Politicians supporting Fair Treatment Now
Since the launch of our Fair Treatment Now campaign in July 2010 we have had fantastic support from a wide range of MPs and politicians showing this really is an issue that can affect everyone. Take a look below to see if your MP has shown their support yet.
Are you an MP or politician? Do you want to see your message of support here? Email us now at campaigns@rethink.org
Nick Clegg, Deputy Prime Minister, shows his support
Rethink supporters around the country have been visiting their MP or inviting them to meet them at their service or group to discuss Fair Treatment Now.
Sheffield mental health worker and Rethink supporter Peter Hudson met his MP Nick Clegg, the Deputy Prime Minister. Read more about this visit.
Do you want to meet your MP? Contact us now for your free guide and find out how to get your MP's support for Fair Treatment Now.
New Labour leader Ed Miliband supports "this important campaign"
Labour party leader and MP for Doncaster North Ed Miliband told us that
"This is an important campaign and I fully support it. When people with mental illness get fair access to the decent treatment they deserve, they stand a better chance of recovering, and getting back their lives. For far too long mental health has been seen as a Cinderella service when in fact it is critical to helping people achieve good quality, well balanced lives."
Health Minister Simon Burns MP visits Rethink
Simon Burns (pictured left) Health Minister and MP for Chelmsford visited Rethink's art group and gave his support for the Fair Treatment Now campaign, saying "these cost-effective psychological therapies should be accessible for people with severe mental illness, not just those with anxiety and depression."
MP for Coventry South meets Mike Fawcett
MP for Coventry South, Jim Cunningham, met Mike Fawcett, services manager for Coventry and Warwickshire to discuss the Fair Treatment Now campaign and also the good work that Rethink does locally and nationally.
Mr Cunningham said he had visited the Caludon Mental Health unit in Coventry and was familiar with some of the issues involved. The imminent spending cuts were also mentioned, and Mr Cunningham suggested that Mike send a letter expressing the concerns of Coventry Mental Health Service Providers to all three Coventry MPs.
This letter promptly resulted in Geoffrey Robinson (Labour MP for Coventry North West) expressing an interest in meeting to discuss the issue further. This positive outcome is a testament to Rethink's dedication and hard work in the area.
Andy Burnham MP explains why he wants Fair Treatment Now
Rt Hon Andy Burnham MP, Shadow Secretary of State for Health supports Rethink's campaign and told us why:
"As Health Secretary I was proud of Labour's historic investment into psychological therapies, but I know there is more to be done. Rethink's campaign calls for fair access to psychological treatments for all, and that must be what we work towards. I want to see the fight against stigma stepped up to put a stop to the discrimination that people with mental health problems can still face."
MP Ed Balls supports a better deal for people affected by severe mental illness
Ed Balls, MP for Morley and Outwood is also an enthusiastic supporter of our campaign and says:
"I strongly support Rethink's campaign for a better deal for people affected by severe mental illness. It can't be right that so many fail to receive the treatment recommended for them. The human cost of this is often devastating while, as the Rethink report highlights, the cost to the public purse runs into billions of pounds."
"The Coalition Government must address this imbalance urgently. People with severe mental illness are among the most vulnerable in our society and we must not allow them to suffer unnecessarily becasue they cannot get the treatment they need."
Diane Abbott MP "proud to support the campaign"
Diane Abbott MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington has declared her support for Fair Treatment Now saying "It is often sorely underestimated just how important psychological treatments are in maintainging the nation's overall health. A quarter of us will suffer from some form of mental illness in any given year and I believe it is imperative that access to good quality services is available for all.
I am proud to say I support the Fair Treatment Now campagin. As the name 'Rethink' suggests, in order to give victims of psychological illnesses the proper support that they need, attitudes towards mental health need to change drastically. This campaign will surely go some way towards achieving that goal and I give it my full backing."
David Miliband MP Tweets for Fair Treatment Now
On Thursday September 9, David Miliband posted on his blog and on Twitter to declare his support for Fair Treatment Now:
"Over 1.5million people in England suffer from severe mental health conditions, many of them having to wait until their lives are falling apart before they receive the treatment they need. That’s why Rethink’s Fair Treatment Now campaign to ensure that mental health services are fair and accessible for everyone who needs them is so important."
David Miliband is MP for South Shields.
Politicians give their support in many ways
At the Political Party Conferences in September and October 2010, Rethink staff met and gained support for Fair Treatment Now from the following politicians:
Conservative Party:
- Bob Blackman MP for Harrow East
- Karl McCartney MP for Lincoln
- Anne-Marie Morris MP for Newton Abbot
- Robert Buckland MP for South Swindon
- Laura Sandys MP for South Thanet
- Nicky Morgan MP for Loughborough
- John Glen MP for Salisbury
- Elizabeth Truss MP for South West Norfolk
- Gareth Johnson MP for Dartford
Labour Party:
- Jack Straw MP
- Gloria De Piero MP
- Jack Dromey MP
- Baroness Thornton
- Paul Blomfield MP
- Tom Watson MP
- John Woodcock MP
- David Hanson MP
- Maria Eagle MP
- Karl Turner MP
At the Liberal Democrat Party Conference in September 2010, Rethink staff met Stephen Lloyd MP for Eastbourne and Willingdon, and Sir Alan Beith MP for Berwick upon Tweed. Both pledged their support for Fair Treatment Now.
Luciana Berger, MP for Liverpool Wavertree met some of the Rethink Campaigns Team and has Tweeted her support.
MPs who have met Rethink supporters this summer
- Martin Horwood MP for Cheltenham
- Dr Phillip Lee MP for Bracknell
- Simon Burns MP for Chelmsford
- Anne-Marie Morris MP for Newton Abbot
- Gareth Thomas MP for Harrow West
- Mark Pawsey MP for Rugby
- Richard Benyon MP for Newbury
- Steve Brine MP for Winchester
- Chris Skidmore MP for Kingswood
- David Burrowes MP for Enfield, Southgate
- Helen Goodman MP for Bishop Auckland
- Clive Betts MP for Sheffield South East
- Greg Clark MP for Tunbridge Wells
- Fiona Bruce MP for Congleton
- Nic Dakin MP for Scunthorpe
MP support at the Fair Treatment Now launch
In addition to all the MPs mentioned above, our July launch event had a great turn out too. Maria Miller MP for Basingstoke and Norman Lamb MP for North Norfolk spoke and other participant MPs included:
- Greg Barker MP for Bexhill and Battle
- Jim Dobbin MP for Heywood and Middleton
- Stuart Andrew MP for Pudsey
- Teresa Pearce MP for Erith and Thamesmead
- Fiona Bruce MP for Congleton
- Pete Bottomley MP for Worthing West
- Neil Carmichael MP for Stroud
- Diana Johnson MP for Kingston upon Hull North
- Robert Buckland MP for South Swindon
- Duncan Hames MP for Chippenham
- Adrian Sanders MP for Torbay
- Tracey Crouch MP for Chatham and Aylesford
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Has your MP shown their support?
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