• WE were pleased to see the New Journal giving the 70th anniversary NHS celebrations such prominence.

The NHS is an embodiment of the fairness and caring that are defining characteristics of Britain at its best and we would like to thank all the staff of the NHS for their hard work and dedication.

But the NHS is under attack as never before. The NHS still provides world-class free care to those who need it irrespective of their ability to pay; but eight years of austerity have left it grossly under-funded and under-staffed.

That’s why hundreds of Labour activists from Camden marched on June 30 to both celebrate our NHS and also campaign (as we do week in week out) to defend it as a properly funded, publicly owned and publicly delivered service.

The creation of the NHS is Labour’s greatest achievement and as Nye Bevan said “the NHS will last as long as there are folk left with faith to fight for it”. We will continue that fight.

PATRICK FRENCH
Chair, Holborn & St Pancras Labour Party

LEAO NETO
Chair, Hampstead & Kilburn Labour Party