Andy Burnham: 'Sad day for the NHS'

Labour's shadow health secretary Andy Burnham claimed that it was a sad day for the national health service." As the Government's NHS reforms cleared the first of two major hurdles today.

The House of Lords voted 330 to 262 against an amendment which would have referred parts of the Health and Care Bill to a special select committee.

Peers have also rejected an amendment to block the bill altogether.

The bill is designed to increase competition and put GP-led groups in control of buying care in their areas. However Burnham claims that the proposed changes are a move towards the 'break up' of the NHS.