Lib Dems supported vote to speed up compensation for victims of the NHS infected blood scandal, but local MP fails to support victims

West Worcestershire Liberal Democrats have welcomed this week’s successful vote in the House of Commons on on a change to the Victims and Prisoners Bill. This will now force the government, within three months of the bill's becoming law, to establish and fund a body to fully compensate those affected by the infected blood scandal going back to the 1970s and 1980s. 

The infected blood scandal, which is the subject of an inquiry, happened during the late 1970s and early 1980s, when almost 5,000 people, including children, with the blood-clotting disorder haemophilia were given blood from people infected with HIV and hepatitis C.

Already around a half of those affected by the scandal have died.

The government did not  support the changes, with local MP Harriett Baldwin also voting against the change  to the proposed new law. The vote was won after 22 Conservatives rebelled and joined the Opposition which included all the Lib Dem MPs.

Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate for West Worcestershire Dan Boatright-Greene said: “This scandal has been dragging on for nearly five decades and the government has repeatedly left victims without a clear timeframe of when they will be compensated.”

“It is really disappointing to see our local MP, Harriett Baldwin, vote against this amendment. This was vote for justice for the victims of this scandal. It was supported across the political divide. But it is clear that party came before people for Harriett on this one. We need an MP that will stand up for everyone, not just do as instructed by Rishi Sunak.”