The Prime Minister's pathetic lies about a 'Brexit dividend' will not save the NHS according to Southport Lib Dem NHS spokeperson Councillor Tony Dawson. Nor will it guarantee the future of Southport Hospital about which there has been a deafening silence for months.

"Southport Hospital is particularly vulnerable as it is 'out on a limb' says councillor Dawson. While it may not go down in one big crash, it is potentially subject to 'a salami slicing' to maintain money for services provided elsewhere."

Councillor Dawson quotes the editorial article in 'The Times' newspaper today which describes Prime Minister Theresa May's talk of a 'Brexit dividend' as being “as mendacious as the lie on the big red bus”.

"There is no Brexit dividend. There will be no financial Brexit Dividend." he says.

" There will only be a sizable 'Brexit Burden' and the only issue is as to how big a burden this will be and which sections of Britain's population will be made to bear most of it. This is why Jeremy Corby's perpetual dithering on the matter has been so dangerous."

Mrs May’s claim that money released by the UK leaving the EU would meet a significant part of the spending commitment is being widely dismissed both by economists and MPs.

Conservative MP Sarah Wollaston, who is also a GP and who chairs the Commons Health Select Committee, has gone public describing talk of a “Brexit dividend” as “tosh”, which “treats the public as fools”. Dr Woolaston says:

“Don’t even begin to swallow any rubbish that this will be some Brexit bonanza. In reality, the tax rises and borrowing will need to be higher as a result,”

And Councillor Dawson chides the Prime Minister for pretending that all will be well with the NHS as a result of 'some magic money tree'.

"Firstly, he says, "Mrs May's promised £3.4 per cent rise in funding per year is not sufficient to sustain the Health Service's needs and below the NHS' historic average annual funding rises throughout its 70 year history."

"It will be an effective CUT in the NHS funding needed to meet the growing elderly population, especially if there is not also a rise in the funding of social care and a speedy national integration of Health & Social Care provision."

"Secondly, the money needs to be found and found now - and the government must come clean where it is coming from. No more repetition of the lies on the big red bus."

"Part of this funding needs to be made by reversing the tax give-aways to the very rich. But it is quite likely that there may have to be an effective 1 per cent rise in income tax or National Insurance as Vince Cable has been saying for some time."

Originally Posted by roving-eye

And Councillor Dawson chides the Prime Minister for pretending that all will be well with the NHS as a result of 'some magic money tree'.

This funding needs to be made by reversing the tax give-aways to the very rich. But it is quite likely that there may have to be an effective 1 per cent rise in income tax or National Insurance as Vince Cable has been saying for some time."

Cllr Dawson would have more credibility if he didn’t treat this as such a political football as this story is about him criticising the opposition rather than Southport. The Lib Dem’s flagship campaign to save Southport Hospital has been a broken link for months since the failed election.

As for blowing vinces trumpet, 1% is unlikely to be enough but guess when he’s in a party that locally have set themselves up to be the nasty party slamming everyone around very much to the towns detriment.

I bet bring “chided” by the highly ineffective Cllr Dawson has ruined her day.

Sorry, but I can't take this bloke seriously. He's turned being wrong into an art form. He's genius at it.

The Conservative government have pledged more than Labour or the Lib Dems have ever said they'd put into the NHS and STILL both parties are whingeing. How about just for once they say "That's great news, well done Prime Minister" when for once she's done something right!

Originally Posted by abbeyroad

Sorry, but I can't take this bloke seriously. He's turned being wrong into an art form. He's genius at it.

It’s amusing this guy is trying to “chide” Damien Moore for voting with the government on the other site when his hero (and in some ways protector) John Pugh went with the coalition on most things including some very Southport unfriendly votes plus the PCC they bemoan as labour won a vote. One of the only things he voted against the government on was same sex marriage as it probably personally didn’t suit.

How the libs can expect to be taken seriously is unfathomable.

Originally Posted by Darkside

The Conservative government have pledged more than Labour or the Lib Dems have ever said they'd put into the NHS and STILL both parties are whingeing. How about just for once they say "That's great news, well done Prime Minister" when for once she's done something right!

Eight years of Tory underfunding has had such a parlous effect on the NHS that their propaganda has become untenable. It was a mistake to claim that the extra funding would be partly met by a Brexit bonus. She could have, quite easily and properly, left the funding announcements to the Chancellor.
I will still not say "Well done, Prime Minister!" as I firmly believe that much funding will leak out via the profits of private health companies.

The "Brexit dividend"- so brazenly touted by Leave, despite being categorically shredded by experts, still haunts us. How desperate for Teresa May to drag it back into the political arena.

Let's be clear. The £350m/week was untrue from the start. The net figure- our liability less rebates, CAP payments, and other funds- was nearer to £180m/week. Sounds like a big figure to us maybe, but in the context of government spending, trivial. For example compared to the atrocious PFI deals or the money thrown at inept outsourcing providers.

But the true situation is worse. Because of Brexit we are incurring extra costs. For example, Customs and Excise need to find, train and employ 5,000 more people. Immigration services also have to be ramped up.And much more.

Then there is the prospect of a slump in trade, probably permanently but certainly temporarily while we make deals with bonanza partners like Fiji, the Windward Islands, and so on. That reduces corporation tax revenues ( remember the rate of that tax has also been reduced) , costs jobs ( turning taxpayers into benefit claimants) and so on.

May has a tiger by the tail. Even if she were replaced, we would be in the same mess.