As this morning's Guardian puts it:

" In two crunch votes in the Lords on Wednesday, Liberal Democrat peers in particular must decide whether loyalty to their leader requires acquiescence in a botched law which he says was the best deal he could get…

As health budgets are squeezed, it will be more important than ever to have clarity on the underlying principles, such as where the buck stops. The coalition might have hoped to evade blame for problems that arise from the financial climate, but after the ruinous row over these reforms, every dropped bedpan will inevitably reverberate back to Whitehall – whether that is desirable or not.

The descendants of a liberal party which helped to found the NHS now must decide whether they are prepared to risk a row to defend it.

Capitulation here could carry a higher price than raising student fees.

The stakes really are that high."


Liberal Democrat peers must join their Labour and crossbench colleagues, do the right thing, stand up for the voiceless, the poor and the unwell, stand up to Nick Clegg and the Conservatives, and say no to the "reforms".

If the Lords fail us, it will be the end of the NHS as we know it. All for the profit of the fat cat privateers.