The National Health Service (NHS) in Britain was described by former Chancellor of the Exchequer Nigel Lawson as the closest thing Britain has to a national religion. This was an exaggeration, but the state of the NHS will probably be the biggest political issue at the next election in Britain, due in May.
Ed Miliband, leader of the Labour Party opposition, is alleged to have said that he wanted to "weaponize" the NHS. This was a clumsy and unfortunate phrase suggesting that he would use the state of the NHS as a major theme in criticizing the government's record over health issues.
Both the government and the opposition agree on the electoral importance of the NHS and on the need to ring-fence the NHS budget. The differences are mainly over management and recruitment issues and the source of extra funds for the NHS.