Caroline Lucas, co-leader of the Green Party, has this morning (Tuesday) made a national announcement outside the doors of the Island’s struggling St Mary’s Hospital promising a multibillion pound investment into the ailing NHS.
As part of a 2-day tour of the Island ahead of next month’s General Election, Caroline has outlined her response to the ‘healthcare emergency’ during a speech to both local and national press. Lucas has spelt out her party’s plans for a ‘cash injection’ into the NHS to ensure that the health service is ‘fit for the challenges of the 21st century’.
The co-leader has attacked both Labour and the Liberal Democrats for using their time in Government to embed what she calls the ‘pain of privatisation’ onto the NHS. But Caroline has mainly focused her fire on the Conservatives who she says are putting the NHS through a ‘cruel form of shock therapy’, leaving the patient weaker and on the verge of collapse.
Speaking in Newport this morning, Caroline Lucas said:
“A confident and caring country is one where we provide people with the healthcare they need, free at the point of use. That’s why my party is today promising an end to the pain of privatisation that has been inflicted on the NHS by Labour, the Lib Dems and the Conservatives. We will give the NHS the funding it needs to meet the challenges of the 21st century.
“The current Government is putting our NHS through a cruel form of shock therapy – leaving the patient weaker and on the verge of collapse.”
“The Green Party will reverse this race to the bottom on health provision and reinstate our health service to make it a world leader. Indeed if you look at the record of all of the other major parties it’s clear that only the Green Party can be trusted on protecting the NHS.”
Throughout this week the Greens will unveil further healthcare plans including specific announcements on mental health and dentistry.
Later this morning Caroline will join the Green’s prospective parliamentary candidate Vix Lowthion in decorating the IW Green Party shop on St James Street in Newport (opposite Man in the Moon pub).
At midday, Caroline will meet Sandown Bay Academy parents outside the school to listen to their concerns about the proposed merger with Ryde Academy.
The Green’s other co-leader, Jonathan Bartley, visited the Island last Friday to congratulate Michael Lilley on becoming the first Green Isle of Wight councillor.
