Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn criticized Keir Starmer's NHS reforms, arguing they prioritize private sector involvement at the expense of the National Health Service (NHS). Corbyn's intervention, published in The Independent, alleges the move will "hollow out" the NHS and "betray" working-class voters.
The criticism follows Monday's announcement by Starmer that private hospitals will handle up to a million extra procedures annually to alleviate substantial NHS waiting lists. This represents a significant expansion of the private sector's role within the health system.
The expanded private sector role is accompanied by a £2.5 billion annual increase in funding for private operators, part of the government's strategy to reduce waiting times by 2029.
Corbyn, now an independent MP, contends that this approach mirrors past controversial private sector involvement in the NHS under Tony Blair. He argues that such an approach compromises the NHS's core principle of universal healthcare, accessible to all regardless of socioeconomic status.
Furthermore, Corbyn highlights what he sees as a pattern of broken pledges, citing examples like the two-child benefit cap and winter fuel allowance cuts. He links these failures to growing support for far-right ideologies, suggesting that disillusionment with the current state of the NHS contributes to this trend.
The former Labour leader implies that Starmer's government is overlooking the dissatisfaction of constituents, accusing them of failing to inspire hope for a more equitable society. He directly urges the government to prioritize the preservation of the NHS as a public, universal, and free service. Corbyn's criticism comes in the wake of recent controversies, including the government's handling of the grooming gangs scandal and accusations about Elon Musk's alleged promotion of far-right figures.
