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You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2019/nov/03/labour-promises-remove-privatisation-nhs-mcdonnell-trump
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| Labour promises to remove all traces of privatisation from NHS | Labour promises to remove all traces of privatisation from NHS |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, has warned the public not to trust Donald Trump’s assurance that the NHS will not form part of post-Brexit trade deals as he committed Labour to eradicating all traces of privatisation from the service. | The shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, has warned the public not to trust Donald Trump’s assurance that the NHS will not form part of post-Brexit trade deals as he committed Labour to eradicating all traces of privatisation from the service. |
| Ahead of the first full week of general election campaigning, the senior party figure also described his sadness that Jewish newspapers had collectively suggested Labour under Jeremy Corbyn would endanger their community, and admitted that the party’s target to be carbon neutral by 2030 would be “tough” to meet. | Ahead of the first full week of general election campaigning, the senior party figure also described his sadness that Jewish newspapers had collectively suggested Labour under Jeremy Corbyn would endanger their community, and admitted that the party’s target to be carbon neutral by 2030 would be “tough” to meet. |
| On the NHS, he highlighted meetings UK civil servants had had with US pharmaceutical companies as revealed in Channel 4’s Dispatches, claiming they had met on “nine or 11 occasions” and were “negotiating to sell our NHS”. The government denies that their intention is for the NHS to be sold into the private sector. | On the NHS, he highlighted meetings UK civil servants had had with US pharmaceutical companies as revealed in Channel 4’s Dispatches, claiming they had met on “nine or 11 occasions” and were “negotiating to sell our NHS”. The government denies that their intention is for the NHS to be sold into the private sector. |
| Speaking to The Andrew Marr Show on BBC One, the shadow chancellor said: “From what we’ve seen of the evidence from the Dispatches programme from civil servants negotiating with pharmaceutical companies, I think it is true.” | Speaking to The Andrew Marr Show on BBC One, the shadow chancellor said: “From what we’ve seen of the evidence from the Dispatches programme from civil servants negotiating with pharmaceutical companies, I think it is true.” |
| Asked whether Trump’s statements were enough to remove the worry that the NHS would form part of a possible future partnership, he said: “Donald Trump has … on this particular issue, made a number of contradictory statements. | Asked whether Trump’s statements were enough to remove the worry that the NHS would form part of a possible future partnership, he said: “Donald Trump has … on this particular issue, made a number of contradictory statements. |
| “We have to go on the evidence. The evidence, the civil servants, on nine or 11 occasions sitting down negotiating to sell our NHS.” | “We have to go on the evidence. The evidence, the civil servants, on nine or 11 occasions sitting down negotiating to sell our NHS.” |
| During an interview with the Brexit party leader, Nigel Farage, on Thursday night, the US president said outright he was not interested in buying the NHS. | During an interview with the Brexit party leader, Nigel Farage, on Thursday night, the US president said outright he was not interested in buying the NHS. |
| However, McDonnell said he should not be trusted. “Why are these meeting taking place then? Because the deals that are being negotiated then means our NHS will be hit by high pharmaceutical costs and will be ripped off. It’s the first foot in the door of selling off our NHS. | However, McDonnell said he should not be trusted. “Why are these meeting taking place then? Because the deals that are being negotiated then means our NHS will be hit by high pharmaceutical costs and will be ripped off. It’s the first foot in the door of selling off our NHS. |
| “I do not believe Trump’s assurances and I don’t think many people do,” he said, adding that Labour would end all privatisation in the health service. | “I do not believe Trump’s assurances and I don’t think many people do,” he said, adding that Labour would end all privatisation in the health service. |
| On climate change, which is one of Labour’s key election policy areas, McDonnell admitted the party’s pledge on emissions, which was passed at its conference, would be “tough” to achieve but it was working on it. The target could be met by its policy announcement about refurbishing homes to put in greener energy provision. | On climate change, which is one of Labour’s key election policy areas, McDonnell admitted the party’s pledge on emissions, which was passed at its conference, would be “tough” to achieve but it was working on it. The target could be met by its policy announcement about refurbishing homes to put in greener energy provision. |
| McDonnell said the Heathrow airport expansion could be scrapped under Labour’s plans. “We set ourselves criteria, one of which was environmental impact, the other was also economic impact and social impact. On the current criteria, we’ve said very clearly, Heathrow expansion doesn’t qualify,” he said. | McDonnell said the Heathrow airport expansion could be scrapped under Labour’s plans. “We set ourselves criteria, one of which was environmental impact, the other was also economic impact and social impact. On the current criteria, we’ve said very clearly, Heathrow expansion doesn’t qualify,” he said. |
| Pressed if Labour would cancel the extension, he said: “At the moment it does not qualify based on the criteria we set out.” | Pressed if Labour would cancel the extension, he said: “At the moment it does not qualify based on the criteria we set out.” |
| McDonnell said he was saddened that three of the country’s biggest Jewish newspapers had printed damning stories on what a Corbyn government might mean for their community because of his failure to tackle antisemitism among party members. | McDonnell said he was saddened that three of the country’s biggest Jewish newspapers had printed damning stories on what a Corbyn government might mean for their community because of his failure to tackle antisemitism among party members. |
| He said: “I am so saddened by this. I just want to reassure them we are doing everything we can. We’re also doing everything we can to educate our own members. | He said: “I am so saddened by this. I just want to reassure them we are doing everything we can. We’re also doing everything we can to educate our own members. |
| “All the things that they have asked us to do, we’re doing.” | “All the things that they have asked us to do, we’re doing.” |
| Just hours before his interview Labour suspended the parliamentary candidate Matthew Collings, who was due to run in the Tory MP Liz Truss’s seat, South West Norfolk, after it emerged he had called the former chief rabbi Jonathan Sacks a “hate filled racist”. Questions were also raised about other social media posts he had made. | |
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