‘NHS at greater risk of privatisation after Yes’

Former Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy. Picture: John Devlin

Mr Kennedy accused the SNP of raising the “flag of fear” with the party’s claim that the Scottish health service could be privatised, despite being devolved to Holyrood, if Scots vote No on Thursday at a Lib Dem campaign event in Glasgow.

The Lib Dem MP, who led his party from 1999 to 2006, highlighted leaked documents that suggested Scotland’s NHS is facing a funding gap of up to £450 million and major changes to find savings.

Mr Kennedy, who refused to support the Lib Dems going into coalition with the Tories in 2010, is the face of his party’s new poster campaign that suggested the NHS, the BBC and the pound would be at risk in the event of a Yes vote.

He said that “there’s always a danger when you go down the contractual route too much” as he moved to distanced himself from the UK government’s controversial health reforms, that have seen the private sector taking on a greater role in the NHS south of the border.

The Lib Dem MP for Ross, Skye and Lochaber went onto suggest that the “uncertainty” of the SNP’s independence plans would lead to a risk of cuts and privatisation in Scotland’s NHS as he appeared at the event alongside Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander today.

Mr Alexander rejected SNP suggestions that a No vote would mean that cuts from Westminster and a pro-privatisation government south of the border could threaten Scotland’s NHS.”

He went onto claim that the nationalists had raised the NHS issue as a “diversionary tactic” to scare people into voting Yes on Thursday.

Mr Kennedy said: “The SNP has suddenly raised it as the flag of fear that there will be the destruction of the NHS. It’s complete rubbish.

“It’s been suggested there’s a £450 million shortfall in the NHS and this means more austerity and more of a risk of privatisation.

“That shortfall, together with the uncertainty surrounding the SNP’s plans could mean more austerity or even privatisation.

“The NHS would be much more vulnerable if there’s a Yes vote.

“Spending on the health service keeps rising, but the SNP chose to raise these claims a few weeks ago as a diversionary tactic in the referendum.

“The fact is that there is a political consensus in Scotland that the NHS is hear to stay.”

Mr Kennedy went onto defend the United front campaign visit to Scotland by the three main UK parties leaders last week, when they promised a package of new powers to Holyrood after a No vote.

He said: “It’s not too late. The three party leaders were right to come to Scotland to make this reaffirmation of further devolved powers.”

Meanwhile, Lib Dem cabinet minister Mr Alexander suggested that a Yes vote would lead to lower NHS spending in Scotland.

He said: “The big news is that the NHS is facing a £450 million shortfall under Alex Salmond.

“The claim about NHS privatisation from the SNP is a total falsehood.

“A Yes vote would mean deeper and deeper cuts for the NHS, whereas now NHS spending is rising year on year in the UK.

“If we want to save the NHS say no thanks.

“Charles is one of the most respected and compelling characters in Scotland and has played a big role in the referendum.

“People respect and like Charles Kennedy and what he’s done for many years with his opposition to the Iraq war and support for Home Rule.”