Emily Thornberry set to shadow every Coalition move on health
Published: 15 October, 2010
LABOUR MP Emily Thornberry is squaring up for a major fight with the Government in her new role as shadow health minister.
Ms Thornberry, who represents Islington South and Finsbury, was appointed to the post on Monday. She said: “This terrible government is threatening to take the guts out of the health service and it’s got to be stopped.”
After polling 99 votes among fellow Labour MPs, Ms Thornberry narrowly missed out on a more senior job in the Shadow Cabinet, polling one less than closest rival Liam Byrne.
But Labour leader Ed Miliband awarded her with the shadow health minister’s job. She will be working under Shadow Health Secretary John Healey.
Ms Thornberry said: “I was gutted last week but this week I’m all right. I’ve got a fantastic new job and I’m getting on with that instead.”
Ms Thornberry will be campaigning against coalition plans to give GPs the power to commission healthcare for patients, abolishing primary care trusts.
“Doctors may well sub-contract to private companies and we’ll end up with a lot private contractors instead of the people doing the job now,” she said.
“We should be concentrating on improving the service instead of being pre-occupied with re-organising.”
Two former Islington councillors did win places in the Shadow Cabinet: former Labour group leader Mary Creagh is Shadow Secretary of State for the Department of the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, while Meg Hillier is Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change.