The Yorkshire Post says: NHS tables turned. Tories try to outflank Labour

THERESA MAY and the Tories can't have it both ways when it comes to spending commitments. Quick to accuse Labour of providing insufficient clarity, the same is equally true of the Government's NHS spending boost.
By The Newsroom
Published 19th Jun 2018, 01:51 BST
Updated 19th Jun 2018, 15:38 BST
Prime Minister Theresa May signs the leg cast of patient Jade Myers, 15 from London, who broke her leg falling off a wall, during a visit to The Royal Free Hospital, north London following the announcement of increased NHS funding.Prime Minister Theresa May signs the leg cast of patient Jade Myers, 15 from London, who broke her leg falling off a wall, during a visit to The Royal Free Hospital, north London following the announcement of increased NHS funding.
Prime Minister Theresa May signs the leg cast of patient Jade Myers, 15 from London, who broke her leg falling off a wall, during a visit to The Royal Free Hospital, north London following the announcement of increased NHS funding.

The type of announcement made on the eve of an election, it smacks of Mrs May trying to shore up her faltering leadership before another series of knife-edge votes in the House of Commons on Brexit as rival Leave and Remain factions pull the PM in all directions.

Yet, if this is a sincere attempt to put health funding on a longer-term footing, the Prime Minister still needs to set out greater detail about the funding implications for taxpayers and how the NHS will dovetail with social care in future. However it’s also significant that Mrs May says the money is, in part, Britain’s Brexit dividend. After all, the terms of Britain’s departure from the EU, and its economic ramifications, are still unclear. Furthermore, farmers could be left out of pocket if funds paid by the Government to the EU are directly switched to the NHS on the scale.

This is cash which can’t be spent twice, further perpetuating belief that it is Mrs May who is now in possession of Labour’s once fabled magic money tree.

Related topics:NHSTheresa MayYorkshire PostLabourGovernmentBritainPrime Minister