Lib Dems accuse Brown of prescription charge U-turn

The Liberal Democrats have accused prime minister Gordon Brown of backing away from a commitment to exempt patients with long-term conditions from prescription charges in England.

Norman Lamb

Shadow Lib Dem health secretary Norman Lamb said in response to a ministerial statement on scrips: ‘While I welcome the move to exempt cancer patients from prescription charges, the fact remains that there are many other vulnerable groups for whom this statement will come as an enormous disappointment.

'Gordon Brown announced at the Labour conference that he would abolish charges for all patients with long-term conditions. Today he backed away from this vital commitment.

‘It is looking increasingly like Gordon Brown used his announcement on prescription exemptions to back up his flagging leadership during a difficult conference.’

neil.durham@haymarket.com

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