SHADOW health secretary Andy Burnham was in Warrington to launch local candidate Nick Bent’s new campaign office in the town centre and promote Labour’s action plan to “rescue” the NHS – seen as the top priority election issue in the town.
Mr Burnham, who grew up locally in Culcheth, says his family have seen “first hand” how the NHS had declined under a Tory government, with problems getting GP appointments and being seen at hospital.
With Warrington Hospital already under investigation after revising an original financial plan of ending the year with a £1.5m defecit to £5.9m, Mr Burnham said the finances were “out of control.”
He said there were not enough nurses following government cut backs, so money was being spent on agency staff, creating huge over spends. “It is never easy running the health service but people have seen the NHS go downhill under the Tory government,” he said. “Warrington South has always been a key marginal but if we are to rescue the health service it is a seat we must win.”
Mr Burnham said he was confident Mr Bent would win the seat for Labour. Welcoming the high profile MP to his new campaign office on Bridge Street in Warrington town centre, Mr Bent, who is fighting the Warrington South seat, said: “Andy is hugely popular and Labour’s plan to rescue the health service is proving very popular on the door step when we are out canvassing.
“It is great to have Andy here to officially launch our new campaign office.”
