Attending the celebrations for the 70^th anniversary of the foundation of the NHS, Imran has praised the hardworking staff of the NHS throughout its decades-long existence.

The celebrations, organised by Thornbury Medical Centre in Bradford were held at the centre and attended by the public and medical professionals to not only celebrate the NHS’s foundation in 1948, but to help contribute to healthcare today with money raised from the celebrations donated to Macmillan Cancer Support.

The celebrations also follow Imran’s campaign against privatisation of the NHS following the decision of Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust to establish a wholly owned subsidiary that will operate as a private company to run services at Bradford’s hospitals, a move that Imran has labelled as yet more backdoor privatisation of the kind which has already damaged the NHS.

Speaking on the celebrations for the 70^th anniversary of the NHS, Imran said:

“This year the NHS celebrated its 70^th anniversary and I was proud to join with staff at Thornbury Medical Centre to share in these celebrations of seven decades of providing world-class care that is proudly free at the point of use.

“The NHS is a fantastic and inspirational, as are the many, many members of staff in many different roles from all kinds of backgrounds who ensure that it is admired across the country and indeed across the world, and it is right that we celebrate one of the greatest institutions in this country.

“However despite the importance that the public place on the NHS and on it being free of private interference, the Government is set on carving up the NHS and handing it over through the backdoor to the private sector, and it is saddening that on this anniversary for the NHS, they are pushing this backdoor privatisation in Bradford despite the damage that it has caused to our health service.”