MP blasts Conservative budget for neglecting NHS crisis in Cumbria

Responding to the Chancellor's Autumn Statement, local MP Tim Farron said: "The health service in Cumbria is on its knees.

"People in a medical emergency are often waiting hours for an ambulance to arrive.

"Cancer patients are waiting more than two months for life saving treatment.

"People desperately needing mental health support are being left with nowhere to turn to.

"The future of rural GP surgeries are under threat because of cuts to their funding.

"Meanwhile front line NHS workers are overworked, underpaid and their morale has understandably hit rock bottom.

"It's an almighty kick in the teeth that going in to the winter, the Chancellor has failed to fund a plan to tackle this crisis.

"Instead, people throughout our communities are going to be paying higher taxes and receiving poorer services.

"Remember, none of these awful decisions would have been made if the Conservatives hadn't crashed the economy this autumn. Local people are now paying a terrible price for that Conservative chaos."