Corbyn to raise concern over children’s ward closure during trip to Scotland

Jeremy Corbyn will highlight the pressures facing the NHS in Scotland over the closure a year ago of the children’s ward at St John’s Hospital in Livingston on a trip to Scotland today.

The UK Labour leader will set out plans to provide more money for pubic investment and services in Scotland as he visits the West Lothian town where he will be joined by Scottish party leader Richard Leonard.

At the 2017 general election, Labour pledged £3 billion of additional revenue spending per year by 2022 paid for through tax rises on big business and the richest.

Mr Corbyn will say: “The NHS is Labour’s proudest achievement. NHS values – everybody looking after everybody else – are Labour values.

“Labour will give the NHS the money it needs because we’re not afraid to make the rich pay their fair share. And we’ll put people’s health before the profits of the few by ending NHS privatisation.”

It comes in the week that Shona Robison quit as Scottish Health Secretary under pressure from opposition parties.

Mr Corbyn will add: “We’ve had enough of austerity, with its falling living standards, rising NHS waiting lists and growing insecurity.”