Tories pledge billions more on health

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Iain Dale is the first out of the traps this morning on Andrew Lansley's striking pledge to spend yet more billions on health.

Iain is relatively restrained in his reaction to a "surprising" announcement. I wonder if others will be so measured. After all, Norman Tebbit has just accused the Cameroons of watering the poisonous tree of Blairism. Who knows what he'll make of what looks like a rather Brownite spending pledge?

And if the Tory pledge is eye-catching, the timing seems unfortunate, coinciding with an NAO report that provides more support for those who argue that Labour's huge spending rises have largely been wasted on staff wages.