National Health Action Party
| National Health Action Party | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Co-leaders |
Dr Richard Taylor Dr Clive Peedell |
| Founded | 14 May 2012[1] |
| Headquarters | Kidderminster[2] |
| Membership (2015) |
 5,000 |
| Political position | Centre-Left[3] |
| Colours | Blue |
| Website | |
| http://www.nhap.org | |
|
Politics of England Political parties Elections | |
The National Health Action Party (NHA) is a political party in England founded in May 2012 by retired doctor and former MP Richard Taylor and cancer specialist Clive Peedell. The party is campaigning against the privatisation of the English National Health Service[1][4] and for a reversal of the cuts to NHS funding, services and staff. The party opposes austerity and has called for political reform to counter sleaze.[3]
The party has announced its intention to stand candidates in a number of constituencies at the United Kingdom general election of 2015. Targeted seats include those of leading proponents of the Health and Social Care Bill such as David Cameron and Jeremy Hunt.[5] Through this process, the party aims to publicise what it sees as privatisation of the NHS.[6]
History
The passage of the Health and Social Care Act in March 2012 prompted Clive Peedell to co-write an open letter to The Independent with numerous esteemed medical signatories.[7] The letter was highly critical of the Liberal Democrats for their role in the passage of the Act, and stated that the signatories would "form a coalition of healthcare professionals to take on coalition MPs at the next General election, on the non-party, independent ticket of defending the NHS and acting in the wider public interest". Two months later, on 14 May 2012, Dr Peedell co-founded the National Health Action Party with Dr Richard Taylor, who had twice been elected as MP for Wyre Forest on an independent health ticket.[1] The party officially launched in Westminster in November 2012.[8]
Supporters
As of April 2015 the party has 65,700 followers on Twitter[9] and 17,800 on Facebook.[10] Famous supporters of the party include best-selling author Mark Haddon[11] and comedian Rufus Hound. The latter stood as an NHA Party candidate in the London constituency for the 2014 European elections.[12]
Policies
The party has a range of policies on healthcare, political reform, the economy, immigration, housing, education and environmental sustainability.[3]
Health
- To reverse perceived privatisation and restore a publicly run NHS that provides universal healthcare.
- To repeal the Health and Social Care Act 2012, remove the internal market and purchaser/provider split, and end use of Private Finance Initiative (PFI) deals.
- To protect the NHS from involvement in international trade agreements such as TTIP.
- To involve patients and staff in NHS decision processes and reduce reliance on management consultants.
- To improve public health, social care, housing and other matters that affect the nation's health.
- To demand a moratorium on hospital re-configurations unless there are evidence-based, clinical reasons with local and staff support and adequate alternatives already in place.
Political Reform
- To enact stricter controls on MPs' and Peers' voting when they have a conflict of interest.
- To review the system of party whips and the practice of voting without attending debate.
- To end the revolving door culture of UK politics.
- To reduce the voting age to 16.
- To appoint a commission to investigate a move towards proportional representation.
Economy
- To reject austerity and oppose further public spending cuts.
- To increase spending on key public services and infrastructure with a view to increasing the UK's GDP.
- To ensure taxation is progressive and take actions to reduce tax avoidance and evasion.
- To improve regulation of the financial sector, including separation of the retail and investment arms of banks.
- To introduce a Living Wage, ban zero-hour contracts and work towards a state of minimal unemployment
Electoral performance
The party has not had any candidates elected.
- Eastleigh by-election, 2013 - placed 6th out of 14 with 392 votes (0.9%)
- Local elections, 2014 - ran in seven wards, in which they averaged 6%[13]
- European Parliament election (London region), 2014 - placed 9th out of 17 with 23,253 votes (1.06%)
2015 General Election
The party is fielding candidates in targeted seats for the 2015 UK General Election.[5] The candidates are:
- Dave Ash – Sutton and Cheam
- Roseanne Edwards – Banbury
- Rik Evans – Truro and Falmouth
- Rebecca Fox – Camberwell and Peckham
- Dr Bob Gill – Old Bexley and Sidcup
- Dr Paul Hobday – Maidstone and The Weald
- Karen Howell – Stafford
- Dr Louise Irvine – South West Surrey
- Dr Clive Peedell – Witney
- Dr Helen Salisbury – Oxford West and Abingdon
- Dr Richard Taylor – Wyre Forest
- Dr Carl Walker – East Worthing and Shoreham
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 "Former MP to lead new political party opposed to NHS changes". BBC News. bbc.co.uk. 14 May 2012. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
- ↑ National Health Action Party official website
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 NHA website - Policies
- ↑ Torjesen, Ingrid (25 May 2012). "Doctors opposed to NHS reforms set up a new political party". BMJ (London: BMJ Group) 344: e3734. doi:10.1136/bmj.e3734. ISSN 1756-1833. Retrieved 19 August 2012.
- ↑ 5.0 5.1 NHA - Our Candidates
- ↑ Stamp, Gavin (22 May 2012). "Can 'Save NHS' party make an impact at the ballot box?". BBC News. bbc.co.uk. Retrieved 17 June 2012.
- ↑ IoS letters: Medics launch national campaign
- ↑ Medics Act to Save the NHS: National Health Action Party Launch, Thursday 15 November
- ↑ National Health Action Party on Twitter
- ↑ National Health Action Party on Facebook
- ↑ "Bestselling author Mark Haddon accuses government of dismantling NHS and backs National Health Action Party (Press Release)". National Health Action Party. 13 February 2013.
- ↑ "BBC News - Rufus Hound in Euro elections NHS bid". Bbc.co.uk. 2014-01-26. Retrieved 2014-08-04.
- ↑ Anfield - 9.9%, Enfield Town - 5.5%, Munster - 4%, Plympton St Mary - 4%, Sitwell - 4%, St Paul's - 15%, Wavertree - 3.3%,