Lib Dems challenge Labour & the Tories to meet NHS £8bn target

Tonight the Liberal Democrats are challenging both Labour and the Conservatives to "put their money where their heart is" on the NHS. So far, of the UK-wide parties, the Liberal Democrats are the only party committed to meeting the target set out by NHS England's Chief Executive Simon Stevens.

It comes as both the Tory leader David Cameron and Labour leader Ed Miliband refused, during the leaders debate, to commit to meeting the £8bn that the health service needs by the end of the next Parliament. The Lib Dems say that when it comes to the NHS, David Cameron and Ed Miliband are trying to pull the wool over the public's eyes on the NHS.

In Thursday's leaders' debate both Mr Cameron and Mr Miliband failed to meet Nick Clegg's challenge to commit to the £8bn in extra funding the NHS needs. The Lib Dems say that despite all of Ed Miliband's rhetoric, Labour have not committed the money while the Conservatives try to give the impression they have, but actually haven't.

Commenting a Lib Dem spokesman said: "It's time for both leaders to come clean. Only the Liberal Democrats will fund the NHS by £8bn a year by 2020, including £3.5bn over the parliament, dedicated to mental health, and have a plan to pay for it."