4 November 2016 – What happened?

The NHS Bill, presented by Margaret Greenwood MP (Labour, Wirral West), was scheduled for its Second Reading in Parliament on 4th November 2016.

Louise Haigh MP, Margaret Greenwood MP and Nic Dakin MP

Louise Haigh MP, Margaret Greenwood MP and Nic Dakin MP

Campaigners met outside the House of Commons in a rally of support. Over 100 individuals attended the non-stop rally – some went, some came. All got wet.

The rally was organised by Keep Our NHS Public and Health Campaigns Together on behalf of the Campaign for the NHS Reinstatement Bill.

Allyson Pollock and Peter Roderick – co-authors of the NHS Bill – spoke to the campaigners, and Margaret Greenwood MP wrote a statement of support while she had to remain in the chamber.

The great turn-out outside the House of Commons was not matched by action inside, as the NHS Bill debate was postponed until Friday 24th February 2017.

The campaign continues. Please ask your MP to support the NHS Bill.

For a full picture – here’s a great compilation of many of the speakers at the rally (18 mins)

 

 

A big thank you to (take a deep breath) – Cornwall KONP, Ealing Save Our NHS, Fighting4GranthamA&E, Green Party (Bromley) with Larry Saunders, Green Party Health Spokesperson, Greenwich KONP, Hackney KONP, Hands Off Our Horton, Health Campaigns Together, KONP national, Lambeth KONP, Momentum, Oxfordshire KONP, Save Lewisham Hospital Campaign, Save Our Hospitals – Hammersmith & Charing Cross, Save Our NHS, Save Wantage Hospital, South West London KONP, Sussex Defend Our NHS, Tower Hamlets KONP and all other individuals who came to support the NHS Bill.

 

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NHS Bill published

On 13th July 2016, the NHS Reinstatement Bill was successfully presented in the House of Commons, by Margaret Greenwood, Labour MP for Wirral West. The full text of the Bill – called the National Health Service Bill – was published on 28th October 2016.

“We are delighted that Margaret Greenwood is taking the NHS Reinstatement Bill forward, with cross party support. The continued destruction of the NHS in England under Simon Stevens’ plans will not stop without a new law restoring it to the founding principles.”

Peter Roderick, co-author of the NHS Reinstatement Bill

To help understand the clauses in the published NHS Bill explanatory notes are available here.

What next?

The NHS Bill is scheduled for to be debated – its ‘second reading’ – on 4th November 2016. It is fourth on the list of business for the day, so we do not expect there to be much, if any, time available for discussion. Whatever happens on the day, the campaign for the NHS Bill will continue.

It is important that we continue to keep the pressure on MPs of all parties to support the NHS Bill. You can help by:

 

 


4th November 2016 – Rally Outside Parliament – 11am to 1pm.

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Diane Abbott’s states Labour support for the NHS Reinstatement Bill

Diane Abbott, the Shadow Secretary of State for Health, used her speech at the Labour Party conference to explicitly state support for the NHS Reinstatement Bill.

Under Jeremy Corbyn’s leadership the Labour Party will be committed to halting and reversing the tide of privatisation and marketisation of the NHS. The Health and Social Care Act has fragmented the system, making it so much easier for the private sector to move in.

Conference, Labour in government will repeal the Health and Social Care Act. This means returning our NHS to what is was originally conceived as: a publically owned, publically funded, publically accountable universal service as outlined in the NHS Reinstatement Bill now being expertly piloted through Parliament by my colleague Margaret Greenwood, MP for Wirral West, with the support of the Labour leadership.

Diane Abbott, Shadow Secretary of State for Health.
Labour Party Conference, 27 September 2016

You can watch her whole speech below. The section relating to the NHS Bill starts at around 7m and 40sec.

 


Jeremy Corbyn’s commitment to renationalise the NHS in England

The Campaign for the NHS Reinstatement Bill warmly welcomes Jeremy Corbyn’s commitment as leader of the Labour Party to reverse the privatisation and marketisation of the NHS in England. This is a significant moment in three years of campaigning for legislation to reinstate the NHS which Jeremy, John McDonnell and a small number of Labour MPs have backed in the Commons alongside cross-party support from Green, SNP, Lib Dem and Plaid Cymru MPs. It is now essential that this commitment becomes official Labour Party policy.

Professor Allyson Pollock, co-author of the NHS Reinstatement Bill said:

“I am heartened by Jeremy Corbyn’s commitment to introduce legislation similar to the NHS Reinstatement Bill in order to end the systematic privatisation and marketisation of the NHS in England over many years and to reduce and end the burden of the private finance initiative. I also fully support the restoration of bursaries for student nurses.  Improving public health and reducing inequalities will not happen while public funds are diverted to shareholders of private companies away from patient care and staff.”

On 13th July 2016, the NHS Reinstatement Bill was successfully presented in the House of Commons, by Margaret Greenwood, Labour MP for Wirral West, with its second reading scheduled for 4th November 2016. Read more here.


Next steps for the NHS Reinstatement Bill

On 13th July 2016, the NHS Reinstatement Bill was successfully presented in the House of Commons, by Margaret Greenwood, Labour MP for Wirral West.

Although opposed by Philip Davies, Conservative MP for Shipley, he did not call for a vote and so it was introduced by acclamation. A second reading was scheduled for 4th November 2016.

The 11 named supporters of the Bill consisted of 9 Labour MPs, plus one Green and one Lib Dem – but sadly no SNP MPs (who are supporters of the Bill)as follows (in the order out read out by Margaret at the end of the debate):

  • Caroline Lucas, Green MP for Brighton Pavilion
  • Dawn Butler, Labour MP for Brent Central
  • Stella Creasy, Labour MP for Walthamstow
  • Nic Dakin, Labour MP for Scunthorpe
  • Peter Dowd, Labour MP for Bootle
  • Mike Kane, Labour MP for Wythenshawe and Sale East
  • Liz McInnes, Labour MP for Heywood and Middleton
  • Yasmin Qureshi, Labour MP for Bolton South East
  • Marie Rimmer, Labour MP for St Helens and Whiston
  • Stephen Twigg, Labour MP for Liverpool West Derby
  • John Pugh, Lib Dem MP for Southport

 

The Bill was presented with the same long title as the previous two Bills, and must now be published in full before the second reading.

Outside the Commons, Keep Our NHS Public organised a spirited rally. (You can watch a short clip of the event below). Diane Abbott, the new shadow health spokesperson, came along and said she supported the principles of the Bill. Margaret Greenwood came out to speak after the debate and explained what had happened. Rachael Maskell, Labour MP for York Central also came out and spoke to campaigners.

The debate was well attended by Labour MPs, including Jeremy Corbyn.

Ken Clarke, Tory Health Minister from 1988-1990 at the start of the internal market, also attended.

Because the Bill was introduced as a Ten Minute Rule Bill, only the introducing MP and one opposing MP were allowed to speak.

It is positive that the Bill was not voted down, was presented by a Labour MP, has 9 Labour MPs as named supporters who were not named supporters on either of the previous two Bills, and seems now to have the support of the Labour front bench.

The Bill is scheduled for its second reading on 4th November 2016.


Margaret Greenwood MP – Press Release

Margaret Greenwood MP has today (7 July 2016) released a press release about tabling the NHS Bill as a cross party Bill on 13 July 2016.

Below is the press release in full.

 

Margaret Greenwood MP to bring bill to Parliament to stop NHS privatisation

Labour MP for Wirral West Margaret Greenwood will present a bill on the NHS to Parliament next Wednesday 13th July.

The purpose of the Bill is to stop the privatisation of the NHS and return it to its founding principles. It would remove competition and the profit motive as a driver of policy and replace them with the public service ethos which has been the hallmark of the NHS since its foundation.

Margaret Greenwood MP said:

“It is a privilege to have the opportunity to present this Bill to the House of Commons on 13th July. Doctors, nurses and campaigners across the country have been working tirelessly to combat the privatisation of the NHS that we are seeing.

“The Health and Social Care Act 2012 provided the framework for the privatisation of the National Health Service.

“Currently NHS hospitals are allowed to make up to 49% of their money from private patients. It’s is a national scandal. Nobody voted for that, and yet that’s exactly what the Coalition government passed the law to do.”

“The 2012 Act also made it a requirement that all NHS contracts should go out to competitive tender. As a result we are seeing big private health care companies snapping up contracts, taking them from existing NHS providers.

“This means that money that should be spent on health care is going into the pockets of shareholders. It’s just plain wrong.

“The NHS Bill which I will present to Parliament next week is designed to put a stop to this.

 “The Bill makes the case for a planned, state-managed health service, and reinstates the duty of the Secretary for  State of Health to provide and secure a comprehensive National Health Service in England.

“The Bill also provides for the integration of health and social care.

“The NHS is currently on life support, and the public, patients and NHS staff know it.

“This bill provides a viable alternative. The NHS was 68 years old this week. We need to make sure it’s there for all who need it for the next 68 years too.”

The Bill is what is known as a Ten Minute Rule Bill and has cross party support.

It is hoped that the bill will progress to a second reading later in the year.

ENDS

Notes to editors:

  1. For more information contact the office of Margaret Greenwood MP on 0207 219 4608.

Margaret Greenwood MP

Member of Parliament for Wirral West

0207 219 4608

 


What is your MP doing on 13 July 2016?

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The BMA reiterates its overwhelming support for the Bill


What is your MP doing at 5pm on Tuesday 28th June?

On Tuesday 28th June at 5 pm, a meeting will be held in Parliament to brief MPs on how the NHS is currently undergoing a massive reorganisation in order to reduce its services and to further privatisation, and how this will not be stopped without the NHS Reinstatement Bill.

If there’s a good turn-out of MPs at the meeting, there’s a  good chance that the Bill will be re-tabled again in the Commons as a cross party Bill – but this time presented by a Labour MP.

The Campaign for the Reinstatement Bill is organising the meeting with Rachael Maskell MP, Labour MP for York Central and former head of health at Unite.

The meeting is intended to help build support for the Bill amongst MPs, so if you support the NHS Reinstatement Bill, please consider asking your MP now if they will attend.