Brown backs NHS in US health care debate

Published on Thursday 13 August 2009 22:09

GORDON Brown has waded into a transatlantic row over US president Barack Obama's health care reforms, using a social networking site to defend the NHS from Republican attacks.

The Prime Minister and his wife Sarah joined a Twitter campaign to fend off criticism of the NHS from American right-wingers.

Britain's free-at-the-point-of-delivery service had been derided as "evil and Orwellian" by Americans in a series of television advertisements. Republican presidential hopeful Sarah Palin had described the NHS as "downright evil".

A campaign on networking site Twitter was started to fight the attacks and the Prime Minister, wrote on it: "NHS often makes the difference between pain and comfort, despair and hope, life and death. Thanks for always being there."

Writing under the tag-line: "#WeLoveTheNHS", Mrs Brown added: "More than words can say".

The Browns have always put on record their gratitude for the care their late daughter Jennifer received before her death. They rely on the NHS to treat their son Fraser, who has cystic fibrosis.

Mr Brown is angry over incorrect claims in the United States that the NHS would not treat the elderly, and the British Embassy in Washington has been working to scotch the myths.

The row has threatened to divide the Conservatives, however, after one of its MEPs warned Americans against copying the "Marxist" NHS.

Daniel Hannan said: "You would much rather fall ill in the US," but his words were slapped down by Tory leader David Cameron, whose son Ivan, was ill from birth and was treated by the NHS until he died, aged six.

Last night, Mr Cameron launched a fierce defence of the NHS on his blog, as his party seeks to rebrand itself as a public sector protector.

In it he wrote: "Millions of people are grateful for the care they have received from the NHS – including my own family. One of the wonderful things about living in this country is that the moment you're injured or fall ill – no matter who you are, where you are from, or how much money you've got – you know the NHS will look after you."

He said this was why his party was committed to it and pledged to both spending more on the health service and improving it.

Previous suspicions that the party would privatise the NHS have scared voters, and the Tories know the health system is viewed as sacrosanct by many.

Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley also rebuked Mr Hannan, saying: "There are millions of people who are grateful for the care they have received from the NHS.

"It does them and the NHS a disservice for Daniel Hannan to give Americans such a negative and partial view. That we can access health care free at point of use, based on need, is something others envy."

Mr Hannan later said on his website he fully supported Mr Cameron's leadership.

Professor Stephen Hawking, who was in the US to collect a medal of freedom from Mr Obama, was also dragged into the row after an American newspaper said he "wouldn't have had a chance in the UK" because of NHS rationing. On his trip to Washington, Prof Hawking said: "I wouldn't be here today if it were not for the NHS."

One American politician sparked fury when he suggested that US Senator Ted Kennedy would have been left to die in Britain because he was too old for his brain tumour to be treated.

Opponents of Mr Obama have warned that his healthcare changes will "socialise" the system, and could lead to panels deciding whether the elderly deserved life-saving treatment.