Jeremy Corbyn is set to claim there is mounting evidence austerity and inequality are “killing people”, in a speech marking the 70th anniversary of the creation of the NHS.
Pledging to “declare war” on health inequality, the Labour leader will also promise to increase funding for the overstretched health service and launch a “national mission” to confront causes of ill health and deprivation.
It comes after Mr Corbyn joined thousands marching through London on Saturday, demonstrating against “deliberate” underfunding of services, nurses and health staff that has “pushed our NHS to the brink”.
Speaking in the Welsh town of Tredegar – the birthplace of the NHS founder Nye Bevan – on Sunday, Mr Corbyn will say: “Labour will declare war on health inequality, both within communities and across our regions and nations.
“As a country, we cannot tolerate a situation where one citizen or one community is denied the chance of life and health of another. That can and must change.”
His remarks follow Theresa May’s announcement last month that the NHS in England will receive an extra £20bn a year by 2023 as a “birthday present”. The prime minister is yet to outline the source of the funding.
While the increase in cash means an average rise of 3.4 per cent a year on the £114bn budget it still falls short of the 3.7 per cent increases the NHS has previously received.
On Sunday, Mr Corbyn will add: “There is clear and mounting evidence that austerity and inequality are killing people.
“For years people were living longer and life expectancy was increasing. That has now ground to a halt and in some parts of the country life expectancy is falling. This is unprecedented.”
“Men in the most deprived parts of England today will have nearly 20 fewer years of their lives in good health.
“And this isn't about rich London and the southeast versus the rest of Britain. There is massive inequality in even the wealthiest parts of our country.”
Mr Corbyn will say that a Labour government will take action across government to “halt the fall in life expectancy”.
