Observer Reveals tranche of Conservative Shadow Cabinet are Anti-NHS

3.03.00pm BST (GMT +0100) Sun 16th Aug 2009

The lead story of 16th August Observer reveals how several key members of The Conservatives' Shadow Cabinet helped co-author a book with controversial Euro MP Daniel Hannan calling for the abolition of the NHS. The group included neighbouring Surrey Heath MP, Conservative Michael Gove along with Conservatives Greg Clark MP, Jeremy Hunt MP and Robert Goodwill MP.

The book entitled "Direct Democracy" claims that the NHS is "no longer relevant in the 21st century.

Michael Gove, who is the Front Bench Shadow for the Department for Children Families and Schools was named as being among 20 top Tory MPs and MEPs who were cited as supporting Daniel Hannan's views in a second book, "The Plan: Twelve Months to Renew Britain" published in December last year, which again called for the NHS to be abolished and to be replaced by a complicated system of individual health insurance.

Speaking after hearing the news Windsor Lib Dem Parliamentary Spokesman Julian Tisi said,

"Can David Cameron get his increasingly extremist right wing party to support him in backing the NHS?

"It appears he can't even count on the Conservative Shadow Cabinet to back the NHS.

"Given that Cameron has already been forced by his right wing party to ally with the loony right wing fringe of European Politics, the public can have little confidence that David Cameron can deliver Conservative support for the NHS, whatever his personal views."

Local Lib Dems are now calling on Windsor's Conservative MP to come out and publicly condemn Daniel Hannan's attack on the NHS.