THE NHS would be left with lower spending increases under Labour than during the worst years of Tory austerity cuts, fresh analysis has suggested.
Research by leading health think tank Nuffield Trust has indicated the policies of Keir Starmer’s party outlined in Labour’s manifesto would leave the UK Government struggling to pay existing staff costs, let alone planned increases in the NHS long-term workforce plan agreed last year.
The Nuffield Trust said that “the manifestos imply increases [in annual funding for the NHS] between 2024-25 and 2028-29 of 0.9% [a year] for the Conservatives and 1.1% for Labour. Both Conservative and Labour proposals would represent a lower level of funding increase than the period of ‘austerity’ between 2010-11 and 2014-15."
First Minister John Swinney has said it is becoming “increasingly clear” both Labour and the Tories are a threat to the health service.
Sally Gainsbury, senior policy analyst at the Nuffield Trust, said: "This would be an unprecedented slowdown in NHS finances and it is inconceivable that it would accompany the dramatic recovery all are promising.
“This slowdown follows three years of particularly constrained finances.... it would make the next few years the tightest period of funding in NHS history.
“They will struggle to be able to pay the existing staff, let alone the additional staff set out in the workforce plan. It’s completely unrealistic.”
Labour’s shadow health secretary Wes Streeting was pressed on the analysis by Laura Kuenssberg on Sunday who said: “Keir Starmer says there will be no return to austerity but the Nuffield Trust says you are offering austerity in the health service - that doesn't add up."
It comes as Streeting also suggested on Sunday the party would deliver no new money for social care.
Kuenssberg repeatedly challenged him on why the Labour Party weren’t offering any new funding for social care, pointing out "we've looked through the documents you've published this week, there's nothing in there about raising any extra resource, any extra cash for social care".
But Streeting failed to offer any extra funding and was challenged again by the presenter who said "there is no immediate extra resource for social care in your manifesto - that is clear".
It comes amid warnings from experts including the Institute for Fiscal Studies that Labour’s plans could spark around £18 billion of cuts to public services.
Swinney said: "It's increasingly clear the Labour Party and the Tories are both a threat to Scotland's NHS - showing why it's vital to vote SNP to protect our NHS from Labour Party cuts and put Scotland's interests first. "Scotland has already suffered the consequences of 14 years of Tory cuts, Brexit, and a cost of living crisis - the last thing our NHS needs now is even more cuts, Brexit and creeping privatisation imposed by Sir Keir Starmer's incoming Westminster government. "Independent experts are clear the Labour Party is planning around £18 billion of cuts to public services - and will starve the NHS of the cash it needs to improve health and care services. Today, Wes Streeting admitted the Labour Party cannot be trusted to deliver that investment.”
