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Health and Social Care Bill

My hon. Friend is absolutely right. As an eternal optimist, I continue to hope against hope that the Lib Dems will see the light tonight, but my guess is that they probably will not. They have shown contempt even for the democracy within their own party. They claim to be determined to be bound by the democratic decisions of their own party. They have not been. They have ignored their party. When they came to Gateshead two weeks ago, they said they would stand up to the Bill, but they have not. It is the double-talk and spin that we are all used to. Two days ago, I visited my general practitioner, and on his practice nurse's wall was a poem by Michael Rosen, the children's poet laureate, who, in 2009, wrote a poem called ““These Are The Hands””. It read:"““These are the hands""That touch us first""Feel your head""Find the pulse""And make your bed.""These are the hands""That tap your back""Test the skin""Hold your arm""Wheel the bin""Change the bulb""Fix the drip""Pour the jug""Replace your hip.""These are the hands""That fill the bath""Mop the floor""Flick the switch""Soothe the sore""Burn the swabs""Give us a jab""Throw out sharps""Design the lab.""And these are the hands""That stop the leaks""Empty the pan""Wipe the pipes""Carry the can""Clamp the veins""Make the cast""Log the dose""And touch us last.””" These are the people we should have been listening to. These are the people who have been ignored constantly by the Government parties. And these are the people who will never ever forgive them for what they are doing tonight. When the election comes, they will be thrown out where they belong.