Denis Healy Supports Tax Increase To Help Save The NHS

The Liberal Democrats have announced they would plug funding gaps for the NHS and social care by putting a penny on income tax, in their first major manifesto commitment of the election campaign.

They claim the increase in tax would raise an additional £56m for the East Riding, with £44m for the NHS and £12m for social care each year.

A poll conducted recently showed that 70pc of people would happily pay an extra 1p in every pound if that money was guaranteed to go to the NHS.

Councillor Denis Healy, who is standing in the election contesting the seat in Beverley &Holderness said;

“Right now in the East Riding we are seeing hospitals closing and the elderly being denied the care they need. The Liberal Democrats are prepared to be honest with people and say that to secure the future of the NHS we will all need to chip in a little more.”

“A penny in the pound would allow us to invest in improving local NHS services and ensuring the elderly receive the care they deserve.”

“This Conservative government has left our health and care services chronically underfunded – and while the crisis gets worse they just don’t seem to care. We cannot continue asking the system to deliver more and more, without giving it the resources to do so.”

“The NHS was once the envy of the world and this pledge is the first step in restoring it to where it should be.”

“A penny in the pound to save the NHS is money well spent in my view.”

“But simply providing more money on its own is not enough and that’s why this is just the first step in our plan to protect health and care services in the long-term.”

 A flagship spending commitment, this is the first major policy announcement for the election.

The Liberal Democrats manifesto will also set out a ‘five-point recovery plan’ for NHS and social care services.

Members of the public will get to have their say on 8 June when the country will vote in this crucial election.