08.02.11
Lib Dem MPs against more NHS private sector involvement
More than half of Liberal Democrat MPs are against the NHS outsourcing more work to the private sector, a new poll shows.
Only 24% agreed with the idea, compared to 56% who are against, according to the research by ComRes on behalf of Westminster Advisers.
Their Conservative coalition partners, however, are 84% to 10% in favour. There are similar splits over the issue of private firms working alongside GP consortia.
The research shows that Lib Dem MPs are closer to Labour than the Conservatives on some of the most controversial aspects of the NHS reforms.
A Westminster Advisers spokesperson said: “ The aligning of the Liberal Democrat and Labour Party views indicates that health services may be a fracture point for the Coalition Government, possibly provoking tension in the future and indicating a key battleground at the next election.”
Shadow Health Secretary John Healey told the Guardian newspaper: “This shows a serious simmering concern among Lib Dem MPs. The harder they look at the detail of David Cameron's high-risk plans for the NHS, the more they understand that this is purely Conservative policy in its design and intent.”
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