Labour criticises Tory cuts to health services

The Conservatives have cut health and education spending by £37.3 billion since 2010, according to new research unveiled by the Labour Party.

According to the figures, the Department for Health and Social Care budget has only increased by an average of 1.5 per cent a year since 2010/11 compared with an average of 3.3 per cent increase that is widely acknowledged as required to keep spending in line with demand and performance at a standstill.

This means that the NHS is £23.5 billion worse off over the last decade. Additionally, the figures also show that since 2009/10 education spending across the UK has been cut by £13.8 billion.

Andrew Gwynne, Labour’s National Campaign Co-ordinator, said: “Britain’s education and health services are the cornerstones of our communities and a decade of brutal austerity has cut them to the bone, having a devastating effect on lives across the country.

“The Tories continue to lie about their future plans, misleading the public on their plans for hospitals, nurses and schools funding. The NHS is entering the worst winter crisis on record, there is a shortage of 43,000 nurses and four out of five schools are still going to be worse off next year. Labour will make our public services the best and most extensive in the world and deliver the real change we need.”