Adopt a peer to defest NHS reform

Today and tomorrow the Lords are debating one of the largest top down reforms of the NHS ever conducted. It’s already cost billions – and none of that money has been spent on extra nurses or extra treatments.

The Tories promised no top down reorganisation. It wasn’t in either manifesto of the coalition partners. The SHA’s are being abolished. But there will be a regional commissioning body above the local GP consortia.

It’s a dogs breakfast and it’s costing billions. And I haven’t even got on to the fact that the logical end game is privatisation.

Tomorrow the Lords vote on the bill after just two debate on the biggest challenge to and changes of the NHS since its inception more than 60 years ago.

There is unease in the Lords and Lib Dem peers are ready to rebel and side with Labour to vote it down and Lib Dem peer Lord Owen has tabled an amendment to at least take the bill to a lords committee. Usual in the process of passing legislation but not required. The government has chosen to bypass this step this time.

You can still do your bit. The TUC have launched the excellent Adopt A Peer on goingtowork.org.uk, if you have 5 minutes between now and tomorrow afternoon you can still lobby wavering peers to press them to vote against the bill or at least vote for the Lord Owen amendment so the legislation can be properly scrutinised by the lords.

We shouldn’t be surprised that the Tories are doing this. As far back as 2004 Oliver Letwin was telling people the Tories wanted to dismantle the NHS. But we can lobby, press and persuade Liberal Democrat and cross bench peers to join Labour and save the NHS in the vote tomorrow.