Today is the 65th anniversary of the NHS – the National Health Service.

Worldwide the NHS is the byword for outstanding state healthcare. It is an achievement that the Labour Party can be justly proud of. Especially as it was created in a time of austerity and shows just want a committed, enthusiastic and imaginative Labour government can achieve in tough times.

And what is Alec Shelbrooke, our Elmet and Rothwell MP, doing in this week to celebrate the NHS? He’s not. Instead he’s spending his time contacting local people about his role in Tory party in-fighting about Europe, while his government systematically dismantles and privatises the NHS.

Before the last general election the Tories promised us that the NHS would be safe in their hands. There would be no frontline cuts. Tell that to the 4,000 nurses who’ve been laid-off. Tell that to the patients suffering because of the crisis in accident and emergency departments.

As the NHS came into being Nye Bevan said: “There will be an NHS as long as there are folk left with the faith to fight for it.” If you’ve got the faith to fight then please come and join us to show your support for the NHS.

Our street stall will be outside Morrisons on Commerical Street in Rothwell between 2pm to 4pm tomorrow (Saturday, July 6). Please come along and show Shelbrooke, Cameron and Clegg that in Elmet and Rothwell we’ve got the faith to fight for the NHS.