Harrogate Lib Dems hail heroic Captain Tom but condemn NHS 'under-funding'

Harrogate's leading Lib Dem figures have hailed Captain Tom's incredible £26 million fundraising effort to support our frontline Covid-19 heroes but said it was also important to give the NHS the 'proper tools' in future.
Judith Rogerson, Lib Dem spokesperson for Harrogate and Knaresborough: I know everyone in Harrogate will be honoured to welcome Captain Tom Moore to town for the opening of our local Nightingale Hospital tomorrow."Judith Rogerson, Lib Dem spokesperson for Harrogate and Knaresborough: I know everyone in Harrogate will be honoured to welcome Captain Tom Moore to town for the opening of our local Nightingale Hospital tomorrow."
Judith Rogerson, Lib Dem spokesperson for Harrogate and Knaresborough: I know everyone in Harrogate will be honoured to welcome Captain Tom Moore to town for the opening of our local Nightingale Hospital tomorrow."

On the eve of 99-year-old Yorkshire-born war veteran Captain Tom performing the opening of the new NHS Nightingale Hospital in Harrogate, the town's political opposition said it should not be forgotten that "fundraising was taking place to meet funding shortfalls in the NHS."

Judith Rogerson, Lib Dem spokesperson, who stood in last December's General Election in Harrogate and Knaresborough, said: “I know everyone in Harrogate will be honoured to welcome Captain Tom Moore to town for the opening of our local Nightingale Hospital tomorrow.

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She said: "His outstanding achievement raising so much money for the NHS has been a real morale boost for the whole country at this difficult time.

"However, we can’t ignore the fact that significant fundraising is taking place to meet funding shortfalls in our much-loved NHS. I don’t for a second want to detract from Captain Tom’s achievement.

"But as well as recognising his heroic efforts, politicians everywhere should be considering how we can all work together to secure a better future for health and care services, so that our key workers will always have the resources that they need to look after us.”

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Calls have been growing for a knighthood for Captain Tom after he walked more than a 100 lengths of his back garden in Bedfordshire in the build-up to his 100th birthday later this month, raising an astonishing £26 million for NHS Charities Together.

In his home town of Keighley, the The Keighley Bus Company is now naming a bus in his honour and decorating it with the words: “A Big Thank You To Captain Tom – A Keighley Legend.”

Harrogate Lib Dems are keen to emphasise their admiration for Captain Tom, who served with the British Army in India and Burma in the Second World War, and who has captured the hearts of the whole nation.

Coun Pat Marsh, Lib Dem group leader at Harrogate Borough Council said: "Captain Tom Moore's heroic, epic fundraising efforts have shown that we all do value the NHS.

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She said: "Just valuing is really not enough we must take a lead from Captain Moore and raise money for this precious, irreplaceable, service.

"These horrific times have shown what what an irreplaceable service the NHS is, staffed by people who are fantastic.

"We do need to ensure that ALL frontline/key workers can do their job safely with the right tools for the job.

"Just as Captain Tom would not have been sent to the frontline without at least a helmet and a gun then our frontline staff have to be given the right tools in their fight against Coronavirus."

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