NHS Pledge

Delays in A&E, vital services shutting down, operations cancelled or delayed for months. The NHS is at breaking point. [1] But we’ve got a chance to turn it around in a fair way so it’ll last for generations to come.

The government has promised to increase health funding. [2] But as soon as the announcement was made, powerful and wealthy lobbyists started circling. They don’t want the NHS to get more money – and they certainly don’t want any increase to come from a small, fair tax rise. [3] But a tax rise is the best way of guaranteeing the money will be there, without making major cuts in other areas.

They’re whispering in politicians’ ears and penning comment pieces in papers claiming the public won’t back any tax rises for the NHS.

We can pull the rug out from under them. Already more than 114,000 of us have pledged that we’d happily pay a little more in tax to fund our NHS. Please will you add your name?

SIGN THE PLEDGE

The government still hasn’t said where any new money will come from. So instead of raising it fairly through a small and fair tax rise, they could make cuts to other vital areas, including other public services. [4]

What we do next is so important. There’s evidence that a majority of the public are willing to pay a bit more tax for the NHS. Together -in our tens of thousands – we can show the government that we’re serious. [5]

This isn’t like the usual type of 38 Degrees campaign. Often, we come together to ask the government to do something differently. This time, we’re making an offer: We’ll support a small, fair tax rise if the money is spent on our NHS. We want to be the ones to protect it for generations to come.

NOTES:
[1] Telegraph: “The money has run out” – health bosses’ admission as hip and knee patients denied NHS operations (paywall):
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/07/18/money-has-run-health-bosses-admission-hip-knee-patients-denied/
The Guardian: NHS opt-in transplant policy at risk due to cuts and staff stress:
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jul/15/nhs-opt-in-organ-transplant-policy-at-risk-cuts-staff-stress
Independent: Thousands of patients made to ‘beg for treatment’ as NHS rations hip operations, investigation finds:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/health/nhs-rations-operations-hip-patients-beg-treatment-cuts-funding-a8453531.html
[2] Daily Mail: Workers face £10BILLION in tax hikes to pay for £25bn boost for the NHS: PM says health service needs more than a ‘sticking plaster’ but admits ‘Brexit dividend’ won’t cover the bill:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5854957/Black-hole-Theresa-Mays-NHS-funding-pledge.html
The Guardian: Theresa May’s NHS pledge decried as sticking plaster:
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jun/17/theresa-may-nhs-pledge-decried-as-sticking-plaster-health-foundation
[3] Daily Mail: Philip Hammond faces a backlash from Tory MPs over plans to raise fuel and alcohol duties to pay for an increase in NHS spending:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-5915065/Backlash-fuel-drink-tax-hikes-pay-NHS-boost.html
The Telegraph: An NHS tax would make the public question whether the health service is really worth what we pay for it:
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/03/26/nhs-tax-would-make-public-question-whether-health-service-really/
Right now the influential lobby group TaxPayers Alliance are speaking out against a ring-fenced tax rise to fund the NHS:
BBC News: How should we pay for the NHS?:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/uk-politics-43546689/how-should-we-pay-for-the-nhs
Financial Times: Philip Hammond argues against ring-fenced tax to fund NHS (paywall):
https://www.ft.com/content/f7dc991a-44ad-11e8-93cf-67ac3a6482fd
[4] The Express: A return to AUSTERITY? Government divided over Chancellor’s call for MORE cuts:
https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/997212/Philip-Hammond-spending-cuts-austerity-Brexit-NHS-funding
[5] The Guardian: Majority of voters back tax rises to bolster NHS:
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/apr/12/conservative-labour-voters-tax-rises-bolster-nhs-funding-survey