So who backs Lansley’s health reforms then?

One section of British society has finally come out in favour of the government’s ill thought out NHS reforms in full… the bankers - with two thirds backing the proposals.

This just leaves Mr Lansley with the task of convincing the BMA, the RCN, the prime minister and deputy prime minister – who want “substantial changes” - the Liberal Democrat conference, the Labour Party, GPs, the 390,000 people who signed the 38 Degrees petition against the reforms, midwives, Lord Owen and, just for the record, Norman ‘get on your bike’ Tebbit.

Andrew-Lansley-grey-haired-manky-codger
The City A.M. newspaper reports that “the City” – in the form of more than 500 respondents from the paper’s ‘Voice of the City’ panel - are 67 per cent in favour of the ‘any willing provider’ plans and 65% in favour of a regulator “promoting competition”. Mr Lansley, however, may be embarrassed by some of his supporters.

The paper’s editor Allister Heath said backing the plans was a “sensible view to take”.

He writes:

“The only way to spend much more on health over the next couple of decades… is to allow consumers to contribute directly to the costs of healthcare.”

Firstly Mr Heath is trying to deal with the issue of rising costs but neglects the evidence that competition and private health care can actually drive up costs. Secondly, according to the government, the health service will stay free at the point of demand for “consumers”, also known as the ill.

So once again we have the ridiculous spectacle of supporters of the bill speaking in favour of up-front costs, which the government has promised the bill won’t bring in.

So the tally of Mr Lansley’s allies has risen to three groups by our count. The bankers, Reform – the outsourcing charity that’s open to public sector donations and wants up-front costs - and 47 GPs led by a free-mason enthusiast.

Update 1600hrs:

According to Politics Home, who carried out the poll for City A.M., only one third of the respondents rely on the NHS. Cynics may say that it’s easier to gamble away a healthcare system when you don’t rely on it.

http://twitter.com/projectedimages/status/75911957647081472 ProjectedImages

So who backs Lansley's health reforms then? http://bit.ly/kKXskA – @dbr1981 investigates
http://twitter.com/shamethedevil/status/75914615309082625 John Jackson

#bankers – not content merely ruining the global economy apparently they now want to destroy the #NHS http://bit.ly/kKXskA #NeverTrustATory
http://twitter.com/salardeen/status/75924822881865728 salardeen

“@leftfootfwd: So who backs Lansley's health reforms then? http://t.co/zy6PYKr – @dbr1981 investigates” they are seeing £ private sector cut
http://twitter.com/falseecon/status/75925292375482369 False Economy

RT @leftfootfwd: So who backs Lansley's health reforms then? http://t.co/nfcN8M6 – @dbr1981 investigates
http://twitter.com/unisonournhs/status/75926050571431936 UNISON Health

Shock horror – bankers back Lansley's plans http://fb.me/1454t7K9C
http://twitter.com/totaltruthpls/status/75929909339492353 benio

RT @leftfootfwd: So who backs Lansley's health reforms then? http://t.co/GsljW1M
http://twitter.com/samtarry/status/75932623586861056 Samuel Tarry

RT @FalseEcon: RT @leftfootfwd: So who backs Lansley's health reforms then? http://t.co/nfcN8M6 – @dbr1981 investigates
http://twitter.com/therightarticle/status/75934218957492226 Michael

So who backs Lansley’s health reforms then? I Left Foot Forward – http://j.mp/mjJAW7
Dave C

A truly meaningless poll of City A.M. readers with time on their hands who offer themselves onto the panel. They represent nobody, least of all anyone who’s studied the topic.
Anon E Mouse

This really is scraping the barrel.

Have none of the authors on this site got a single positive thing to say about the Labour Party…

…nothing?…
http://twitter.com/yrotitna/status/75976052068986880 Juan Voet

RT @leftfootfwd: So who backs Lansley's health reforms then? http://t.co/nfcN8M6 – @dbr1981 investigates
Tom White

Anon E Bore lectures on ‘being positive’. Now I’ve heard everything.

Physician, heal thyself…
mr. Sensible

There’s a surprise…

I think we will wait to see just how effective the listening exercise was.
rhys Hughes

Of course bankers love it. They have just been barred from selling payment protection insurance which doesn’t do that.

Now they can sell you health protection insurance that doesnt, confident that when it doesn’t deliver you die so you cannot claim against them…

Rhys
Henry

423,000 have signed the 38 Degrees petition…
http://twitter.com/zzzapyou/status/76549605516517376 Electron Smasher

RT @FalseEcon: RT @leftfootfwd: So who backs Lansley's health reforms then? http://t.co/nfcN8M6 – @dbr1981 investigates
http://www.leftfootforward.org/2011/09/david-cameron-ed-miliband-pmqs-07-09-11-health-reforms/ Cameron’s fantasy list of NHS reform backers | Left Foot Forward

[...] care about the NHS have long opposed the reforms – with the most enthusiastic supporters including wealthy bankers, privatisation fanatics, Freemason enthusiasts and anti-NHS extremists who describe [...]
http://twitter.com/shamikdas/status/124608617402994690 Shamik Das

And here's more on those who are backing Lansley: Bankers & private healthcare providers http://t.co/rxykGdpD & http://t.co/Grhnm7tU #BBCQT