We are at war in Wales

Furthermore, the health service that operates in David TC Davies’ constituency is actually outperforming its neighbouring English trust, when it comes to crucial cancer treatment targets.  In his area of Wales, 95 per cent of people start their cancer treatment within 62 days of a risk being flagged by their GP, while across the border in Wye Valley the figure is just 81 per cent.  In Wales as a whole, 92 per cent of people start their cancer treatment within 62 days, whereas in England it is just 86 per cent.  So if David TC Davies’ wants to campaign for a better health service, he would be better off telling his colleague Jeremy Hunt he should have invested more in cancer care, rather than waste £3bn on a pointless and deeply unpopular reorganisation of the NHS in England.

The truth of the matter is David Davies, the Prime Minister, Grant Shapps and the rest of this sorry bunch aren’t concerned about the NHS in Wales and the Welsh people are not going to fall for it.  Too many of us remember when the Tories were last in charge in Wales, with crumbling hospitals and people being forced to wait two years for operations.  No wonder a recent YouGov poll showed just 14 per cent of Welsh people trust the Tories with the NHS.

In reality, the NHS in Wales has improved dramatically over the last decade thanks to Labour investment and reform.  This is despite operating in difficult circumstances, with the oldest population of the four home nations and having to manage budget cuts from UK government of £1.7bn.  Despite these huge challenges, health spending per head still remains higher in Wales than in England – showing Welsh Government’s commitment to the NHS.

In short, Labour’s challenge to the Tories couldn’t be clearer – if you want to fight the next election on the health service, be our guest.  No one is more proud of our NHS than the Labour Party, especially in Wales – the country of its founder Nye Bevan.  Nationally we saved a health system on its knees in 1997 and still in Wales we are running an excellent and improving service, true to Labour’s values of putting people before profit.

If this smear campaign has made one thing clear, it’s not the shortcomings of the Welsh NHS, but the fact that the Tories have given up electorally in Wales.

Seeing the Prime Minster, Grant Shapps and any other Tory MP using every opportunity available to run Wales down, leaves people in no doubt of the lack of respect they feel for our country.  Even the Secretary of State for Wales would rather slag off Wales than stand up for our interests. In a little over a year’s time the talking will be over and the voters of Wales will face a choice: send to Westminster a London-centric bunch of Tory MPs, who will use every opportunity to undermine Wales, or elect a Labour team who will stand up for Wales.  I’m confident they’ll make the right decision.

Owen Smith MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Wales