'Once again the Tories are claiming credit for fixing a mess on their own'

This isn't the only case the government is trying to trick people - they've tried the same trick with police numbers
Rishi Sunak (
Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Rishi Sunak has trumpeted that the government has increased the number of hospital beds in England by 900.

If the Prime Minister expects gratitude for this announcement, he is seriously mistaken. Once again, the Conservatives are trying to claim credit for partially fixing a mess they themselves created. Since they came to power in 2010, the number of hospital beds has fallen by 12,000.

The extra capacity won't even come close to making up for that shortfall. This is not the only case where the government tries to deceive people. They tried the same trick with police numbers. After cutting the number of officers by 21,000, the Tories expected applause for recruiting 20,000 police officers.

It's like a thief stealing £21,000 from your account and asking for gratitude for returning £20,000 10 years later. Mr Sunak treats voters with disdain if he thinks they will forget his party's record. Conservatives can no more be trusted to repair the damage they have done to public services than an arsonist can be trusted to put out a fire he started.
Caregiver care
Millions of people depend on the country's army of unpaid caregivers. Relatives must step in due to the lack of affordable social care and the fraying of the social safety net. Caring for a loved one can be the ultimate expression of love, but it can also be exhausting.

A study by the Alzheimer Society found that many caregivers had to give up their jobs, while one in four lost contact with their friends. It reminds us why respite care is so vital and why we need a care system that isn't so reliant on the sacrifice of friends and family.
Oz and them
The Lionesses will carry the hopes of the nation when they take on the Matildas today. The semi-final encounter marks a new chapter in one of the sport's greatest rivalries. Let's hope England can waltz to victory.

Politics Aug 16, 2023 0 60 Add to Reading List

'Once again the Tories are claiming credit for fixing a mess on their own'

This isn't the only case the government is trying to trick people - they've tried the same trick with police numbers

Rishi Sunak (

Image: POOL/AFP via Getty Images)

Rishi Sunak has trumpeted that the government has increased the number of hospital beds in England by 900.

If the Prime Minister expects gratitude for this announcement, he is seriously mistaken. Once again, the Conservatives are trying to claim credit for partially fixing a mess they themselves created. Since they came to power in 2010, the number of hospital beds has fallen by 12,000.

The extra capacity won't even come close to making up for that shortfall. This is not the only case where the government tries to deceive people. They tried the same trick with police numbers. After cutting the number of officers by 21,000, the Tories expected applause for recruiting 20,000 police officers.

It's like a thief stealing £21,000 from your account and asking for gratitude for returning £20,000 10 years later. Mr Sunak treats voters with disdain if he thinks they will forget his party's record. Conservatives can no more be trusted to repair the damage they have done to public services than an arsonist can be trusted to put out a fire he started.

Caregiver care

Millions of people depend on the country's army of unpaid caregivers. Relatives must step in due to the lack of affordable social care and the fraying of the social safety net. Caring for a loved one can be the ultimate expression of love, but it can also be exhausting.

A study by the Alzheimer Society found that many caregivers had to give up their jobs, while one in four lost contact with their friends. It reminds us why respite care is so vital and why we need a care system that isn't so reliant on the sacrifice of friends and family.

Oz and them

The Lionesses will carry the hopes of the nation when they take on the Matildas today. The semi-final encounter marks a new chapter in one of the sport's greatest rivalries. Let's hope England can waltz to victory.