IT IS strange that Mr Cox (July 13), who as a pro-hanging human rights lawyer should seek out the true facts in full detail, has totally fallen for Labour spin in the press about New Labour's National Health Policy.
There is no Lib-Lab pact in any area and press reports about such a pact in the area of Health have been firmly denied by Nick Harvey MP, Lib Dem Health spokesman.
What is a fact is that both the Lib Dems and Labour will oppose the Conservative plans to allow taxpayers 'funding of private health insurance schemes'. Lib Dems do this because they are pro-NHS, not because they support the Labour Government.
It also seems that Mr Cox is sharing in the collective Conservative amnesia when it comes to their record in government and in health in particular. Just a small selection of facts: in 1997 there were 150,000 fewer nurses than there were in 1985. There were over 1,100,000 people awaiting NHS treatment and 50,000 operations were cancelled in 1996.
In 1979 prescription charges were just 20p, by 1997 they were £5.25. Sight tests were free in 1979, by 1997 they were about £16. Dental treatment in 1979 averaged £6.83 compared to £34.25 in 1996 (up 400 per cent).
From 1976 to 1997 there was a reduction in hospital beds across Great Britain of 41 per cent, and waiting lists went up by 53 per cent. I could go on and on, but Mr Cox, I do not think the people of Torridge and West Devon suffer from the same amnesia as the Conservatives and they will think very carefully before placing the National Health Service back into Tory hands.
Cllr Noel R H Cartwright
Liberal Democrat
Sampford Courtenay