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| Version 4 | Version 5 |
|---|---|
| Tories hit back in NHS attack row | Tories hit back in NHS attack row |
| (20 minutes later) | |
| The Conservatives have sought to reassure voters that the NHS is safe in their hands after one of its MEPs joined in with US attacks on it. | The Conservatives have sought to reassure voters that the NHS is safe in their hands after one of its MEPs joined in with US attacks on it. |
| Daniel Hannan added his voice to criticism of Barack Obama's health reforms, telling US TV he "wouldn't wish" the NHS "on anyone". | Daniel Hannan added his voice to criticism of Barack Obama's health reforms, telling US TV he "wouldn't wish" the NHS "on anyone". |
| But shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley said the MEP's comments gave a "distorted" view of the health service. | |
| It came as PM Gordon Brown joined a Twitter campaign to defend the NHS. | |
| The welovetheNHS tag has received tens of thousands of messages of support during the past few days from NHS staff and former patients after it was branded "Orwellian" and "evil" by Republican critics of Mr Obama's health reforms. | |
| The prime minister took the unusual step of adding his voice to the campaign in a message posted from Downing Street's Twitter feed, in which he said "thanks for always being there". | |
| 'Powerful examples' | |
| Tory leader David Cameron, who is not on Twitter, has also weighed in to defend the NHS, saying his party was 100% behind it. He has sent an e-mail message to supporters reiterating his belief in the NHS. | |
| Many of the Twitter messages reacted angrily to Mr Hannan's criticism of the NHS, which he attacked on US TV as a "60 year mistake". | |
| Shadow health secretary Andrew Lansley, who has sought to rebrand the Conservatives as the "party of the NHS", stressed Mr Hannan's views were not those of the party but said he would not be disciplined for expressing them. | |
| He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "We don't extend discipline in parties to political censorship of people's views, we encourage free speech in the Conservative Party. | |
| "It's just that we don't, David Cameron and I, don't happen to agree with Dan Hannan. | |
| "What he said was both a negative view of the NHS, but more to the point was a distorted view of the NHS. | |
| "I think it's very important for people in America to understand the NHS has very powerful examples that they can look to. | |
| "I mean in this country we have a degree of equity of access to health care which many in America envy. | |
| "What we need in this country, which I think Americans are very keen to retain in their health care system, is the ability of patients to exercise more control over their own health care and to make decisions about their health care." |