Independent Media | Campaigning Journalism
People are pouring scorn on Theresa May’s latest NHS proposal
On 17 June, Theresa May revealed that the Conservative Party is giving the NHS a 70th birthday present. Speaking on The Andrew Marr Show, she stated the government will be giving the NHS an extra £20bn a year by 2023.
The NHS in England is to receive an extra £20bn a year as a 70th "birthday present", Theresa May tells #Marr https://t.co/rymEFOPEnR pic.twitter.com/ov6ldmkOMX
— BBC News (UK) (@BBCNews) June 17, 2018
But don’t start celebrating just yet. As is often the case with this government, the announcement is not all that it seems.
Dividend? What dividend?
The new ‘boost’ for the NHS comes after years of underfunding. While the government has not spelled out exactly where the money will be coming from, it’s thought it will be through higher taxes and a mysterious Brexit dividend.
Read on...
On a Brexit income, @theresa_may says: “These issues will be finalised when we put the withdrawal agreement into a legal treaty.” #marr pic.twitter.com/AyVa58kE3d
— The Andrew Marr Show (@MarrShow) June 17, 2018
When Marr asked whether a Brexit dividend actually exists, Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee was scathing in her response:
Talk about absolute fraud, Brexit dividend? Certainly not. According to the two most reliable sources, the Institute for Fiscal Studies, Paul Johnson, head of that, says – ‘there is no Brexit dividend’ and he quotes the Office of Budget Responsibility … who says on the contrary there will be £15 billion less.
And people on social media were equally pessimistic:
Theresa May just said higher spending on the NHS would be funded by "the Brexit dividend" – it does not exist. The OBR has forecast Brexit will *cost* the UK £300m a week. #Marr https://t.co/eUY8sg0D0f
— George Eaton (@georgeeaton) June 17, 2018
Just to clarify
THERE IS NO BREXIT DIVIDEND.
THERE IS NO BREXIT DIVIDEND.
THERE IS NO BREXIT DIVIDEND.
THERE IS NO BREXIT DIVIDEND.
THERE IS NO BREXIT DIVIDEND.
THERE IS NO BREXIT DIVIDEND.— Sean (@dadtoadaughter) June 17, 2018
Paul Johnson, director of the Institute for Fiscal Studies, had the final word:
Extra spending can't be funded by Brexit dividend.
1) Govt has accepted Brexit will *weaken* public finances by £15bn pa
2) Financial settlement with EU plus commitments to replace EU funding already uses up all of our EU contributions in 2022
There is no Brexit dividend
— Paul Johnson (@PJTheEconomist) June 17, 2018
A magic money tree?
The confusion around where the money is coming from also led to scepticism from shadow foreign secretary Emily Thornberry. Marr put it to her that she must be delighted about the new funding boost. To which she stated:
Yes, I mean I would certainly welcome it if we could believe it.
She went on to question the government’s apparent lack of costing for such a significant proposal:
“Our manifesto had these things costed”, says @EmilyThornberry #marr pic.twitter.com/K4P9e1K0da
— The Andrew Marr Show (@MarrShow) June 17, 2018
People on Twitter were quick to highlight the government’s hypocrisy:
Suddenly, with this extra money (and presumably due to it coming from a Tory gob) there’s no mention of ‘affordability’ and a ‘magic money tree’. Your cowed parroting of the tory line is why fewer & fewer people trust the Brext Broadcasting Conservatives.
— ‘Low Skilled’ Patrick Walsh ⚖️🌹 (@padster1976) June 17, 2018
And others were worried about who will eventually be made to foot the bill:
You can be sure any extra money May puts into anything will come from the poorest in society. She won't touch the well off. Tax the rich and corporations instead.
— FreeP (@Big_Shinner) June 17, 2018
Still not enough
Even if these incredibly sketchy funding proposals are more than just hot air, the money the government has promised is still not enough:
“We’ve been working this with NHS leaders,” says @theresa_may when @AndrewMarr9 reads the IFS statement #marr pic.twitter.com/lwaX2hYz5g
— The Andrew Marr Show (@MarrShow) June 17, 2018
As Marr put it to May, to bring about meaningful change on issues such as waiting times and staff shortages, the NHS needs a 5% boost in funding. The Tories have promised just 3.4%. This is less than the historic annual increase:
The historic annual increase is 3.7% so you're still below that…? Yes or no?? Admit it don't give more twaddle and fluff!
— Graham Deeply Unhelpful Holland (@grahamholland13) June 17, 2018
Too little too late
On the NHS’s 70th birthday, this Tory proposal is reminiscent of an estranged parent tying to cover years of neglect with a lavish gift.
But you don’t have to scratch far below the surface to reveal that the gesture is all bluster. The complete lack of costing, and reliance on a Brexit dividend that experts say doesn’t exist, is an insult to the NHS.
No wonder people aren’t buying it.
Get Involved!
– Join The Canary, so we can keep holding the powerful to account.
Featured image via BBCiplayer
We need your help to keep speaking the truth
Every story that you have come to us with; each injustice you have asked us to investigate; every campaign we have fought; each of your unheard voices we amplified; we do this for you. We are making a difference on your behalf.
Our fight is your fight. You’ve supported our collective struggle every time you gave us a like; and every time you shared our work across social media. Now we need you to support us with a monthly donation.
We have published nearly 2,000 articles and over 50 films in 2021. And we want to do this and more in 2022 but we don’t have enough money to go on at this pace. So, if you value our work and want us to continue then please join us and be part of The Canary family.
In return, you get:
* Advert free reading experience
* Quarterly group video call with the Editor-in-Chief
* Behind the scenes monthly e-newsletter
* 20% discount in our shop
Almost all of our spending goes to the people who make The Canary’s content. So your contribution directly supports our writers and enables us to continue to do what we do: speaking truth, powered by you. We have weathered many attempts to shut us down and silence our vital opposition to an increasingly fascist government and right-wing mainstream media.
With your help we can continue:
* Holding political and state power to account
* Advocating for the people the system marginalises
* Being a media outlet that upholds the highest standards
* Campaigning on the issues others won’t
* Putting your lives central to everything we do
We are a drop of truth in an ocean of deceit. But we can’t do this without your support. So please, can you help us continue the fight?
Support us 
