Tax on private healthcare will pay for free hospital car parks for staff and patients
LABOUR will scrap the “tax on serious illness” by providing free NHS hospital parking for staff, patients and their relatives, Jeremy Corbyn announced yesterday.
The Labour leader said he’d raise the cash by increasing the tax on private health insurance products eight points to 20 per cent.
Corporate bosses buy up 80 per cent of private medical insurance for their higher-paid staff, research from healthcare consultants LaingBuisson shows.
Labour estimates that the tax increase would raise an additional £377 million to easily cover the £162m that English hospitals raise annually from car parking charges.
Parking at hospitals is free in Scotland and Wales.
Announcing the plan while visiting nursing students in Tory-held Worcester, Mr Corbyn said: “Our hospitals are struggling from underfunding at the hands of Theresa May’s Conservative government, but the gap should not be filled by charging sick patients, anxious relatives and already hardpressed NHS staff for an essential service.
“Our NHS needs a Labour government that will stand up for the many, not the few.”
This is a really good policy which is popular with everyone, including most of the right wing, Tory voting news presenters on TV. I bet the Tories wish they’d have thought of it.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’m sure the Tories did think of it, but paying for it by increasing the tax on private health insurance is not part of their remit.
LikeLiked by 1 person
For once the Sun agrees with Corbyn, then disagree on the same page…lol
LikeLiked by 1 person
Reblogged this on Perfectlyfadeddelusions.
LikeLike