Welsh Labour will spend Mansion Tax proceeds on 1,000 health professionals

At Labour conference this year Ed Miliband announced that under Labour the Mansion Tax (alongside a crackdown on tobacco companies and tax avoidance) would be spent on a “time to care fund” for the NHS. In early January, Scottish Labour leader Jim Murphy announced that he would spend Scotland’s share of the Mansion Tax on 1,000 nurses. And today Welsh First Minister and Labour leader Carwyn Jones has announced that the Welsh Assembly will spend their share of the Mansion Tax on 1,000 healthcare professionals.

The announcement is seen as an attempt by Welsh Labour to move on from attacks on the Welsh NHS made by David Cameron and the Tories (amongst others) about the health service. Speaking earlier today, Jones said:

“This is a serious commitment to our NHS in Wales, only possible with the election of a Labour government in May. We know that people in Wales cherish their NHS, and want to see a safe, modern and sustainable service guaranteed for the future. We need more trained healthcare professionals to make that happen.

“In addition to the £500m we have already invested in the NHS over the next two years, Welsh Labour are demonstrating our commitment to frontline services even in tough times.

“This is a real dividing line with the Tories, who are trying to roll back more and more taxes for millionaires and want to cut the state down to 1930s levels. Welsh Labour is the party of the NHS, and we will always fight for its future.”

This week is likely to see a renewed focus from Labour on the NHS (even more so than normal) with speeches from Ed Miliband and Andy Burnham on the subject tomorrow.