WES Streeting has been accused by the SNP of putting private healthcare interests over the NHS.
It comes after the Health Secretary ruled out VAT on private healthcare during Labour conference this week, despite mounting calls for the sector to contribute more to public funding – including from former Labour leader Neil Kinnock.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has faced repeated questions about the prospect of tax rises, including VAT, when she delivers her budget in November.
Reports have suggested officials at the Treasury are examining broadening the scope of VAT to help raise further revenue – including looking at private healthcare services, of which most are currently exempt.
But asked whether this was under consideration, Streeting told BBC Breakfast: "it's not happening".
Now, the SNP have hit out at this refusal and highlighted the scale of donations that both Wes Streeting and the Labour Party have received from donors linked to private healthcare.
The Health Secretary has accepted over £200k from donors with links to private healthcare in recent years, including over £50,000 from a firm with links to private healthcare recruitment weeks before axing thousands of NHS jobs – first revealed by The National.
Research has also found that half of all Scottish Labour MPs – including former Scottish secretary Ian Murray (below) and minister Kirsty McNeill – have received donations from companies or individuals linked directly or indirectly with private healthcare, worth a total of £192,071.
Meanwhile, the lobbying register revealed that Jackie Baillie MSP, Scottish Labour’s health spokesperson, recently met with a private firm that delivers cataract surgery in England and Wales to discuss potential involvement in Scotland’s NHS.
The SNP said this shows there is a “clear direction of travel with Labour putting profit over people”.
“Wes Streeting has made Labour’s priorities crystal clear, he will protect private healthcare profits rather than ask them to contribute fairly to the NHS we all rely on,” SNP MSP Rona Mackay said.
“At the same time, Labour representatives in Scotland are actively engaging with private firms and accepting hundreds of thousands in donations from those with vested interests in healthcare privatisation. That’s not a coincidence, it’s a direction of travel.
“Only the SNP will protect the founding principles of our NHS -publicly owned, publicly delivered, and free at the point of need. We will continue to resist creeping privatisation and protect Scotland’s NHS from the backdoor deals Labour are cooking up behind closed doors.”
