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Brown urged to solve NHS 'crisis' Tories slam Brown on NHS 'crisis'
(about 1 hour later)
Shadow chancellor George Osborne has urged Gordon Brown to use what is likely to be his final Budget to sort out the financial "crisis" in the NHS. Shadow chancellor George Osborne has launched a scathing attack on Chancellor Gordon Brown accusing him of financial mismanagement in the NHS.
He said the Chancellor should make Budget day "NHS Day" by tackling mismanagement in local health services. In a speech at the Tory spring forum in Nottingham, Mr Osborne said Mr Brown should use what could be his final Budget to tackle the NHS "crisis".
His call came in a speech to the Tory spring forum in Nottingham. The Tories are using the two-day rally to present themselves as the party of public services.
The Tories are using the two-day rally to present themselves as the party of public services, moving further on to traditional Labour territory. Labour said no-one would take the Tories seriously on health.
Party leader David Cameron, who earlier addressed a rally of junior doctors in London, said in his introduction to the conference programme that the next election campaign started "as soon as Gordon Brown takes over as prime minister this summer". Before travelling to Nottingham, Conservative leader David Cameron addressed a rally of junior doctors in London angry at a lack of training places.
In his speech, Mr Osborne rounded on Mr Brown, quoting actor Keith Allen, who played the Sheriff of Nottingham in the BBC's recent version of Robin Hood and said he had based the "calculating, devilish" character who "sees himself on the future dictator of England" on the chancellor. He branded a new system for applications "a complete and utter shambles" and pledged to hold the government to its promise to provide a training place for every junior doctor in England.
He also pledged to treat doctors applying for posts "like human beings".
Much of the fire from the conference platform in Nottingham has been directed at Gordon Brown, the man the Conservatives expect to face at the next general election.
'NHS day''NHS day'
Mr Osborne blamed financial mismanagement by the chancellor for ward closures and job losses in local hospitals. In his speech, Mr Osborne blamed the chancellor for ward closures and job losses in local hospitals.
TORY SPRING CONFERENCE Saturday:1145: Conference opens1200: George Osborne1250: David Davis and David Cameron on police reform1500: William HagueSunday0930: Andrew Lansley0945: Public health and personal responsibility1030: Social care and personal involvement - Caroline Spelman1140: David CameronTORY SPRING CONFERENCE Saturday:1145: Conference opens1200: George Osborne1250: David Davis and David Cameron on police reform1500: William HagueSunday0930: Andrew Lansley0945: Public health and personal responsibility1030: Social care and personal involvement - Caroline Spelman1140: David Cameron
"In every part of this country there are local hospitals facing closure, nurses facing the axe and junior doctors left in limbo."In every part of this country there are local hospitals facing closure, nurses facing the axe and junior doctors left in limbo.
"The chancellor's financial mismanagement has led to ward closures, job losses and patients travelling further for their care."The chancellor's financial mismanagement has led to ward closures, job losses and patients travelling further for their care.
"So Gordon Brown should make Budget Day NHS Day."So Gordon Brown should make Budget Day NHS Day.
"He should set out the National Health Service's budget for the next three years, so the health professionals can start to plan for the long term now."He should set out the National Health Service's budget for the next three years, so the health professionals can start to plan for the long term now.
"We've already had the three-year budgets for the Home Office, the schools capital budget and the Treasury itself."We've already had the three-year budgets for the Home Office, the schools capital budget and the Treasury itself.
"So why not the NHS? He must have done the sums. Let's have them.""So why not the NHS? He must have done the sums. Let's have them."
'Rallying cry''Rallying cry'
He said the cash had to follow clinical priorities, "not the political priorities of the Labour Party" and he called for fair funding across the country and an end to "pointless reorganisations".He said the cash had to follow clinical priorities, "not the political priorities of the Labour Party" and he called for fair funding across the country and an end to "pointless reorganisations".
Mr Cameron, who set out moves yesterday to tackle public health issues like obesity, alcohol problems and sexually transmitted infections, will arrive in Nottingham in the late afternoon.Mr Cameron, who set out moves yesterday to tackle public health issues like obesity, alcohol problems and sexually transmitted infections, will arrive in Nottingham in the late afternoon.
The conference was opened by party chairman Francis Maude, who hailed the Tories' "longest lead in the opinion polls for 20 years". He also rounded on Labour, saying the era of "Tony Blair is drawing to sorry, tawdry conclusion".The conference was opened by party chairman Francis Maude, who hailed the Tories' "longest lead in the opinion polls for 20 years". He also rounded on Labour, saying the era of "Tony Blair is drawing to sorry, tawdry conclusion".
And he warned of the "big clunking fist" of Gordon Brown, the man expected to take over from Mr Blair, who he said wanted "ever more control" over people's lives. Hitting back at Mr Osborne's criticisms, Chief Secretary of the Treasury Stephen Timms said: "No-one will take seriously George Osborne's claims on the NHS today.
Shadow foreign secretary William Hague, a former leader, will speak this afternoon in what party chiefs expect to be a "rallying cry" to activists. Mr Cameron's main speech to the forum will be the last event of the conference on Sunday lunch time. "George Osborne and David Cameron have opposed every penny piece of investment we have provided for the NHS, they have opposed the increase in National Insurance to fund the NHS and are now proposing to cut the very funding that a modern National Health Service needs."