NHS boost bound to hurt elsewhere
HAS there ever been a worse government than the lousy lot currently steering Britain full speed into the Brexit rocks?
Theresa May’s claims yesterday about a “Brexit dividend” funding a cash boost to the NHS were simply nonsense.
The process of leaving the EU will cost Britain a fortune. That is the considered view of any expert you care to ask.
An extra £20billion for the NHS is extremely welcome – and long overdue – but the Prime Minister should be honest about where it will come from.
Her plan will require cuts to other services, tax rises, more borrowing or a mix of all three.
It’s another sign of May’s weakness that she feels the need to provide cover for the campaign lies of Boris Johnson.
Scottish Tory leader Ruth Davidson at least had the decency not to mention Brexit in her response to the NHS news but she still showed a great deal of duplicity.
It’s widely thought the Government will freeze income tax thresholds to fund the policy. That’s a tactic Davidson has criticised when the SNP administration in Scotland did something similar.
And Health Secretary Shona Robison is right to be sceptical that the Scottish Government will see £2billion in Barnett consequentials.
Funding this will almost certainly involve cuts to other services such as local government or transport – meaning the Scottish budget will fall elsewhere.
In short, the NHS plan sums up this Government. Incompetent, devoid of ideas and not even that good at spin.
THERESA May was last night ridiculed for claiming a “Brexit dividend” would help pay for a £20billion funding boost for the NHS.
The Prime Minister unveiled plans for a weekly increase of £384million in real terms, and £600million a week in cash terms by 2024. Boris Johnson’s EU referendum campaign claim that Brexit would lead to £350million extra a week for the NHS has been widely debunked by experts.
But speaking to the BBC’s Andrew Marr yesterday, May insisted: “At the moment, as a member of the EU, every year we spend significant amounts of money on our subscription, if you like, to the EU. When we leave, we won’t be doing that.”
Her claim contradicts official forecasts, while EU contributions until 2022 have already been allocated. The Scottish Tories said the annual rise of 3.4 per cent proposed by May was worth £2billion in real terms to Scotland by 2023-24.
But Health Secretary Shona Robison said: “The Tories’ claim that this is funded by a ‘Brexit dividend’ is simply not credible as the UK will be paying a £40billion bill to leave the EU.”
Labour’s Anas Sarwar added: “This is an uncosted announcement with a ‘Brexit dividend’ promise plucked straight from the magic money tree.”