Nick Clegg refuses to support NHS Bill as Lib Dem peers call for more concessions
Nick Clegg today made clear that he is looking for further changes to the Health and Social Care Bill by refusing to support the package “100 per cent”.
The Deputy Prime Minister’s stance follows the news that none of Liberal Democrats attended the yesterday’s Downing Street summit hosted by David Cameron to sell the NHS legislation to health professionals and patients.
Senior Liberal Democrat sources have confirmed to the Evening Standard that the boycott was deliberate because although the party backs the reforms in principle, they feel it is up to the Conservatives to do the “hard sell” of convincing a sceptical public.
When asked on ITV Daybreak today if he backed the Bill 100 per cent, Mr Clegg paused before replying: “I am behind reforming the NHS to improve care for patients.”
Mr Clegg said he supports the principle of the reforms which is “to give people who know patients the best – doctors, nurses, clinicians – more say about what happens to those patients and about how the NHS is run”.
Mr Clegg is also understood to be supporting Liberal Democrat peers who are calling for a vote next week on new amendments to the Bill, this time limiting the role of competition.
A senior party source said:
“The Bill is still going through the Lords and there is a whole series of amendments being put down by Liberal Democrats to ensure competition is based on quality not price.”
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