Tories reassure voters over NHS
Conservatives reassure voters of NHS support after MEP's comments in US
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Friday, 14, Aug 2009 04:13
The Conservative party has attempted to reassure the public the NHS is a top priority following anti-health service comments made by a Tory MEP.
Daniel Hannan told a US TV show: "I wouldn't wish it on anybody. We have a system where the most salient facts of it you get huge waiting lists, you have bad survival rates and you would much rather fall ill in the US."
The comments came as Labour members, including the prime minister and his wife Sarah Brown, supported the welovetheNHS campaign on the microblogging website Twitter, sparked by US criticism over the health service.
The Twitter feed has received ten's of thousands of messages of support.
The Conservatives have offered their support for the NHS in the wake of Mr Hannan's comments. Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley said Mr Hannan's comments gave a "distorted" view of the health service.
In his blog, opposition leader David Cameron added: "Millions of people are grateful for the care they have received from the NHS - including my own family.
"One of the wonderful things about living in this country is that the moment you're injured or fall ill - no matter who you are, where you are from, or how much money you've got - you know that the NHS will look after you."
Mr Cameron also sent an email to supporters to further reassure them of his party's support for the NHS.
The NHS debate was sparked by opponents of US president Barack Obama's health reform plans who have described the British health system as "evil" and "Orwellian".
The Twitter site has been inundated with support for the NHS over the last few days. Health secretary Andy Burnham said: "Over the moon about strong support for NHS - an institution I will defend to my dying day."
And prime minister Gordon Brown tweeted: "NHS often makes the difference between pain and comfort, despair and hope, life and death. Thanks for always being there."
Sarah Garrod