North Shropshire MP hits out at lack of health action in Queen’s Speech

MP Helen Morgan criticised the absence of a plan to improve healthcare in the Queen’s Speech as people in Shropshire continue to face long delays for ambulances and GP appointments.

Legislation to tackle the NHS crisis was missing as Prince Charles laid out the Government’s agenda at the state opening of Parliament.

Key issues facing people in North Shropshire like huge cuts to bus services and the severe pressure on farmers also did not feature.

And the Conservatives failed to deliver a cut to VAT that would have saved families an average of £600, as the Lib Dems called for, and failed to suggest any action will be taken to stop raw sewage being dumped into rivers.

Helen Morgan MP said: “People are waiting hours for ambulances, weeks for GPs and months for hospital access and yet the Government decided health was not deserving of legislation in the Queen’s Speech.

“I have been inundated with examples of people from across North Shropshire who have suffered as a result of the pressure on our local health services but sadly the Conservatives continue to fail to take this seriously.

“Indeed rural communities do not seem to be on the Government’s radar at all. Many people in Shropshire have almost no access to public transport at all due to bus services being slashed and yet the county has received no support to change this.

“I’ve spoken with local farmers who are now shutting down due to the huge costs they are facing. They have also been forgotten about by Boris Johnson’s Conservatives.

“Meanwhile tonnes of raw sewage continues to be piled into our rivers – rivers like those in Shropshire where flooding is now the norm rather than the exception.

“The Lib Dems want to introduce a farming bill to protect farmers from being undercut by trade deals, an Ambulance Waiting Times Bill to help tackle soaring wait times in rural areas, and launch a Community Ambulance Fund to reverse station closures. We have also proposed a Sewage Discharges Bill, which would ban water companies from dumping sewage into rivers and name and shame those companies who poison animals and swimmers.

“Rural communities are fed up with being taken for granted and this Queen’s Speech does nothing to help the millions of families and pensioners facing soaring bills and inflation. The Conservatives have failed to deliver a cut to VAT that would have saved families an average of £600, as Lib Dems called for.

“The Conservatives are strong on slogans but weak on action when it comes to actually doing anything for people in communities like North Shropshire.”