Burnham launches scathing attack on Hunt's NHS legacy
Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester and former Labour health secretary, has launched a blistering critique of Jeremy Hunt's tenure as health secretary, accusing him of presiding over the 'privatisation by stealth' of the National Health Service. In a speech delivered in London, Burnham claimed that Hunt's policies had left the NHS 'hollowed out' and 'unrecognisable' from the service he once helped lead.
Burnham pointed to statistics showing that waiting lists had soared to over 7 million under the Conservatives, with A&E targets being missed consistently. He argued that Hunt's focus on competition and market-based reforms had eroded the founding principles of the NHS.
Hunt defends record amid criticism
Jeremy Hunt, now Chancellor of the Exchequer, defended his record, stating that the government had invested record sums into the NHS and that waiting list figures were due to the pandemic, not his policies. He accused Burnham of 'playing politics' with the health service.
However, Burnham countered by citing official data showing that the proportion of NHS funding going to private providers had doubled under Hunt's watch, from 6% to 12%. He also referenced the controversial Health and Social Care Act 2012, which introduced competition into the NHS, as a key driver of fragmentation.
Political battle lines drawn over NHS future
The exchange highlights the deepening political divide over the NHS ahead of the next general election. Burnham's intervention is seen as an attempt to rally Labour supporters around the defence of the health service, a key issue for voters.
According to a recent poll by YouGov, the NHS is the second most important issue for voters after the economy, with 45% of respondents saying they trust Labour more to handle it, compared to 28% for the Conservatives.
Burnham concluded by calling for a 'new settlement' for the NHS, including scrapping competitive tendering and bringing services back in-house. He also urged the government to adopt a long-term workforce plan to address staffing shortages.
The debate comes as the NHS faces unprecedented pressures from an ageing population, rising demand, and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Both parties are expected to make healthcare a central battleground in the upcoming election campaign.
