The modern day Labour party could learn from Aneurin Bevan when it comes to fixing social care - Yorkshire Post Letters

Re: Labour won't fix care system in first five years (page 1 Yorkshire Post, May 29).

The deteriorating care system has been well covered in The Yorkshire Post for the nine years I've been a reader. The Labour Party has been in opposition for 14 years knowing that the care system faces major challenges to the point of near collapse.

Shortage of places in the care system worsens the load on the NHS, blocking hospital beds and delaying treatment for others. To help resolve NHS problems means sorting out the care system.

Yet Wes Streeting, Shadow Health Minister, tells us that if elected Labour won't legislate to set up a National Care Service during their first term in office. So perhaps five years plus before anything happens.

What on earth have Labour been thinking about during their time in opposition? It's surely reasonable to expect some planning for action if Labour wins an election.

Wes Streeting's proposals for better wages and training for care staff plus clamp downs on private equity owned care homes are welcome, but fall far short of radical action to put right a failing system.

The Labour Government elected in 1945 set up the National Health Service, an even more radical step, by 1948. Labour's health minister Aneurin Bevan then said "The sooner we start, the sooner we can try together to see to these things and to secure the improvements we all want".

Clearly today's Labour Party could usefully learn from Bevan's vision and determination. Britain needs change, but will Labour offer it?