Adam Dance MP Proudly Supports Liberal Democrat Motions to Address Health and Care Crises on Party’s First Opposition Day in 15 Years

Adam Dance MP, Liberal Democrat representative for Yeovil and South Somerset, has expressed his pride in voting in favour of two critical motions aimed at tackling the UK's healthcare and social care crises. These motions were put forwarded and debated during the Liberal Democrats' first Opposition Day in Parliament since 2009, marking a significant moment for the party.

On Wednesday 16th October, Adam Dance cast his vote to support proposals that seek to address the growing pressures on community healthcare services and to end the injustice of Carer’s Allowance overpayment demands.

This comes in response to alarming new data, commissioned by the Liberal Democrats, revealing that 1 in 4 Britons have been forced to miss work because they cannot secure an NHS appointment. Additionally, 45% of the public reported being unable to book an appointment with a GP or dentist—highlighting the severe strain on the NHS ahead of the challenging winter months.

The first Liberal Democrat motion called for the government to rectify the Carer’s Allowance repayment scandal by writing off existing overpayments and conducting a comprehensive review of support for unpaid carers. The second motion urged ministers to tackle the NHS crisis by enhancing access to GPs, NHS dentists, and community pharmacists.

Despite the urgent need to address these issues, the motions were opposed by Labour MPs. Adam Dance voiced his disappointment in the lack of cross-party support but reaffirmed his commitment to prioritising health and social care in Parliament.

Commenting on the vote, Adam Dance MP said:

"I am incredibly proud to have voted in favour of these essential proposals. The state of community healthcare in Yeovil and South Somerset is dire, and the carers' overpayment scandal is a national disgrace.

"When I speak to families and pensioners in my constituency, they consistently tell me how difficult it is to secure an NHS appointment when they desperately need one. That is why I fully supported these motions to restore dignity and efficiency to our GPs, NHS dentists, community pharmacists, and carers.

"I was deeply disappointed to see the government oppose these motions. Now more than ever, we need to support our health and social care services—particularly as the demand will surge due to the cutbacks in winter fuel payments. Our NHS and carers deserve immediate action, not further delays.

"I urge the government to follow the Liberal Democrats’ lead and make health and social care their top priority."