With one eye on Spring conference, Clegg urges Health Bill to be diluted
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Nick Clegg called for a further watering down of competition rules in the Government's controversial Health Bill to head off a rebellion from his party's members at the Liberal Democrats' conference next week.
Only hours after David Cameron's official spokesman said there would be no more "significant changes" to the Health and Social Care Bill, Mr Clegg released a letter sent to Liberal Democrat MPs and peers calling for further moves to restrict private competition in the NHS.
Publicly, senior Conservatives said they were relaxed about the letter, which they said had been cleared with David Cameron, but privately some accused the Deputy Prime Minister of playing "dirty politics".
They suggested the changes to the Bill demanded by Mr Clegg had already been broadly agreed by the Coalition. They added that the Liberal Democrats were attempting to claim political credit for forcing further concessions from the Tories despite having previously backed the Bill after last year's "listening exercise". But sources close to Mr Clegg denied this. They said the changes demanded by the Liberal Democrats were significant and were about reassuring people who had "legitimate concerns" about the legislation.
In the letter, which was also signed by the Liberal Democrat peer, Baroness Williams, Mr Clegg said he wanted to see changes to the Bill "to make sure that the NHS can never be treated like the gas, electricity, or water industry".
He cited three areas where he believed further changes were necessary: preventing the NHS from being subject to European competition laws, increasing safeguards to ensure that hospitals could not put the interests of private patients above the NHS and removing the role of the Competition Commission from the Bill. Asked later whether Mr Clegg's demands amounted to "significant changes" Mr Cameron's spokesman said: "We accept that some people require further reassurance on issues relating to competition. We are happy to provide that."
But privately some of those close to Mr Cameron were less sanguine. One said the Prime Minister was "irritated" by the behaviour of Mr Clegg.
Shortly before the letter was issued, Tory health minister Simon Burns had insisted the whole Government backed the Bill.
Labour described the letter as "stage-managed" and said it was part of a "face saving exercise for Nick Clegg".
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments