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Public Services for All > Published by Guest, February 27th 2012 at 7:13 pm

Nick Clegg’s letter to Lib Dem MPs and peers is just furious spin concealing NHS privatisation

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Nick Clegg’s and Baroness Shirley Williams’ open letter today to Lib Dem MPs and peers, ahead of the final votes on the NHS bill, praised Labour’s health team in the Lords for helping to ensure the bill did not lead to the privatisation of the NHS – but Labour peers insist the deputy prime minister is being too kind – that the bill still represents a full marketisation of the NHS.

An edited version of the Labour health team’s internal analysis is below:

Nick-Clegg-NHS-speechNick Clegg has written to Lords and MPs claiming that Liberal Democrat Lords have tabled amendments:

“…to make sure that the NHS can never be treated like the gas, electricity, or water industry.”

“However, given how precious the NHS is, we want to rule out beyond doubt any threat of a US-style market in the NHS.

“That is why we want to see changes made to this Bill that have been put forward by our Liberal Democrat team in the House of Lords to make sure that the NHS can never be treated like the gas, electricity, or water industry.”

But despite what Nick Clegg and Baroness Williams say today, none of their amendments change the fundamental heart of this Bill which will see the NHS turned into a full-scale market.  

They may go on in the letter to say:

“We propose removing the reviews by the Competition Commission from the Bill to make sure that the NHS is never treated like a private industry.”

And point to Liberal Democrat amendments 186 to 188 that would delete clauses 77 to 78, allowing the Competition Commission to conduct:

“…reviews of how well the market for NHS services is functioning.”

However, these amendments do not prevent Part Three of the Bill establishing Monitor as an economic regulator with powers to enforce competition in the NHS. Monitor will still have concurrent powers with the Office of Fair Trading and the Competition Commission.

Clegg and Williams go on to reassure in the letter that:

“We want to keep the independent regulator of Foundation Trusts, Monitor, to make sure hospitals always serve NHS patients first and foremost.”

And may point to Liberal Democrat amendment 198  as evidence, that extends Monitor’s oversight over specific Foundation Trusts during Monitor’s transitional period by inserting a new clause after clause 111. Clauses 109 to 111 make all NHS foundation trusts subject to Monitor’s transitional oversight powers.

But this is a minor amendment and makes no fundamental change to Part Three of the Bill. It does nothing to prevent the NHS from turning into a commercial market modelled on the privatisation of the utilities in the 1980s, or from Monitor taking on its role as an economic regulator.

Clegg also brushes away fears of American-type healthcare reaching the UK by arguing: 

“We will introduce measures to protect the NHS from any threat of takeover from US -style healthcare providers by insulating the NHS from the full force of competition law.”

However Williams has actually backed down on this issue. Just two weeks ago, she was calling on the government to drop part three of the bill which turn the NHS into a full-scale market.

She argued:

 “What that would mean for the bill would be dropping the chapter on competition, and retaining Monitor as the regulator of prices and of the foundation trusts. It would also mean pressing ahead with decentralisation, and the involvement of the public and the local authorities through the new health and wellbeing boards.

“The changes already made include some valuable reforms. Some of them have been significant, for instance the reinstatement of the health secretary’s responsibility for a comprehensive health service free at the point of need.”

Now, she has stopped arguing for part three to be dropped, and is instead backing Nick Clegg and a health and social care bill that will change the NHS into a full scale market.

The deputy prime minister also claims to have averted the potential for the NHS putting profit ahead of patients, arguing: 

“Finally, we will put in place additional safeguards to the private income cap to make sure that Foundation Trusts cannot focus on private profits before patients.

“These changes are needed, not just because of this Bill, but also to plug the holes left by Labour’s 2006 Health Act that allowed private providers to make profits at the NHS’ and taxpayers’ expense.”

However, Clegg’s party’s amendments do nothing to place safeguards on the cap on the income NHS Foundation Trusts can derive from private income and they have backed extending it so that NHS Foundation Trusts can raise 49 per cent of income from private sources.

Their most recent opportunity to oppose this was on January 16th 2012 when Labour held a debate on the role of the private sector which called on the Government to rethink its plans to allow the NHS to devote up to 49% of its resources to private patients. The Liberal Democrats failed to do this, with 47 of them voting against Labour’s motion.

Clegg wants to sell his party a dummy – that the NHS has been saved and it was the yellow wing of the coalition that did it and they can declare victory.

In fact, it’s just posturing for the grassroots. We can only hope – for their pride and the NHS’s sake – they don’t swallow it.

See also:

• Mandarins line up to attack health reform - Ed Jacobs, February 27th 2012

• Tory voters trust BMA and co. over Cameron and Lansley on the NHS - Neil Foster, February 20th 2012

• Jones pledges to listen to NHS staff as Cameron leaves them out in the cold - Ed Jacobs, February 20th 2012

• How the coalition is breaking the NHS - Alex Hern, February 15th 2012

• The government continues to bury the risk of the NHS reforms - Alex Hern, February 14th 2012

  • Mattgaltress

    Just weasel words coming from the Lib Dems…

  • http://torrentfreak.com/ Rob8urcakes

    The evil, sociopathic Tories are setting themselves up for a Vote of No Confidence, and all it’ll take is the LibDumb’s to grow a spine and vote with Labour to oust this awful Coalition from government.

    The Tories aren’t even mandated to proceed with NHS reform – it was NEVER in their General Election manifesto, and it certainly wasn’t in anyone else’s.

  • http://twitter.com/shamikdas/status/174273902841823232 Shamik Das

    Clegg’s letter to Lib Dem MPs and peers is just “furious spin concealing NHS privatisation”: http://t.co/wn8N5Kvq #SaveTheNHS #DropTheBill

  • http://twitter.com/chrisplol/status/174274693333909505 Chris Paul

    Clegg’s letter to Lib Dem MPs and peers is just “furious spin concealing NHS privatisation”: http://t.co/wn8N5Kvq #SaveTheNHS #DropTheBill

  • http://twitter.com/mikesmart13/status/174275382315462656 Mike Smart

    Everyone should read this – excellent -and shows the reality and truth behind Clegg and Willliams letter – goodbye #NHS
    http://t.co/4mPyJcNK

  • http://twitter.com/kathryningold/status/174277351616679936 Kathryn Ingold

    ANALYSIS: Clegg's letter to Lib Dems is just furious spin concealing NHS privatisation: http://t.co/wn8N5Kvq: #savetheNHS #DropTheBill

  • http://twitter.com/johnmcneill6/status/174283892424060928 John McNeill

    Clegg wants to sell to his party that the NHS has been saved and it was the yellow wing of the coalition that did it:
    http://t.co/VVe9zvFt

  • http://twitter.com/anguscarruthers/status/174284792504918016 Angus Carruthers

    Clegg wants to sell to his party that the NHS has been saved and it was the yellow wing of the coalition that did it:
    http://t.co/VVe9zvFt

  • http://twitter.com/nickcdx/status/174304340201308160 Nick Beddow

    ANALYSIS: Clegg's letter to Lib Dems is just furious spin concealing NHS privatisation: http://t.co/wn8N5Kvq: #savetheNHS #DropTheBill

  • http://twitter.com/postpolionews/status/174317923941359616 Chris Salter

    RT @leftfootfwd: Nick Clegg's letter to Lib Dem MPs and peers is just furious spin concealing NHS privatisation http://t.co/93cDzLQy #ppnews

  • http://twitter.com/davidpett/status/174383225538482177 David Pett

    So Clegg's doing his usual 'we've saved the NHS' is he? Like VAT, EMA, tuition fees don't believe him #dropthebill http://t.co/NH0qx0Qa

  • http://twitter.com/lightacandleotm/status/174404861163610112 Lightacandle

    @socialindepth Take a look at this – excellent look at the reality behind Clegg and William's letter & her climb down http://t.co/DgBkIqHi…

  • http://twitter.com/britishroses1/status/174413109140795392 BevR

    Nick Clegg's letter to Lib Dem MPs and peers is just furious spin concealing NHS privatisation http://t.co/gNOYMKGV #wrb #nhs #democracy

  • http://twitter.com/sdbast/status/174413319673888769 sean

    Nick Clegg's letter to Lib Dem MPs and peers is just furious spin concealing NHS privatisation http://t.co/gNOYMKGV #wrb #nhs #democracy

  • http://twitter.com/acdefyg123/status/174416015013322752 Freddy

    @libdemvoice
    RT "Nick Clegg's letter to Lib Dem MPs and peers http://t.co/kjLOWg6I"

  • http://twitter.com/robomam/status/174418181451022336 Carole

    Nick Clegg's letter to Lib Dem MPs and peers is just furious spin concealing NHS privatisation http://t.co/gNOYMKGV #wrb #nhs #democracy

  • Selohesra

    carefull what you wish for – a snap election with the Libs wiped out and Labour still not forgiven for their destruction of the economy – and not having had a chance to replace Miliband with someone more charismatic (Alan Johnson?) – I think you would see conservative government with no Liberals acting as brake. Mind you Tories would need to replace Dave if we were to get real Conservative government.

  • http://twitter.com/innerwisdom1/status/174419127606321152 Innerwisdom

    Clegg’s letter to Lib Dem MPs and peers is just “furious spin concealing NHS privatisation”: http://t.co/b362BPK7 #SaveTheNHS #DropTheBill

  • http://twitter.com/fauxpaschick/status/174420902853885952 fauxpaschick

    Clegg’s letter to Lib Dem MPs and peers is just “furious spin concealing NHS privatisation”: http://t.co/b362BPK7 #SaveTheNHS #DropTheBill

  • http://twitter.com/matdanaher/status/174421765433475072 Mathew Danaher

    Clegg’s letter to Lib Dem MPs and peers is just “furious spin concealing NHS privatisation”: http://t.co/b362BPK7 #SaveTheNHS #DropTheBill

  • http://twitter.com/natandoron/status/174423669605535744 Natan Doron

    Brilliant rebuttal of Nick Clegg's letter to Lib Dem MPs claiming to have saved the NHS: @leftfootfwd at its best http://t.co/jbmU6h7I

  • http://twitter.com/sianrabi/status/174430624810151936 Sian Rabi-Laleh

    RT @leftfootfwd: Nick Clegg's letter to Lib Dem MPs and peers is just furious spin concealing NHS privatisation http://t.co/wXC5qqUw

  • http://twitter.com/martinjdeane/status/174430726056452096 Martin Deane

    ANALYSIS: Clegg's letter to Lib Dems is just furious spin concealing NHS privatisation: http://t.co/wn8N5Kvq: #savetheNHS #DropTheBill

  • http://twitter.com/unisonournhs/status/174430924191170560 UNISON Health

    Clegg's letter to Lib Dems is just furious spin concealing NHS privatisation | Left Foot Forward http://t.co/G9ME6DB8

  • http://twitter.com/drmarielouise/status/174433210573398016 Marie-Louise Irvine

    Clegg’s letter to Lib Dem MPs and peers is just “furious spin concealing NHS privatisation”: http://t.co/b362BPK7 #SaveTheNHS #DropTheBill

  • http://twitter.com/101dgk/status/174437952364097536 DGK

    Clegg & Williams, #spinmasters http://t.co/nWSMg9KC

  • http://twitter.com/wiltshireunison/status/174444245426511874 Wiltshire UNISON

    Clegg's letter to Lib Dems is just furious spin concealing NHS privatisation | Left Foot Forward http://t.co/G9ME6DB8

  • http://twitter.com/liza_harding/status/174446076449923072 Liza Harding

    Self RT: Clegg’s letter to Lib Dem MPs and peers is just “furious spin concealing NHS privatisation”: http://t.co/b362BPK7 #SaveTheNHS

  • http://twitter.com/syzygysyzygysue/status/174447866536927232 SyzygySyzygysue

    Self RT: Clegg’s letter to Lib Dem MPs and peers is just “furious spin concealing NHS privatisation”: http://t.co/b362BPK7 #SaveTheNHS

  • http://twitter.com/timothygodfrey/status/174452811319361537 Cllr Timothy Godfrey

    Self RT: Clegg’s letter to Lib Dem MPs and peers is just “furious spin concealing NHS privatisation”: http://t.co/b362BPK7 #SaveTheNHS

  • http://twitter.com/durhamcub/status/174453276140503041 Martin Steel

    Clegg’s letter to Lib Dem MPs and peers is just “furious spin concealing NHS privatisation”: http://t.co/b362BPK7 #SaveTheNHS #DropTheBill

  • http://twitter.com/shamethedevil/status/174453692878172161 John Jackson

    Self RT: Clegg’s letter to Lib Dem MPs and peers is just “furious spin concealing NHS privatisation”: http://t.co/b362BPK7 #SaveTheNHS

  • http://twitter.com/cameronsfollys/status/174453880153833472 cameronsfollys

    [Quite right!] Nick #Clegg’s letter to #LibDem MPs and peers is just furious #spin concealing #NHS #privatisation http://t.co/BQrvRPpt

  • http://twitter.com/carolynanderson/status/174460911816413184 Carolyn Anderson

    Clegg's letter to Lib Dems is just furious spin concealing NHS privatisation | Left Foot Forward http://t.co/KUnPxL9o

  • http://twitter.com/davidcameronesq/status/174461006582521856 David Cameron esq.

    Clegg's letter to Lib Dems is just furious spin concealing NHS privatisation | Left Foot Forward http://t.co/KUnPxL9o

  • http://twitter.com/dr_gonzo_phd/status/174467520043024384 DrGonzo

    Clegg's letter to Lib Dems is just furious spin concealing NHS privatisation | Left Foot Forward http://t.co/KUnPxL9o

  • http://twitter.com/nhsspy/status/174477254871629824 Watching You

    Self RT: Clegg’s letter to Lib Dem MPs and peers is just “furious spin concealing NHS privatisation”: http://t.co/b362BPK7 #SaveTheNHS

  • http://twitter.com/yrotitna/status/174479849828782081 Yrotitna

    Clegg’s letter to Lib Dem MPs and peers is just “furious spin concealing NHS privatisation”: http://t.co/b362BPK7 #SaveTheNHS #DropTheBill

  • http://twitter.com/scnnr/status/174486185450807297 scanner

    Clegg’s letter to Lib Dem MPs and peers is just “furious spin concealing NHS privatisation”: http://t.co/b362BPK7 #SaveTheNHS #DropTheBill

  • http://twitter.com/woolfiesmith/status/174487147041144832 Citizen K

    Clegg’s letter to Lib Dem MPs and peers is just “furious spin concealing NHS privatisation”: http://t.co/b362BPK7 #SaveTheNHS #DropTheBill

  • http://www.leftfootforward.org/2012/02/even-gps-implementing-camerons-health-reform-have-come-out-against-it/ Even GPs implememting Camerons health reform have come out against it | Left Foot Forward

    [...] also: • Clegg’s letter to Lib Dem MPs and peers is just furious spin concealing NHS privatisation – Daniel Elton, February 28th [...]

  • http://twitter.com/cllrkrichards/status/174655658950533120 Kevin Richards

    Forget spin reject the Bill #Clegg's letter to LibDem MPs and peers is just furious spin concealing NHS privatisation http://t.co/9rA8Bq2X

  • http://twitter.com/nickbloke/status/174664801136549888 Nick H.

    Forget spin reject the Bill #Clegg's letter to LibDem MPs and peers is just furious spin concealing NHS privatisation http://t.co/9rA8Bq2X

  • http://twitter.com/lightacandleotm/status/174803684964839424 Lightacandle

    The reality and truth behind Clegg and Willliams letter – goodbye #NHS http://t.co/4mPyJcNK

  • http://twitter.com/lightacandleotm/status/174803748009422848 Lightacandle

    The reality and truth behind Clegg and Willliams letter- goodbye #NHS http://t.co/4mPyJcNK

  • http://twitter.com/havantacluotmp/status/174805379677552640 Jeni Parsons

    The reality and truth behind Clegg and Willliams letter – goodbye #NHS http://t.co/4mPyJcNK

  • http://twitter.com/shamikdas/status/175353614234157057 Shamik Das

    On the health reforms, Clegg’s letter to Lib Dem MPs & peers is just furious spin concealing NHS privatisation: http://t.co/BEjpa7SM #BBCqt

  • http://twitter.com/fergusonkeith/status/175353960465575936 keith ferguson

    On the health reforms, Clegg’s letter to Lib Dem MPs & peers is just furious spin concealing NHS privatisation: http://t.co/BEjpa7SM #BBCqt

  • http://twitter.com/fredacowell/status/175354817592565761 Frederick Cowell

    On the health reforms, Clegg’s letter to Lib Dem MPs & peers is just furious spin concealing NHS privatisation: http://t.co/BEjpa7SM #BBCqt

  • http://twitter.com/innerwisdom1/status/175355091560308737 Innerwisdom

    On the health reforms, Clegg’s letter to Lib Dem MPs & peers is just furious spin concealing NHS privatisation: http://t.co/BEjpa7SM #BBCqt

  • http://twitter.com/burgesssimon/status/175355225320853504 Simon Burgess

    On the health reforms, Clegg’s letter to Lib Dem MPs & peers is just furious spin concealing NHS privatisation: http://t.co/BEjpa7SM #BBCqt

  • http://twitter.com/shodanalexm/status/175355726452113409 Alex Marsh

    On the health reforms, Clegg’s letter to Lib Dem MPs & peers is just furious spin concealing NHS privatisation: http://t.co/BEjpa7SM #BBCqt

  • http://twitter.com/glenysthornton/status/175362097214009344 Glenys Thornton

    On the health reforms, Clegg’s letter to Lib Dem MPs & peers is just furious spin concealing NHS privatisation: http://t.co/BEjpa7SM #BBCqt

  • http://twitter.com/jintyg51/status/175521225722953729 Janet Graham

    On the health reforms, Clegg’s letter to Lib Dem MPs & peers is just furious spin concealing NHS privatisation: http://t.co/BEjpa7SM #BBCqt

  • http://www.leftfootforward.org/2012/03/health-and-social-care-bill-andrew-lansley-david-cameron-carry-on-regardless/ As opposition grows and grows, Lansley and Cameron carry on regardless | Left Foot Forward

    [...] Nick Clegg’s letter to Lib Dem MPs and peers is just furious spin concealing NHS privatisation – Labour health team internal analysis, February 27th [...]

  • 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

    [...] Clegg’s letter to Lib Dem MPs and peers “is just furious spin concealing NHS privatisation” 27 Feb [...]

  • http://twitter.com/spikeisland100/status/179903867599863808 Paul Krishnamurty

    What we saw from Nick Clegg was just more spin concealing NHS privatisation: http://t.co/BEjpa7SM #PMQs #DropTheBill

  • http://twitter.com/djdaddums/status/179903922331320320 Mark Martin

    What we saw from Nick Clegg was just more spin concealing NHS privatisation: http://t.co/BEjpa7SM #PMQs #DropTheBill

  • http://twitter.com/stevescullion/status/179905943969071104 Stephen Scullion

    What we saw from Nick Clegg was just more spin concealing NHS privatisation: http://t.co/BEjpa7SM #PMQs #DropTheBill

  • http://twitter.com/goonerfan65/status/179907042155298817 Foxy52

    What we saw from Nick Clegg was just more spin concealing NHS privatisation: http://t.co/BEjpa7SM #PMQs #DropTheBill

  • http://twitter.com/durhamcub/status/179922477080780801 Martin Steel

    What we saw from Nick Clegg was just more spin concealing NHS privatisation: http://t.co/BEjpa7SM #PMQs #DropTheBill