When they were still in power, we all agreed that the Tories’ cronyism scandals were very, very bad. Of course, when we say ‘we’, we’re not including the right-wing media outlets which ran cover for their Tory chums – the same outlets which are now going after the Labour Party and its own NHS cronyism scandals; specifically Wes ‘twunk on a ship’ Streeting. The interesting thing is that outlets like GB News aren’t wrong in what they’re saying:
Credit to GB News for asking this belter if a question to Wes Streeting.
Doing the journalism our main broadcasters refuse to do.
pic.twitter.com/CtuHzynf7K— Tory Fibs (@ToryFibs) September 8, 2024
GB News makes Streeting squirm
This is what GB News host Camilla Tominey asked health secretary Wes Streeting:
Why have you been inviting Alan Milburn to meetings in the Department for Health, and apparently – according to the Sunday Times – sharing official sensitive documents with him, when he’s completely unelected; he’s unappointed; he’s unaccountable to the electorate, and yet he’s got a multi-million pound stake in a consultancy firm which advises on health matters?
Oh shit, that sounds bad – let’s see how Streeting answered:
Alan Milburn has an outstanding record as health secretary under the last Labour government.
Oh, okay – so he’s not just some random multi-millionaire with a vested interest in privatising healthcare; he’s a multi-millionaire with a vested interest in privatising healthcare who leveraged his political connections to get where he is today.
So that’s fine.
That’s not an extra level of corruption.
It’s not NHS revolving-door cronyism, or some other phrase we just made up.
Streeting spoke more on GB News, of course, although he didn’t really say more, besides this denial:
I have chosen to share papers with him and every other attendee of meetings, nothing commercially sensitive, nothing inappropriate
Given that Streeting clearly has no idea what is or isn’t appropriate, it’s hard to take this seriously.
Alan Multi-Milburn
So who is Alan Milburn, and why is he so controversial, particularly surrounding the NHS?
As Peter Geogehan of Democracy for Sale recently summarised:
– Milburn is reportedly Starmer’s pick for new role ‘driving NHS reform’, but his private consultancy paid out £8 million+ to the ex Labour health sec and family
– Cash came primarily from private healthcare interests
– Milburn advises PWC; US private equity firm Bridgepoint (owner of one of England’s largest external providers of NHS services); confectioner Mars and more
– Milburn’s company AM Strategy Ltd paid out £1.27 million in dividends last year, bringing the total dividends it has paid out to more than £8.36 million since 2016.
– The company is majority owned by Milburn, with his wife and two sons holding minority stakes.
– AM Strategy held more than £4.9 million in cash. The company has a single staff member.
Okay, so he’s a rampant privatisation fetishist – at least he’s not a Tory!
Oh actually, hold on a minute, Canary contributor Dr Julia Grace Patterson recently drew attention to the following:
Anyone else think that Keir Starmer shouldn’t be involving Alan Milburn in his NHS plans…?⬇️🚨🚨🚨 pic.twitter.com/sufvPhPxVU
— Dr Julia Grace Patterson💙 (@JujuliaGrace) July 8, 2024
Perhaps you’re able to ignore all of the above and convince yourself that Milburn and Labour still have the best interests of patients and the NHS at heart. If that’s the case, you may be shocked to discover he’s actually proposed we go after long-term sick people as part of Labour’s grander ambition to do xenophobia:
🚨 NEW: A key Labour advisor has said those with long-term illnesses should be forced into work in order to "wean" Britain off the "easy solution" of immigration.
Alan Milburn, an ally of Wes Streeting, called for conditions to be imposed on sickness benefits.
(Via @TheTimes) pic.twitter.com/iFMsCkbVZh
— Stats for Lefties 🍉🏳️⚧️ (@LeftieStats) July 24, 2024
Hypocrisy!
Getting back to the GB News angle, what you need to understand is that although much of the content produced by right-wing media is propaganda at best and bullshit at worst, it’s not always false. If these outlets can support their own side with the truth, then truth is their weapon of choice.
We’re sure many Labour supporters will be shouting ‘hypocrisy’ right about now given GB News’ track record, and they can do that – they can. However, we suggest it might be more productive in the long term if they DEMAND THEIR OWN PARTY STOPS DOING CRONY CAPITALISM.
Featured image via GB News
