Ed Balls blames the Tories for PFI deal signed in 1998

Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls MP
 (Picture courtesy of Channel4 News)

The Shadow Chancellor Ed Balls did the media tour this morning. Saying that the "South London Healthcare Trust PFI (Private Finance Initiative) was signed off under the previous Conservative government". However as the PFI deal for the Woolwich Hospital was signed on July 1st 1998 and the Bromley Hospital was signed on 19th November 1998. So what he said wasn't true.

Now we all know that Ed Balls can't admit anything that praises Tony Blair in anyway but Mr Blair did lead the Labour party to win a landslide at the general election on May 1st 1997 - so Labour were in power, Frank Dobson was the Health Secretary, it was their policy they signed they deals and the Labour party are totally responsible for this shambles.

The South London Health Trust is the tip of the iceberg according to Ministers Its understood that up to 22 NHS trusts are facing serious financial difficulties because of expensive PFI schemes, with six thought to have taken on projects viewed by ministers as "unsustainable". But government sources stress that South London Healthcare is the only one poised to be taken over by an administrator.