Joyce Watson AM has welcomed the Liberal Democrats' policy u-turn on free prescriptions, particularly from their Health spokesperson.
At their weekend conference the Welsh Liberal Democrats finally dropped their long standing opposition to Labour's flagship policy, and their Health spokesperson Peter Black reversed his previous position.
In Peter Black's blog in August 2007 he said:
“Welsh Liberal Democrat Health Spokesperson, Jenny Randerson, hits the nail on the head yet again when she tells the paper that: “Last year I warned that free prescriptions would mean more Beechams powder for millionaires and less people getting the help they need.”
Yet in yesterday’s Western Mail he said:
“The other myth which needs exploding is, ‘why should millionaires get their prescriptions free?’...There was ‘very little evidence’ to back up the idea that more medicine was being prescribed because there was no charge.”
Labour's Rural Affairs Spokesperson Joyce Watson AM said:
"Free prescriptions are just one of the ways in which Labour has made a big difference to the lives of people right across Welsh society, and I am glad that the Lib Dems have belatedly accepted this.
"However, Peter Black seems to now say the opposite of what he said two years ago on this issue. Perhaps if he is struggling with this he should take a Beechams powder and lie down."
