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Health Bill

The noble Lord, Lord Faulkner, has a very novel point of view when it comes to manifesto commitments. I have never heard that argument before within the Labour Party. Those members of the Labour Party who have, over many years, tried to get round manifesto commitments were always slapped down, and rightly so, because those were conference decisions. I do not expect the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats or Cross-Benchers to be committed to a Labour Party manifesto commitment, but it was a clear commitment. Consultation took place before that manifesto commitment and I do not think there is any argument for any Labour Peer to go through a Lobby other than with those who have proposed the amendment.