Fewer than one in five trust Tories to keep NHS public

Only a third of public trust Boris Johnson to tell the truth and fewer than one in five (18%) trust the Tories to keep the NHS public, a new poll by Survation has shown.

The poll was carried out in partnership with We Own It, who are working with Keep Our NHS Public to demand that our MPs pledge to keep the NHS out of any future trade deals.

Over half (57%) of people are either “very concerned” or “quite concerned” about the impact a trade deal with Donald Trump could have on the NHS.

The overwhelming majority of the public don’t want the NHS included in any trade deals with any other country. Seven in ten (71%) of people said they didn’t think the NHS should be included in trade deals, compared to just 16% who said that they did.

Survation also asked people which parties they trust to ensure the NHS is a publicly funded and publicly run institution. Just 18% said they trusted the Conservative Party, compared to 31% for Labour - the highest for any party.

Tony O’Sullivan, co-chair of Keep Our NHS Public said:

“This poll backs our NHS as a public service in line with nearly 900,000 who’ve signed the ‘Keep our NHS out of US trade deals’ petition.

“The NHS has faced six years of destructive top-down disorganisation. Legislation to return the NHS wholly to the care and responsibility of public service and ending privatisation is the only cast-iron defence against a Johnson-Trump deal.

“Only this will guarantee for our children the future of the NHS as a public service for all.”

NHS still 'on the table'

Shortly after the results of the survey were published this week, the Government's plans for the NHS were called into question in an episode of Dispatches shown on Channel 4 on Monday 28 October 2019. Here it was revealed that Government officials have met with US drug companies since Johnson became Prime Minister and trade officials, pharmaceutical companies and trade experts all openly admit drug pricing for the NHS is on the table in a UK-US trade deal.

If you want to ensure the NHS is protected in future trade deals then ask your MP to take the pledge and join us in our campaign to raise the dangers facing the NHS in the coming General Election.