“The NHS will last as long as there are folk left with the faith to fight for it.”

— Aneurin Bevan

Frequently attributed to Bevan as his own words, and sometimes sourced to remarks to NHS patients in 1948 ( example http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/health/9106880/Read-this-and-prepare-to-fight-for-your-NHS.html), but believed to have been misattributed. The statement was not written down until the television play about Bevan, 'Food for Ravens' by Trevor Griffiths. Griffiths himself attributes it to Bevan: "I have no written source for it, but old Bevanites in the coalfields were saying something like it during the strikes of the 80s and often quoting Nye as the source." ( The truth of Nye Bevan’s words on the NHS https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/jun/02/the-truth-of-nye-bevans-words-on-the-nhs) In the script, a dying Bevan is asked by a young boy if he will be remembered for creating the NHS:
Bevan: Maybe, if it lasts.
Boy: (looking at press cuttings) Says here it will last forever.
Bevan: No such thing as forever, boy. It will last only as long as there's folk with faith left to fight for it.
Food for Ravens https://www.closeupfilmcentre.com/vertigo_magazine/volume-1-issue-8-summer-1998/food-for-ravens/ by Marc Karlin.
Misattributed

Adopted from Wikiquote. Last update June 3, 2021. History

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Aneurin Bevan 33

Welsh politician 1897–1960

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“The NHS will last as long as there are folk left with the faith to fight for it.”

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Aneurin Bevan 33

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