It’s official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise


by Richard Blogger    
8:45 am - July 29th 2011

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It was inevitable, but now the figures are out: Cameron has cut the NHS.

The Financial Times reported yesterday:

David Cameron has been accused of breaking his most significant pre-election promise, after it emerged spending on the NHS, after inflation, fell last year.

Treasury figures show the NHS spent £102bn from April 2010-April 2011, almost all of which took place when the coalition took power. This marked a £750m real-term fall from the previous year, something Mr Cameron repeatedly promised would not happen.

The coalition agreement promises: “We will guarantee that health spending increases in real terms in each year of the parliament.”

John Healey, Labour’s shadow health secretary, said: “David Cameron has broken his NHS pledge. He put up posters pledging to cut the deficit, not the NHS, but we see now that the Tory-led government has already cut spending on the NHS in its first year.”

On the other hand the Conservative government is borrowing even more than the previous Labour government:

“A fall in tax receipts got the new fiscal year off to a disappointing start with public sector net borrowing hitting £7.7bn compared with £5.3bn in April last year.”

Remember that poster: I’ll cut the deficit not the NHS.

Well he got it the wrong way round, in practice he cut the NHS and raised the deficit.

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Richard is a regular contributor. He blogs more frequently at Conservative Policies Dissected.
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Reader comments


1. Mark

Oh, don’t worry. Once there’s more private sector involvement in the NHS, spending will rocket.

2. Sevillista

Ah, but the excuse is Labour planned these cuts so Cameron’s broken promise is Gordon Brown’s fault. It’s not like Cameron has had any levers to keep his promise is it?

3. Cari

Cameron wants the prestige of being PM but clearly he just isn’t actually up to doing the job of PM.

4. barry

What politician ever sticks to what they promise, give with one hand take foretold with the other there all the same never keeping to there promises its all a hype to get our votes well I have to say if the green run Brighton council dose well in there time of office here ill be voting GREEN come the next election so down with Cameron and his endless dead-end promises.

5. Richard Blogger

#2 Sevillista

Ah, but the excuse is Labour planned these cuts so Cameron’s broken promise is Gordon Brown’s fault. It’s not like Cameron has had any levers to keep his promise is it?

The FT article says that Labour would have spend £150m more in total (OK, that’s not much). But significantly, there would not have been the scandalous cost of the re-organisation that is not needed (neither would we have had the disruption that this re-org is causing). And remember that Labour’s plans were for two years, so in 2013/14 they could have changed their policy, Osborne’s funding is fixed in stone for every year until the next election.

Simply put: even under Labour’s “efficiency savings” we would have been better off.

We are seeing extensive rationing now. If it is this bad in year one with a 4% “saving”, remember that year two will require another 4% “saving”, year three will require another 4% “saving” and year four will require another 4% “saving”. Frankly if it is this bad now, by 2014/15 the NHS will be virtually destroyed. Cameron will rue the day that he put the incompetent Lansley in control.

6. Robert

And let’s not forget he invoked his dead disabled son to reassure people he could be trusted on the NHS.

David Cameron the personification of depravity.

7. Sevillista

@richardblogger

I was suspicious of the Conservative briefing on this, but I thought it a weak excuse even if true.

What Labour planned is irrelevant – Cameron promised no real cuts. Labour planned to do lots of things that the new Government have jettisoned – Cameron could, for example, not cut Corporation Tax and kept his promise.

8. Flowerpower

Cameron didn’t cut the NHS. Neither did Osborne. Alistair Darling and Gordon Brown did.

2010/2011 spending was fixed in Labour’s final budget.
The Coalition will increase it in every year until the next election.

Labour would have cut NHS spending further.

9. Sevillista

And right on cue @flowerpower shows up to claim that Cameron breaking his promise does not count as Gordon Brown prevented him from doing so.

If only the Prime Minister of the UK had some way of increasing health spending and keeping his pre-election promise….

10. sally

Cameron lied from the moment he said he supported the NHS with his disabled child in his arms, knowing full well that he was going to hand Health over to Lansley, whos wife as an interest in the sell off of the NHS.

Noting in the manifesto that he was going to privatise the NHS, because he would have lost more votes had he been honest.

11. Mr Grunt

David Cameron and company told monumental lies during the electoral campaign because they promised to financially ring fence the National Health Service and protect it.

Cameron and company in fact had a secret agenda to break up and privatise the NHS and reward their financial backers and associates. They lied to the entire nation and insulted everyones intelligence so should be punished for it.

David Cameron and company are Evil, Deceitful liars that are hell bent on inflicting misery upon the lower classes and they appear to be arrogantly enjoying the thought of making us suffer in the not to distant future.

This is a Coalition of Evil that is running this country !

12. Peter Copping

If Cameron did promise no cuts in the NHS then he is a fool since he knew that Alistair was cutting expenditure in the NHS and the figure is about right..( I was told 10% in 2009 for 2010-11 off the bugeted figure) by a Trust Chair)

GGO has added to all A’s cuts for 2011-12 and will implement them faster (2014-5 instead of 2016-17) hence the collapse in confidence. As with GJB, he is now talking growth (where?)

You will note that the policy to dispose of the old continues (generational war, cataracts, hips, knees, devolving budgets to gate keeping GPs who will be very cost sensitive and won’t want ‘expensive. patients, work house type care homes,and of course voluntary euthanasia.

I am keeping my PHI going


Reactions: Twitter, blogs
  1. Liberal Conspiracy

    It's official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise http://bit.ly/qzEuTW

  2. perryn biggs

    It’s official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/rqxfjQV via @libcon

  3. Gemma Handford

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  4. Union

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  5. malcolm

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  6. Debra Broughton

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  7. Nicola Chan

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  8. David Isaacs

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  9. Andrew M Cavanagh

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  10. David Davies

    It’s official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise ~ http://t.co/CM7JrnS

  11. Dr*T

    Turns out David Cameron has broken his NHS election pledge. That suprises me. It really does.Tories cut NHS. Who knew? http://t.co/O202HiM

  12. fauxpaschick

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  13. Jane Phillips

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  14. False Economy

    RT @libcon: It's official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise http://t.co/6gHuh9C #falseeconomy

  15. James Mills

    RT @libcon: It's official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise http://t.co/6gHuh9C #falseeconomy

  16. Joanna Coates

    RT @libcon: It's official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise http://t.co/6gHuh9C #falseeconomy

  17. VirtualResistance

    http://bit.ly/nRYKrc It's official: Cameron has broken his #NHS election promise #nochangetherethen

  18. Rhiannon Sawyer

    RT @libcon: It's official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise http://t.co/6gHuh9C #falseeconomy

  19. Alec Speight

    It’s official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise | Liberal Conspiracy – http://goo.gl/CtTDh

  20. Bob Irving

    RT @libcon: It's official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise http://t.co/6gHuh9C #falseeconomy

  21. Mr W.H.

    RT @libcon: It's official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise http://t.co/6gHuh9C #falseeconomy < Tell us something we didn't know.

  22. Joanna Coates

    It’s official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/NEWSNqz via @libcon

  23. czol

    It's official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise http://bit.ly/qzEuTW

  24. Joanna Coates

    It’s official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/NEWSNqz via @libcon #savethenhs #saveournhs

  25. pete brookes

    RT @libcon: It's official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise http://t.co/6gHuh9C #falseeconomy

  26. Paul Crowley

    Inevitably, Cameron has cut the NHS and raised the deficit http://t.co/IY4RnHg

  27. Deirdre Henderson

    There goes the good ship HMS NHS……http://t.co/HiWp00o

  28. Dr. David Briggs

    Turns out David Cameron has broken his NHS election pledge. That suprises me. It really does.Tories cut NHS. Who knew? http://t.co/O202HiM

  29. Natacha Kennedy

    It's official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise http://bit.ly/qzEuTW

  30. meme

    It’s official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/OQOI4vw via @libcon

  31. Phil Porter

    RT @libcon: It's official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise http://t.co/6gHuh9C #falseeconomy

  32. Aaron Chandra

    RT @libcon: It's official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise http://t.co/6gHuh9C #falseeconomy

  33. Matt Jones

    "Well he got it the wrong way round, in practice he cut the NHS and raised the deficit." – http://t.co/kHQhuPQ

  34. Bill Perrett

    RT @libcon: It's official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise http://t.co/6gHuh9C #falseeconomy

  35. Neil O'Connell

    Turns out David Cameron has broken his NHS election pledge. That suprises me. It really does.Tories cut NHS. Who knew? http://t.co/O202HiM

  36. Pozorvlak

    Inevitably, Cameron has cut the NHS and raised the deficit http://t.co/IY4RnHg

  37. Charlotte Richardson

    S'official: Cameron has broken his election promise on #NHS – is spending less and borrowing more: http://t.co/m7viTeC

  38. Graham Jeffery

    Inevitably, Cameron has cut the NHS and raised the deficit http://t.co/IY4RnHg

  39. Mark Turner

    RT @libcon: It's official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise http://t.co/6gHuh9C #falseeconomy

  40. bob woods

    RT @libcon: It's official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise http://t.co/6gHuh9C #falseeconomy

  41. mintywalker

    Inevitably, Cameron has cut the NHS and raised the deficit http://t.co/IY4RnHg

  42. Ian Rennie

    Turns out David Cameron has broken his NHS election pledge. That suprises me. It really does.Tories cut NHS. Who knew? http://t.co/O202HiM

  43. Mary Hallam

    RT @libcon: It's official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise http://t.co/6gHuh9C #falseeconomy

  44. Anti-Cuts Alliance

    RT @libcon: It's official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise http://t.co/6gHuh9C #falseeconomy

  45. The Sweet Nothings

    It’s official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/DLdN17I via @libcon

  46. Zack Wilson

    It’s official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/cxExEbX via @libcon

  47. Bradley Colmans

    Inevitably, Cameron has cut the NHS and raised the deficit http://t.co/IY4RnHg

  48. dolly daydream

    Inevitably, Cameron has cut the NHS and raised the deficit http://t.co/IY4RnHg

  49. Claire

    RT @libcon: It's official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise http://t.co/6gHuh9C #falseeconomy

  50. Jason Kitcat

    As NHS spending falls & gov borrowing goes up, Cameron pledges are broken http://bit.ly/r9e9eC

  51. QOFE

    As NHS spending falls & gov borrowing goes up, Cameron pledges are broken http://bit.ly/r9e9eC

  52. Adam

    It's official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise http://bit.ly/qzEuTW

  53. Matthew Bourgeois

    #Cameron HAS cut the #NHS & is borrowing more money than labour. What happened to 'I'll cut the #deficit not the NHS' http://t.co/Q8BWSeK

  54. Benjamin M. A'Lee

    Cameron promised to cut deficit, not NHS; in practice: cut NHS, raised deficit. GO TORIES GO. http://is.gd/U3JJrS

  55. Paul Jakma

    Pre-election Cameron: "I'll cut the deficit, not the NHS". The reality? Other way around. (LibCon): http://bit.ly/qxjJeD

  56. Brian Moylan

    RT @libcon: It's official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise http://bit.ly/qzEuTW #nhs #cuts #nhsreform #topdownreorganisation

  57. InternationalUNCUT

    RT @libcon: It's official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise http://t.co/6gHuh9C #falseeconomy

  58. Louise Sutcliffe

    It's official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise http://bit.ly/qzEuTW

  59. Louise Sutcliffe

    It's official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise http://bit.ly/qzEuTW

  60. Denny

    Inevitably, Cameron has cut the NHS and raised the deficit http://t.co/IY4RnHg

  61. Graham Armstrong

    Raise your hand if you're surprised. RT @libcon: It's official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise http://bit.ly/qzEuTW

  62. Guy Manchester

    It’s official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise: http://j.mp/nHdzC5

  63. Matt Tancock

    It’s official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise http://t.co/uomuuHM via @libcon –> *shocked*

  64. UNISON Health

    It’s official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise http://fb.me/19pLGSXOa

  65. Tony Wright

    It’s official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise http://fb.me/19pLGSXOa

  66. InternationalUNCUT

    Mr Porky Pies. Bullshitting the masses since… Acht he's a Tory. http://fb.me/15celmMyS

  67. Lisa Egan

    RT @libcon: It's official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise http://t.co/6gHuh9C #falseeconomy

  68. neilrfoster

    Good piece from @richardblogger on how Cameron's policies are.increasing the deficit and cutting the NHS >>> http://t.co/VjeJwjh

  69. Juan Voet

    RT @libcon: It's official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise http://t.co/6gHuh9C #falseeconomy

  70. Juan Voet

    “@FalseEcon: RT @libcon: It's official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise http://t.co/U1DkCGz #falseeconomy” never trust a Tory!

  71. matthew naylor

    RT @FalseEcon RT @libcon: It's official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise http://t.co/6gHuh9C #falseeconomy

  72. Natacha Kennedy

    “@FalseEcon: RT @libcon: It's official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise http://t.co/U1DkCGz #falseeconomy” never trust a Tory!

  73. | Romantic Robot

    [...] you voted Tory I hope you are happy with this: It’s official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise | Liberal Conspiracy. Worth sharing?EmailRedditFacebook This entry was posted in Bookmark the [...]

  74. David Levene

    Remember that poster: Ill cut deficit not NHS? He got it wrong, in practice he cut NHS and raised deficit http://t.co/MKRVSMK

  75. Chris Paul

    Remember that poster: Ill cut deficit not NHS? He got it wrong, in practice he cut NHS and raised deficit http://t.co/MKRVSMK

  76. Adam Bienkov

    Remember that poster: Ill cut deficit not NHS? He got it wrong, in practice he cut NHS and raised deficit http://t.co/MKRVSMK

  77. DanielPoxton

    Remember that poster: Ill cut deficit not NHS? He got it wrong, in practice he cut NHS and raised deficit http://t.co/MKRVSMK

  78. Andy Saul

    Remember that poster: Ill cut deficit not NHS? He got it wrong, in practice he cut NHS and raised deficit http://t.co/MKRVSMK

  79. Kevin Arscott

    Remember that poster: Ill cut deficit not NHS? He got it wrong, in practice he cut NHS and raised deficit http://t.co/MKRVSMK

  80. Tom Rafferty

    RT @dtlevene: Remember that poster: Ill cut deficit not NHS? He got it wrong, in practice he cut NHS and raised deficit http://bit.ly/nRYKrc

  81. consumer

    Remember that poster: Ill cut deficit not NHS? He got it wrong, in practice he cut NHS and raised deficit http://t.co/MKRVSMK

  82. Ian Charles

    Remember that poster: Ill cut deficit not NHS? He got it wrong, in practice he cut NHS and raised deficit http://t.co/MKRVSMK

  83. Jared Ficklin

    Remember that poster: Ill cut deficit not NHS? He got it wrong, in practice he cut NHS and raised deficit http://t.co/MKRVSMK

  84. Samantha Grimmett

    RT @dtlevene Remember that cameron poster: Ill cut deficit not NHS? Nope! He cut NHS and raised deficit. http://t.co/qrU5hSb”

  85. Ben Davison

    Remember that poster: Ill cut deficit not NHS? He got it wrong, in practice he cut NHS and raised deficit http://t.co/MKRVSMK

  86. loulou

    Remember that poster: Ill cut deficit not NHS? He got it wrong, in practice he cut NHS and raised deficit http://t.co/MKRVSMK

  87. Oddtwang Of Dork

    Remember that poster: Ill cut deficit not NHS? He got it wrong, in practice he cut NHS and raised deficit http://t.co/MKRVSMK

  88. John Ferguson

    Remember that poster: Ill cut deficit not NHS? He got it wrong, in practice he cut NHS and raised deficit http://t.co/MKRVSMK

  89. Stephen Cooles

    Remember that poster: Ill cut deficit not NHS? He got it wrong, in practice he cut NHS and raised deficit http://t.co/MKRVSMK

  90. Julia Thorne

    Remember that poster: Ill cut deficit not NHS? He got it wrong, in practice he cut NHS and raised deficit http://t.co/MKRVSMK

  91. Emily Davis

    Remember that poster: Ill cut deficit not NHS? He got it wrong, in practice he cut NHS and raised deficit http://t.co/MKRVSMK

  92. Jay Nathan

    Remember that poster: Ill cut deficit not NHS? He got it wrong, in practice he cut NHS and raised deficit http://t.co/MKRVSMK

  93. Ellie Robinson

    RT @dtlevene: Remember that poster: Ill cut deficit not NHS? He got it wrong, in practice he cut NHS and raised deficit http://t.co/MKRVSMK

  94. Andy Brownhill

    Remember that poster: Ill cut deficit not NHS? He got it wrong, in practice he cut NHS and raised deficit http://t.co/MKRVSMK

  95. sms_nurse

    Remember that poster: Ill cut deficit not NHS? He got it wrong, in practice he cut NHS and raised deficit http://t.co/MKRVSMK

  96. Ross Tarbard

    RT @uponnothing: RT @dtlevene: Remember that poster: Ill cut deficit not NHS? He got it wrong, in practice he cut NHS… http://t.co/MKRVSMK

  97. mgajia

    Remember that poster: Ill cut deficit not NHS? He got it wrong, in practice he cut NHS and raised deficit http://t.co/MKRVSMK

  98. PumpkinSpider

    Remember that poster: Ill cut deficit not NHS? He got it wrong, in practice he cut NHS and raised deficit http://t.co/MKRVSMK

  99. Ashley Harnett

    [This was expected] 'It’s official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise' http://t.co/fb5XSm4 via @libcon

  100. MissTJD

    Remember that poster: Ill cut deficit not NHS? He got it wrong, in practice he cut NHS and raised deficit http://t.co/MKRVSMK

  101. Shez

    Remember that poster: Ill cut deficit not NHS? He got it wrong, in practice he cut NHS and raised deficit http://t.co/MKRVSMK

  102. Sue Marsh

    It’s official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/opUB7vL via @libcon

  103. Mabel Horrocks

    It’s official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/opUB7vL via @libcon

  104. Neil Hughes

    It’s official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/opUB7vL via @libcon

  105. Sam Barnett-Cormack

    It’s official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/opUB7vL via @libcon

  106. Marie Craddock

    It’s official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/opUB7vL via @libcon

  107. Chris Salter

    RT @suey2y: It’s official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise | Liberal Conspiracy http://tinyurl.com/3mhxm6v via @libcon #ppnuk

  108. Nick H.

    Remember that poster: Ill cut deficit not NHS? He got it wrong, in practice he cut NHS and raised deficit http://t.co/MKRVSMK

  109. paurina

    Remember that poster: Ill cut deficit not NHS? He got it wrong, in practice he cut NHS and raised deficit http://t.co/MKRVSMK

  110. Julie Gordon

    It’s official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/sSuCKo7 via @libcon

  111. Tom Wright

    Remember that poster: Ill cut deficit not NHS? He got it wrong, in practice he cut NHS and raised deficit http://t.co/MKRVSMK

  112. John Croft

    RT @libcon: It's official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise http://t.co/6gHuh9C #falseeconomy

  113. Sam Morecorft

    It’s official: Cameron has broken his NHS election promise | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/7wF3vn2 via @libcon << Cue mock surprise

  114. Mutant Dog

    So it appears #CallMeDave has broke his pre-election pledge to not cut the #nhs, not suprising. #Toryscum http://t.co/1OsEWvM

  115. Chris Boyle

    Inevitably, Cameron has cut the NHS and raised the deficit http://t.co/IY4RnHg

  116. Phil Jones

    @Rolo_Tamasi http://t.co/4LXwg1iN

  117. sunny hundal

    @richolden but Labour are not in power; Tories are. Conservatives cut the NHS and *raised* the deficit http://t.co/VVIasliX





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