Last week, Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn said he had a 451-page dossier showing that initial talks had taken place proving the National Health Service (NHS) was 'for sale.' Since then the ensuing big row over the NHS continues to dominate the election campaign. While Corbyn is placing the NHS at the core of his election campaign, Prime Minister Boris Johnson is focusing on Brexit.
Last week, Johnson refuted Corbyn’s claim describing it as 'nonsense' while saying the NHS would not be part of trade talks with the U.S.
The Prime Minister claimed many times in his campaign that the NHS would receive the biggest spending increase in modern memory, or a record sum and the biggest boost for a generation in the sum of £34 billion.
The NHS is a decisive element for this election with many of the electorate considering it a U.K. treasure. Many would argue that it should be kept and improved to continue providing government-supplemented medical and health care services that are accessible to all in the U.K. However, some argue that Johnson’s government may include the service as part of any trade negotiations with the U.S. administration, which could threaten its founding principles of free health care for all.
The NHS, funded by U.K. taxpayers, is offered ‘free at the point of use’ (or delivery) meaning any U.K. resident can see a doctor who will offer diagnosis or treatment for an illness without payment.