FIRST, DO NO HARM:

Doctors who backed Blair desert Labour (Sam Lister and Devika Bhat, 4/13/05, Times of London)

MORE than two thirds of the leading doctors who publicly declared their support for Tony Blair in 1997 and urged the public to vote Labour for the sake of the NHS have turned their backs on the party.

An exclusive survey by The Times of the consultants, GPs and academics who campaigned for Labour on the eve of the general election eight years ago reveals widespread disillusionment over the Government’s reforms.

Many of the 59 doctors who signed the letter of support said that they felt badly let down and were exasperated at the direction in which the NHS had been pushed by Labour.

Of the 52 signatories contacted by The Times, just 17 said that they would give the party similar backing now. Twenty- two would not sign the letter again, seven were no longer keen to comment publicly and six said they were undecided. Five were unavailable for comment and two have died.

Just 16 of the doctors were prepared to state openly that they would vote Labour on May 5, while 15 said they would be voting for another party.

The response was in marked contrast to the group’s very public endorsement of Labour in 1997, just two days before Tony Blair swept to power.

By not even trying to take the steps necessary to salvage health care they've ended up doing eight more years of damage. Of course, the Tories don't propose to do anything either.

Posted by Orrin Judd at April 13, 2005 12:00 AM