP said:
'The Tory health campaign is unravelling.
'Yesterday in Parliament, David Cameron asserted that '20,000 jobs are being cut'.
'But today Shadow Health Secretary, Andrew Lansley, was asked by Andrew Neil:
'Are you saying these are job cuts, that there are 20,000 people currently in jobs who are going to lose their jobs?
'And he replied:
'No I'm not.'
'He further clarified the matter by saying:
'20,000 individuals are not losing their jobs, no...
'This clearly contradicts what David Cameron said yesterday.
'Moreover, it is clear that the figures currently being circulated by the Tories on NHS job losses are misleading and wrong.
'For example, the Tories list Bolton Hospitals Trust as having suffered 130 job losses but the BBC reported today , having spoken to the Trust, that there has been the loss of two administrative jobs.
'The Tories also list Mid Cheshire Hospitals Trust as having suffered 250 job losses, however once again the BBC, having spoken to the Trust, reported the loss of three jobs.
'So today I am writing to Andrew Lansley to give him the opportunity to both correct David Cameron's assertion of yesterday, and to withdraw the misleading figures the Tories have published.
'If the Tories refuse to do so, it will be clear to everyone that the current campaign being waged by the Tories is dishonest and misleading.'
# posted by Labour : Thursday, October 12, 2006
