Lord Owen turns on coalition health plans

In the forthcoming issue of the New Statesman, senior crossbench Lib Dem peer and former foreign secretary, Lord Owen turns on the coalition’s reforms of the health service.

Lord-Owen Lord Owen writes:

“[if] the Liberal Democrats cannot call a halt to or, at the very least, slow down, these ill-conceived health reforms they will no longer be able to claim to be the heirs of Beveridge…

“I write as the person who advocated . . . for an internal market in the Health Service. [But] the internal market is not the same as an external market. It was never envisaged that decisions should be taken solely on competitive and financial grounds, without regard for the obligation to provide the best possible medical care.”

The former leader of the SDP, the precursor of the Liberal Democrats, joins a chorus of experts, doctors, and commentators who have this week attacked the coalition’s plans for the NHS. At the weekend, Lib Dem deputy leader, Simon Hughes, told delegates at the Fabian Society conference that there was little prospect of the proposals getting through the Commons in their current form.

David Cameron made a speech on Monday defending the policy while the Bill was published today.

http://twitter.com/hellsbells265/status/27770828015804416 Helen Thomas

RT @leftfootfwd: Lord Owen turns on coalition health plans http://bit.ly/fvlDi2
http://twitter.com/bloodredsounds/status/27770932558831616 Adam Burrows

RT @leftfootfwd: Lord Owen turns on coalition health plans: http://bit.ly/gHnyTV reports @wdjstraw
http://twitter.com/brokenofbritain/status/27771706802180096 Broken OfBritain

RT @Hellsbells265: RT @leftfootfwd: Lord Owen turns on coalition health plans http://bit.ly/fvlDi2
http://twitter.com/landslidepurist/status/27777202137337856 landslidepurist

RT @Hellsbells265: RT @leftfootfwd: Lord Owen turns on coalition health plans http://bit.ly/fvlDi2
http://twitter.com/bill512/status/27777508795482112 Bill Perrett

RT @leftfootfwd: Lord Owen turns on coalition health plans: http://bit.ly/gHnyTV reports @wdjstraw
Alan W

Will – I think Lord Owen is officially a crossbencher, not a Lib-Dem peer.
Will Straw

Alan – You’re quite right. I was, like so many before me, getting him confused with David Steel who I believe is still involved in Liberal politics. But Owen’s intervention is another blow for Cameron and Lansley’s plans.
http://twitter.com/jruddy99/status/27781314153291776 John Ruddy

RT @leftfootfwd: Owen turns on health plans http://bit.ly/fvlDi2 <if LibDems cannot stop changes then they are no longer heirs of Beveridge
http://twitter.com/nhsspy/status/27782935042072576 Watching You

RT @leftfootfwd: Lord Owen turns on coalition health plans: http://bit.ly/gHnyTV reports @wdjstraw
http://twitter.com/ldtuc/status/27803182142857216 L DTUC

RT @leftfootfwd: Lord Owen turns on coalition health plans: http://bit.ly/gHnyTV reports @wdjstraw
http://twitter.com/cllrkrichards/status/27844883104399360 Kevin Richards

Even the leading lights of the original SDP are against this RT @leftfootfwd: Lord Owen turns on coalition health plans http://bit.ly/fvlDi2
http://twitter.com/pharmasi/status/27882697124745216 Pharma Si

Lord Owen turns on coalition health plans | Left Foot Forward http://bit.ly/eyaBBr
Richard

“Simon Hughes, told delegates at the Fabian Society conference that there was little prospect of the proposals getting through the Commons in their current form.”

Don’t believe a word Simon Hughes says, he is the most duplicitous of the lot. Wouldn’t even respect the wishes of his constituents and vote against tuition fee rises. He’ll be voting with the government all the way.
http://twitter.com/altonforhealth/status/27905031944544256 al

Lord Owen turns on coalition health plans: “I write as the person who advocated . . . for an internal market in … http://bit.ly/echx3s
http://twitter.com/pharmasi/status/27913157276078080 Pharma Si

Lord Owen turns on coalition health plans http://bit.ly/hX05Qn
Steve Kelly

I completely agree with your Richard. He like the rest of his oily lot left their beliefs at home when they married the Tories for their own selfish interests.
http://twitter.com/worgztheowl/status/28033354620207104 Mark Worgan

@MissEllieMae http://bit.ly/fvlDi2 Fucking brilliant indeed!
Trevor Cheeseman

It is important that campaigners against the NHS reforms do not assume all Lib Dems MPs will back it.
The reforms were not in the coalition agreement nor highlighted during the general election; and after the tuiton fees vote many now have a taste of rebellion. Some, like John Pugh, and other big hitters like Shirley Williams, are openly concerned.
Lets engage and test them individually now the bill is out.

Lets engage them
http://twitter.com/jphimister/status/167231485634543616 Joseph Burnett

Lord Owen, architect of the NHS internal market, says that the NHS reform will wreck the service #pmqs #savethenhs http://t.co/dFoHa2y1
http://twitter.com/mymatedave10/status/167232375535837185 Dominic

Lord Owen, architect of the NHS internal market, says that the NHS reform will wreck the service #pmqs #savethenhs http://t.co/dFoHa2y1
http://twitter.com/jodatu/status/167234199248568320 John Turner

Lord Owen, architect of the NHS internal market, says that the NHS reform will wreck the service #pmqs #savethenhs http://t.co/dFoHa2y1
http://twitter.com/kiliwizz/status/167235815028690946 Neil Kiley

Lord Owen, architect of the NHS internal market, says that the NHS reform will wreck the service #pmqs #savethenhs http://t.co/dFoHa2y1
http://twitter.com/macinpoole/status/167238803206062080 malcolm

Lord Owen, architect of the NHS internal market, says that the NHS reform will wreck the service #pmqs #savethenhs http://t.co/dFoHa2y1
http://twitter.com/pccm2/status/167271473034166272 Peter Marshall

Lord Owen, architect of the NHS internal market, says that the NHS reform will wreck the service #pmqs #savethenhs http://t.co/dFoHa2y1
http://twitter.com/westernshores/status/167273980921786368 Pen

Lord Owen, architect of the NHS internal market, says that the NHS reform will wreck the service #pmqs #savethenhs http://t.co/dFoHa2y1
http://twitter.com/scoscarwood/status/167306628226482176 Celia Kelly

Lord Owen, architect of the NHS internal market, says that the NHS reform will wreck the service #pmqs #savethenhs http://t.co/dFoHa2y1
http://twitter.com/nhs_supporters/status/167308307785199616 NHS Supporters

Lord Owen, architect of the NHS internal market, says that the NHS reform will wreck the service #pmqs #savethenhs http://t.co/dFoHa2y1
http://twitter.com/jackieneylon/status/167310748542963712 jackie neylon

Lord Owen, architect of the NHS internal market, says that the NHS reform will wreck the service #pmqs #savethenhs http://t.co/dFoHa2y1
http://www.leftfootforward.org/2012/03/lord-owen-health-and-social-care-bill-nhs-risk-register/ Lord Owen: If coalition continue to appeal Risk Register, Bill must be paused | Left Foot Forward

[...] Lord Owen turns on coalition health plans – Will Straw, January 19th 2011 Share | Permalink | Leave a comment [...]
http://www.leftfootforward.org/2012/03/liberal-democrat-spring-conference-nick-clegg-nhs-bil/ Clegg still has a chance to save the NHS – and his party | Left Foot Forward

[...] their party view. One which both honours their own grassroots view and which neatly knits into Lord Owen’s call for a halt in the third reading until the Transitional Risk Register contents are [...]