The NHS turned 69 years of age on Wednesday this week. Our NHS is widely renowned as one of the best health care providers in the world. And rightly so. It was created by under the Labour Government at the time with the sole purpose of making sure everyone in the UK has equal access to good quality health care free at the point of use. It’s one of our most valued and respected institutions.

But for the past seven years, the Tories have been hell bent on bankrupting the NHS and selling it off, bit by bit, to the highest bidder. Tory cuts to NHS budgets have pushed it to the brink of collapse. Caps to NHS pay has meant that many of its frontline medical staff can no longer afford to work there. And by scrapping bursaries for students wanting to study nursing has meant that we’re now facing a desperate shortage of qualified nurses.

Tory plans mean that £1bn will be cut from the NHS services in my constituency by 2020. If we allow this to continue, an NHS that’s free for all will become a thing of the past.

I joined my Labour colleagues this week in our fight against more cuts to our NHS. Only a Labour Government will ensure its survival and protect it for future generations.