John Healey has one of the easiest tasks this conference – to reinforce the most overused phrase in Labour politics at the moment…
“You can’t trust the Tories with our NHS.”
And the shadow health secretary certainly stuck to his brief.
In fact, he deviated from it so little that it felt like an elongated version of Ed Miliband’s health statements in his speech yesterday.
Dressed in a red tie and pink shirt, Healey had one vaguely new policy development:
“Labour will look to develop integrated care organisations to allow primary, secondary and social care to work together… We will look to promote those that share a true social ethos over those driven by narrow commercial interests.”
But there was little else on the innovation front – just fierce protectionism of Labour’s NHS credentials.
The predatory fund managers made another appearance. So did Southern Cross.
“People’s confidence in care was shaken by the crisis at Southern Cross. Care for some of the most vulnerable in our society, traded by predatory fund managers who saw elderly people as commodities.”
But before you write Healey off, there was one sting in the tail.
With rumours of a Labour reshuffle doing the rounds, Healey wanted to make it clear that he was pulling his weight.
“… The long, slow haul of opposition: building alliances behind the scenes; making arguments that others come to accept, then make as well; and – yes – allowing others to claim credit to get results.”
So don’t dismiss John Healey for parroting what Ed said yesterday.
The shadow health secretary probably came up with it first…
He’s gracious like that.
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