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NHS becomes key battleground for rival parties

The NHS has become a key election battleground with a Conservatives pledge of an extra £8 billion a year for the NHS in England by 2020. Both Labour and the Liberal Democrats have attacked the announcement as an "unfunded" spending commitment.

Meanwhile, Labour is pledging one-to-one midwife care for every woman during childbirth as it launches its health manifesto.

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Ed Miliband: 'You can't fund the NHS on an IOU'

Labour has accused the Conservatives of trying to "fund the NHS on an IOU" after their pledge to increase spending by £8 billion a year by 2020.

Ed Miliband launches Labour's health manifesto Credit: Pool

Launching Labour's health manifesto in Guiseley,West Yorkshire, Ed Miliband said: "The truth is that you can't save the NHS if you don't know where the money is coming from. You can only damage the NHS when you are planning colossal cuts in public spending, year on year on year, which is what Tories are planning."

“The bottom line is this: you can't fund the NHS on an IOU", he added.

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