Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
FIX MESS YOU MADE
Services are at breaking point while workers are struggling to make ends meet. The blame for this lies squarely with the Government. -Union boss Sharon Graham
WITH the NHS creaking under the weight of Tory cuts, a union chief last night demanded Jeremy Hunt use his Autumn Budget to repair the damage before it is too late.
The Chancellor and former Health Secretary even agreed the service was on the brink of collapse, as underpaid and exhausted staff struggle to cope.
But Unite insisted 12 years of Tory rule was to blame, amid fears more austerity is on the way in Mr Hunt’s Autumn Statement on Thursday.
The union, which has booked newspaper adverts and an ad van to tour Westminster with its message this week, said: “It’s his last chance to save the NHS.” As nurses prepare for their first ever strike, Unite general secretary Sharon Graham added: “Services are at breaking point while workers are struggling to make ends meet. The blame lies squarely with the Government. The Prime Minister should use the Budget to avert industrial action and fix the ongoing tragedy of underfunding across the NHS.”
Sky News presenter Sophy Ridge yesterday told Mr Hunt the NHS “looks like a health service that is on the brink of collapse”. The Chancellor replied: “There are massive pressures in the
NHS. Obviously it’s something I know very well from previous jobs I’ve done and I think that doctors, nurses on the front line are frankly under unbearable pressure, so I do recognise the picture you say.”
Health leaders have demanded extra funds, as the NHS braces for what could be its toughest winter, with record waiting lists and the planned industrial action. Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: “Public services are already on their knees, seven million people are waiting for an NHS operation or support.”
But Health Secretary Steve Barclay has reportedly not demanded an increase in funding. And despite the threat of industrial action over pay across public services, Mr Hunt braced families his Budget would bring tax rises and spending cuts.
The Unison union is balloting its 300,000 NHS members on action.
General secretary Christina Mcanea said she fears No10 is deliberately running down the service so it can be privatised.
She added: “Difficult things will happen if they do not make the right choices, and one of those is the NHS is almost ready to collapse.
“I have heard so many people say it now, is this partly a deliberate attempt by the Government to run down the
NHS in order to bring in some kind of organisation to run it?”
Mr Hunt will attempt to plug an estimated £55billion black hole with his Statement.
He warned yesterday: “We’re all going to be paying a bit more tax.
“We will be asking everyone for sacrifices.”
But his expected cuts come after the Resolution Foundation claimed September’s disastrous mini-budget may have cost Britain £30billion. Its economists estimate former PM Liz Truss and her then
Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng blew £20billion on unfunded cuts to national insurance and stamp duty and £10billion lost to higher interest rates and government borrowing.
Mr Hunt is expected to raise benefits and pensions in line with inflation, now at 10.1%.
But he could swing the axe at infrastructure projects. Reports suggest he will cut the £150,000 threshold for the 45p tax to £125,000 to generate £1.3billion a year. Ms Truss tried to scrap the 45p rate before a
humiliating U-turn. Rishi Sunak last night claimed he must hike taxes and slash public spending or the economy will be plunged into chaos again.
The PM spoke to reporters on a flight to the G20 summit in Indonesia.
Warned his plans will choke off economic growth, Mr Sunak replied: “People expect the Government to take decisions that will put our public finances on a sustainable trajectory.”
No10 said of NHS funding: “We are investing record amounts in health and social care, with the NHS budget rising to over £162billion in 2024/25, from £123.7billion in 2019/20.”
The are pressures on the NHS, I recognise the picture you say JEREMY HUNT AGREES NHS IS ON THE BRINK