Polly Toynbee, war crimes apologist, Blairite propagandist and Guardian columnist, has been given a prominent public role by the NHS Support Federation to speak at the Reclaiming the NHS event at the Friends Meeting House, Euston Road, on Saturday the 23rd of June. This jarrs because the federation describes itself as non-party political. And the crimes she supported have not been forgotten. Surely there are other anti-cuts journalists who could speak?

Polly Toynbee remains an unrepentant supporter of Tony Blair’s Iraq war, and given her close New Labour ties her appearance as ‘an independent journalist in support of the NHS’ is a joke. Especially since New Labour implemented some of the early privatisation policies while in government, which she had nothing to say about in her Guardian column. Furthermore, she is most likely acting as a Trojan Horse to co-opt the NHS Support Federation towards New Labour’s plans to get re-elected, and to further her own career and undeserved public profile in the process.

All the other speakers on the 23rd of June are legitimate professionals and non-party political activists, from groups like UK Uncut and 38 Degrees. Someone as politically partisan and controversial as Polly Toynbee should not be given credence there.

Should we forget the crimes this person scandalously justified simply because her party is now in 'opposition', and give her another adulation of undeserved kudos just because she now pretends to support the NHS?

To contact the NHS Support Federation and voice your concerns:

NHS Support Federation
Community Base
113 Queen's Road
Brighton, East Sussex BN1 4HA
info@nhscampaign.org.uk
01273 234 822

The director is Paul Evans