Salmond ‘disingenuous’ about NHS Scotland privatisation claims

Shadow Health minister Debbie Abrahams has slammed Alex Salmond for being “disingenuous” in his claims about the privatisation about the NHS. On the campaign trail for a No vote in Scotland, Abrahams said:

“His claim that the NHS in Scotland is at risk of privatisation if Scotland stays part of the unions is disingenuous to say the least.

“Health policy is already devolved to the Scottish Parliament. The only way the NHS in Scotland will be privatised is if the Scottish government want it to be. And it is interesting just what has happened to NHS Scotland with Salmond has been at the helm.”

The Oldham East and Saddleworth MP went on to point the finger at the SNP, asking them to outline what effects the economic crisis predicted in the event Scotland votes for independence would have on funding for the Scottish NHS”

“They have yet to say what effect the £6bn black hole in their finances estimated by the IFS will have on NHS Scotland. Since the SNP failed to pass on the £300m increase in the health budget in their block grant to NHS Scotland, the NHS is clearly not one of their priorities.”

Abrahams is not the first Labour figure to attack Salmond over his NHS comments. On Wednesday, Gordon Brown said he would stand for the Scottish Parliament in order to rebut the Scottish First Minister’s NHS comments more thoroughly if he continued to mislead.