The Liberal Democrats’ £35 billion pledge to protect the NHS

We need to protect our NHS. Under the Conservative government, it’s struggling to cope with severe staff shortages, chronic under-funding and crumbling hospital buildings.

All of these problems would be made much worse by a Tory or Labour Brexit that would end free movement and make it harder to attract nurses and doctors from the EU.

The Lib Dems will tackle the NHS staffing crisis and invest in mental health services, social care, public health and more.

That’s why we’ve set out our plan to safeguard the NHS; stop Brexit and invest an extra £35 billion in the health service and social care over the next five years.

The Liberal Democrats would raise £7 billion a year in additional revenue, ring-fenced for the NHS and social care services, by adding a penny on income tax. 

On top of this, we will use a £10 billion capital fund to upgrade equipment, ambulances, hospitals and other NHS buildings to bring them into the 21st century.

A Liberal Democrat government will tackle the severe staffing shortages across the NHS and end the current shortfall of GPs within five years. This will be done by retaining free movement including for the 65,000 EU citizens working in the NHS, reinstating nursing bursaries and establishing a national workforce strategy to match training places to future needs.

We are the only party with a credible plan to protect the NHS and build a brighter future by tackling the staffing crisis, investing in mental health services, social care, public health and future-proofing our NHS buildings.

Learn more about our Plan for the Future here

Go to Source
Author:




Seven Ways The Liberal Democrats Will Fight The Climate Crisis

The UK should be leading the world in tackling the climate crisis, but the Tories are failing to address it.  

Go to Source
Author:




Five Reasons Why Jo Swinson Is The Voice For The Future

Britain just isn’t working the way it should be. People feel disillusioned. The old parties have failed to provide find solutions for the problems we face. Britain desperately needs change.

Go to Source
Author:




Welcome to the family!

I’m sure you’ve noticed. It’s pretty hard not to.

There’s rather a lot of few new faces among our ranks.

In recent months, the Liberal Democrats have welcomed more and more brilliant, progressive MPs into our ranks. MPs like Chuka Umunna and Luciana Berger have joined us from the Labour Party, while MPs like Sarah Wollaston and Sam Gyimah have joined us from the Conservatives.

They have joined the Liberal Democrats as the biggest movement fighting to stop Brexit and build a Brighter Future for Britain. 

But it’s just not MPs. 75,000 people have joined our party as members and supporters in recent months… and many of them are also former Labour or Conservative members!

So why are so many coming to the Lib Dem family? Well, we asked them!

Fiona Dryburgh, Former Labour Councillor

“Having been a Labour member for over 20 years, I was devastated to have to leave the party but it had become unrecognisable to me – a refusal to commit to Europe, rising anti-Semitism and a dogged lurch to the left, meant I no longer felt it was my political home.

“I wanted a party committed to the future, not the politics of the past – it was Jo Swinson’s Liberal Democrats that were the obvious choice as a party to deliver a brighter future for the whole of the UK.”

 

Gabriel Rozenberg, Former Conservative Councillor

The Conservatives have become a party promoting an extremist view of isolationism. It wasn’t an easy decision to make but I could no longer campaign for them.

“The Lib Dems are a proudly internationalist party and the only pro-business party left.”

We are incredibly grateful to have so many fantastic new members like Fiona and Gabriel, joining our diverse, bold family. Together, we can stop Brexit and build a brighter future.

Think we can do it?

 

Go to Source
Author:




Mental Health Policies Announcement

We have already lost more than 5,000 EU nurses in the last two years.

Day in, day out, millions of people are affected by mental health issues across the country. But when they ask for help, it’s often not available.

The NHS has been driven to crisis point by chronic underinvestment by the Tories. Their reckless pursuit of Brexit means we have already lost more than 5,000 EU nurses in the last two years. 

Mental health care is one of the most neglected areas. One in ten consultant psychiatrist roles are vacant.

The Tories promised sweeping reforms to mental health. Instead, they have crippled our NHS.

This is unacceptable, and the Liberal Democrats demand better.

We have set out a bold, new vision for how we improve mental health support for everyone.

We have set out a bold, new vision for how we improve mental health support for everyone. 

In our manifesto, we commit to:

  • Treat mental health with the same urgency as physical health
  • Increase access to clinically-effective talking therapies
  • Increase the number of psychiatrists and specialist mental health practitioners 
  • Put a focus on children’s services, eating disorders, and bipolar disorders.
  • Provide 24-hour mental health services in all hospitals.
  • End the use of prison cells to hold those suffering from severe mental distress.

Through these policies, we will build a better future for those suffering from mental health issues and their families. 

Go to Source
Author: