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Could NHS reform be the Lib Dems' downfall?

Dissent among party members over the health and social care bill has overshadowed spring conference.

By Daniel Trilling Published 11 March 2012 12:53

This weekend's Liberal Democrat party conference has been dominated by one issue: the NHS. Yesterday, it looked as if dissent among the party rank and file had been stifled, when a vote to "kill the bill" was blocked. A rival motion that called on Lib Dems to support the health and social care bill, put forward by Baroness Shirley Williams, was selected instead. This was a relief for Nick Clegg and the rest of the party leadership, under pressure from rebels who see the Lib Dems as having sold out their social democratic principles. Clegg, speaking to Sky News, was adamant that reform did not threaten the NHS:

Of course it's unsettling when you see lots of people saying "it's going to privatise the NHS and destroy the NHS". If I thought it was going to privatise or destroy the NHS, it would never have seen the light of day.

But the reprieve was short lived: today, members partly rejected the "Shirley Williams motion" and refused to fully endorse the bill. Activists voted 314 against 270 to remove a crucial line calling for peers to support its final stages.

This will have little effect on the bill's passing - Lib Dem members have not called on peers to block the bill, but in a sign of how unhappy many are, they can not bring themselves to support it, either.

This is an embarrassment for Clegg, who will now be accused of supporting a reform that not even his own party members want. It's an embarrassment for the party, too, who now appear to be pushing ahead with NHS "privatisation", even though they can't decide if they like it or not. If the Lib Dems were hoping this conference would galvanise public support, and start winning back voters who have deserted the party since 2010, they may have been sorely mistaken.

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Tags: Lib Dems Nick Clegg NHS

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16 comments

Sun, 2012-03-11 13:04 — Mel Davis (not verified)

Go to hell Nick Clegg,and take the Williams traitor with you.

Sun, 2012-03-11 13:33 — celeriac (not verified)

The Libdems were already done for with tuition fees, this is just the icing on the cake.

Sun, 2012-03-11 14:03 — p j wall (not verified)

I used to respect Williams, but, she should now hang her head in shame!, even after this defeat, she wasn`t even bothered, it`s as if they know they`re toast in 2015, so we`re gonna grab every inch of power we have, and enjoy ourselves!, if that means pissing on everyone else`s chips!, so be it.
Clegg and his other Limp Dem collaborators have obviously inherited Flashmans and Gideons Hubris?, they fit so well into this Nasty, Right Wing Tory party!!, they really have sold out their natural core supporters, who now feel betrayed, and confused!.
Surely, Uncle Vince, can`t keep up his pretence of supporting these Sellouts?, i can`t see him lasting another 3 years, and if he`s as principled as i think he is, he`ll walk, and keep what very little credibility he has, intact?, because 2015 will be beyond Meltdown!!.

Sun, 2012-03-11 14:23 — Indu Pendent (not verified)

This is actually a Cameron Tory issue but ... as if by magic ... its being portayed as a Nick Clegg issue.

If gives Clegg a legitimate basis for rejecting the reforms which he wants to. The only thing he needs to do now is be strong and the reforms would fail.

But, Clegg will dilly dally around the issue and whatever the out come - whether they go through or fail - will get blamed for it.

Cameron is off the hook on this one and will get credit for trying to reform the NHS like Blair did.

Mon, 2012-03-19 18:43 — E Hart (not verified)

This should be an "Iraq moment" for the Lib-Dems and the Tories. There is a serious case of democracy deficit disorder in British politics. Who voted for NHS reforms (not in the manifesto)?

It would be very foolish if we allow politicians, vested interests and business to unravel the welfare state and to impose policies for which we haven't voted.

Who in their right mind could suppose that this is democracy or would be good for democracy? It is rule by diktat.

In answer to you question - it ought to mean the end of both parts of the coalition or indeed any party that usurps the popular will.

Sun, 2012-03-11 18:19 — ianwillmore

That's a bit of a feeble conclusion, with respect. It will "have an effect on the Bill's passing" if Lib Dem peers now join others to make amendments to the Bill that the GOvernment cannot accept, thus blowing the 20th March deadline that has been sent for Royal Assent and sending the Bill into "ping pong" between Houses. The longer the debate goes on the more possible it is that the Bill will eventually be withdrawn or amended beyond recognition. Don't just sit there, get lobbying!

Sun, 2012-03-11 18:20 — matthew fox (not verified)

Reforming the NHS, really. Strange how there was no manifesto commitment to reform from the Conservatives.

If they wanted genuine reform, they would have put the issue to the electorate.

Blair stopped the death of the NHS, he inherited a waiting list of 1 million.

Cameron inherited a waiting list in the thousands.

Sun, 2012-03-11 20:45 — Roger (not verified)

The scaremongering must stop. This reform should have been pushed through ages ago. DC Stop pandering to the lib dems
Call their bluff on all of their posturing from now on. They have nowhere to go.

Sun, 2012-03-11 21:06 — Indu Pendent (not verified)

@matt

er ... Cameron inherited a massive national debt and an enormous deficit. You seem to have forgotten that tiny little detail.

People can have whatever NHS they want but it still needs to be paid for. Labour are not prepared to either own up or step up to the realities of the mess they left the UK in.

You didnt answer my question (what a surprise from you Matt)....
(Ed) Miliband for PM - yes or no?

Sun, 2012-03-11 21:13 — R Carter (not verified)

This will split the party, you can feel the anger in the lid dem ranks,
tuition fees, ema grant now the nhs.
Not to mention the privatization of education and police.
What this space.

Sun, 2012-03-11 21:19 — Fergus Pickering (not verified)

What have waiting lists got to do with it? They are works of fiction like Russian tractor statistics. In the ghastly days of Blair and Broon there was awaiting list and another much longer list of people who weren't allowed on the waiting list.

Sun, 2012-03-11 21:23 — upnorthkid (not verified)

"This will have little effect on the bill's passing - Lib Dem members have not called on peers to block the bill, but in a sign of how unhappy many are, they can not bring themselves to support it, either."

This really is the perfect summation of the Lib Dems isn't it? Never happy without a fence to sit on. An utter embarrassment of a political party.

RIP NHS.

Sun, 2012-03-11 21:24 — Chris (not verified)

Some years back I was a Lib Dem member and even briefly a LD councillor. This was when they were attacking the Tories more than Labour. Now I am very very glad I am no longer a member. I live in an area where Labour comes a distant third with LD in close 2nd, so at last election voted LD thiking it would help stop the Tories. I now find I have a LD MP who is propping up a truly nasty Tory government that is destroying what took years to create and is making even Thatcher look mild.My MP votes for and supports things he spent the election campaign attacking. I will never vote LD again.

Sun, 2012-03-11 21:59 — martybee (not verified)

erm..lets wait for the publication of the Risk Assessment Document could be a getout ploy Nicholas!!!!

Sun, 2012-03-11 22:52 — Freeman2

Fergus Pickering writes, 'In the ghastly days of Blair and Broon there was awaiting list and another much longer list of people who weren't allowed on the waiting list.'

What you forget is that most of us use the NHS and o experience is different.

Mon, 2012-03-12 04:23 — Benjamin Rae (not verified)

Nick Clegg is quite talented in one way. He supports and argues for bold, despicable policies while at the same time looking indecisive and incredibly cowardly.
You do wonder what he tells himself when he's so obviously disengenuious.