North Wales Assembly Member Mark Isherwood has hit out at Labour, Plaid Cymru and Liberal Democrat Assembly Members in the Welsh Parliament this week for scaremongering over the future of the NHS and continuing to defy the democratic will of the people of Wales
Speaking in yesterday’s Plaid Cymru Debate: ‘Brexit and Future Trade’, he accused the nationalists of being in “Brexit denial” and warned that another referendum “would take the UK back to square one, erode trust in the political system and make a mockery of our democracy”.
He said:
“On 23 June 2016 the UK voted to leave the European Union. Wales voted to leave. Ynys Môn, Conwy, Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham voted to leave. Carmarthenshire voted to leave. The Rhondda voted to leave, as did the rest of the south Wales Valleys. They repeated that pattern in the European elections this year, and even replicated it in the Brecon and Radnorshire by-election, when over 50 per cent voted for strong pro-Brexit candidates in August.
“Yet, Plaid Cymru, Liberal Democrat and Labour AMs, supposedly here on a democratic mandate, continue to defy the democratic will of the people of Wales. Had there been a referendum on Welsh independence with 52.5 per cent in favour, it's inconceivable that the nationalists would be suggesting people didn't know what they were voting for, or calling for a re-run. Instead of getting Brexit done and beginning to heal the divisions, another referendum would take the UK back to square one, erode trust in the political system and make a mockery of our democracy.
“Making up accusations about your opponents as a way to win votes also erodes trust, and this motion continues the scaremongering about the future of the NHS. The Conservative Manifesto is crystal clear: our NHS is not for sale. It states, quote: ‘When we are negotiating trade deals, the NHS will not be on the table. The price the NHS pays for drugs will not be on the table. The services the NHS provides will not be on the table'.
“Last week, Labour's Barry Gardiner, in fact, was unable to point to any evidence that the NHS would be on the table in trade talks. Jeremy Corbyn has claimed that under a free trade deal with America, the cost of medicines in the UK would increase by £500 million a week. That's £27 billion a year. However, the entire annual UK drugs bill is only £18 billion.
“Last week, Jeremy Corbyn accused Conservatives of a plot against the NHS and said: 'Imagine opening a five-figure bill for your cancer treatment. Imagine paying to give birth. Paying to have a check-up at the GP'.
“These desperate fear tactics demean political debate, and I hope all sides of the Chamber will condemn those preying on sick and vulnerable people with these false claims. It's desperate stuff from a Labour Party - and Plaid Cymru - with nothing positive to say about the future of Britain”.
Mr Isherwood added: “It's sad that Labour and the nationalists are fighting this election on the basis of fearmongering. Boris Johnson has been very clear about his priorities: getting Brexit done by 31 January to respect the result of the referendum; recruit more police; invest in our NHS; and put more money into schools. It's a positive vision: to exploit the opportunities outside the European Union, to unlock investment in our economy and to unleash Wales' potential. You should be ashamed of yourselves”.
