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Brown Answers US Health Attack on Twitter

PM, wife hit back at Republicans bashing UK's health service

By Jason Farago,  Newser Staff

Posted Aug 14, 2009 6:01 AM CDT
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(Newser) – When a few Republicans called Britain's National Health Service "evil" and "Orwellian," the UK's Twitter users erupted. The hashtag #welovetheNHS has been trending for days now, at one point crashing the site. Yesterday the campaign got a high-profile supporter: Gordon Brown, who tweeted: "NHS often makes the difference between pain and comfort, despair and hope, life and death. Thanks for always being there."

While the prime minister is not a frequent Twitter user, his wife, Sarah Brown, is a keen microblogger with more than half a million followers. She followed his tweet with her own: "#welovetheNHS – more than words can say." The Browns have a long personal history with the health service. Gordon nearly went blind as a teenager but had one eye saved by NHS doctors, and the couple have praised NHS for its support after the death of their first child.

Gordon and Sarah Brown at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The prime minister and his wife both used Twitter to respond to attacks by America's right wing on Britain's National Health Service.
Gordon and Sarah Brown at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. The prime minister and his wife both used Twitter to respond to attacks by America's right wing on Britain's National Health Service.   (AP Photo/Greg Baker)
Gordon Brown meets with London National Health Service officials to discuss swine flu prevention last month.
Gordon Brown meets with London National Health Service officials to discuss swine flu prevention last month.   (AP Photo/Peter Nicholls, The Times, pool)
Sarah Brown, wife of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, with George Clooney.
Sarah Brown, wife of British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, with George Clooney.   (AP Photo/Alessandra Tarantino)
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COMMENTS
Showing 3 of 7 comments
Fondue
Aug 14, 2009 12:51 PM CDT
Don't you wish you had referendum now?
AdaptAndOvercome
Aug 14, 2009 12:19 PM CDT
Good for them. Republicans especially Government employees and politicians know exactly what the benefits of a Universal Health Care System is and they enjoy it every day and it's o.k. that we pay for it too, but they don't want us to enjoy the same benefits that they do...so they pick on other countries who provide it with maliciuos lies and fear tactics. WHY? GREED. They don't want to pay for it, but they will gladly spend billions and millions of $$$$ to bridges to nowhere, upgrading their airplanes and taking tax payer provided trips. (Palin, Sanford, etc.) How sad and pathetic that they stoop so low and then claim to be so religious and family oriented. The bible says we should take care of the elderly, the children and the weak. Maybe they just skipped that passage.
Aaarrrggg
Aug 14, 2009 5:49 AM CDT
I live in the UK and the NHS is great! I have no idea how you guys can stomach paying so much only to be turned away by insurance companies when you really need them. What a terrible system! I'll be moving to the US at the end of the year, *fingers crossed* things will be sorted out by then. Its frustrating to see people fighting against something which will be better for everyone!

 
Gordon Brown • National Health Service • health care reform • Twitter • Sarah Brown • hash tags

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