Senior Tories begin to get cold feet as health bill is defeated in Lords

[LeftishBrit]

David Cameron has been urged to abandon the Government's controversial Health and Social Care Bill by at least one senior Cabinet minister in the face of widespread public hostility.

Senior figures in Downing Street and the Conservative whips' office have also suggested to the Prime Minister that the Bill, which last night suffered its first defeat in the House of Lords, should be dropped.

The Government was defeated by 244 to 240 on an amendment to emphasise the importance of mental health in the Bill. The amendment had been rejected by the Government.

Senior Government figures have made the case to Mr Cameron that many of the changes to the health service could be carried out without legislation. They also told him they feared "pushing" the Bill through against widespread opposition would give Labour an "open goal" to blame all future problems in the NHS on their reforms. The concern was apparently backed up by private polling that shows the reforms are deeply unpopular.


(And much more at link!)


http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/senior-tories-begin-to-get-cold-feet-as-health-bill-is-defeated-in-lords-6676544.html

Let's all keep up the pressure; looks like it may be working!

[LeftishBrit]

1. In connection with this, here's a link from 2004, where Letwin was apparently a little too

honest about Tory plans!

http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/health-and-families/health-news/letwin-nhs-will-not-exist-under-tories-6168295.html

[Prophet 451]

2. Sorry to be a downer but...

...if the bill fails to get through the Lords twice, the government can just invoke the Parliament Act and bypass the Lords entirely. Yes, invoking the Parliament Act is a very rare and very radical step but the bunch of vandals currently in charge are so hellbent on destroying both the NHS and the welfare state that I think they will probably do it over both the NHS reforms and the Welfare "Reform" Bill (for which, read destruction of the welfare state).

[truebrit71]

3. ...if "Just call me Dave" did that he would he guaranteed that he will be a one-termer...

...and perform the almost impossible, by becoming LESS popular than Nick Clegg...

[Prophet 451]

4. I don't think he cares, tbh

I think the beast Cameron has resigned himself to being a one-term PM. I get the impression that he's imagining himself as a one-term PM with a historic legacy. Certainly, his government have been hellbent on pushing through a bunch of ultraright and vastly unpopular policies.

[truebrit71]

5. You could be right....

..I just love the way he's governing as though the conservadick party received a mandate from the voters...

[T_i_B]

6. And now this from Conservative Home.....

The unnecessary and unpopular NHS Bill could cost the Conservative Party the next election. Cameron must kill it.

http://conservativehome.blogs.com/thetorydiary/2012/02/the-unnecessary-and-unpopular-nhs-bill-could-cost-the-conservative-party-the-next-election-cameron-m.html

The NHS was long the Conservative Party’s Achilles heel. David Cameron’s greatest political achievement as Leader of the Opposition was to neutralise health as an issue. The greatest mistake of his time as Prime Minister has been to put it back at the centre of political debate.

Many Conservatives think that the NHS needs fundamental reform but for far-reaching reform to succeed certain pre-conditions must be met. The public needs to have been persuaded that substantial change is necessary. The Government cannot be distracted by other consuming projects but its best brains must be focused and single-minded in ensuring the policy’s success. The Whitehall machine needs to be prepared and co-operative. The Health Secretary needs to enjoy significant goodwill amongst NHS staff and possess exceptional communication skills. Few - perhaps none - of those preconditions exist.

Earlier this week David Cameron and Nick Clegg decided again that they would plough on with the Health and Social Care Bill. Clegg was particularly reluctant. Cameron was resigned to doing so. Neither were enthusiastic.

In the wake of Rachel Sylvester’s seismic article in Tuesday’s Times (£) it is now clear that concern is high at the top table of the Coalition. Rachel Sylvester revealed the extent of concern inside Downing Street. Speaking to ConservativeHome, three Tory Cabinet ministers have now also rung the alarm bell. One was insistent the Bill must be dropped. Another said Andrew Lansley must be replaced. Another likened the NHS reforms to the poll tax. The consensus is that the Prime Minister needs an external shock to wake him to the scale of the problem.

[oldironside]

7. Good news.

Actually, bloody marvellous news.