LABOUR will fund one of the biggest NHS workforce expansions in history, shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves promised today.

She said that Labour would use the cash from reinstating the 45 per cent income tax level, cut by the Tories last week, to pay for the expansion.

A Labour government would double the number of medical school places from 7,500 to 15,000 to make sure that everyone who wants to train as a doctor in Britain can, she said.

The party will also double the number of district nurses qualifying every year, train 5,000 more health visitors, and create an additional 10,000 nursing and midwifery clinical placements every year.

Ms Reeves said: “Strong public services are the foundation of a strong society. We owe everything to those who work in our National Health Service. But we also know our health service today is on its knees.

“So our priority is not tax cuts for the wealthiest few. It is securing our public finances and investing in our public services.

“With a Labour government, those at the top will pay their fair share. The 45p top rate of income tax is coming back.”

The next Labour government would also introduce a genuine living wage, she said.

After the pound fell by more than 4 per cent on Sunday night, Ms Reeves warned the government was “putting our economy in danger” and vowed to fight its economic policies “every step of the way.”

Unison general secretary Christina McAnea welcomed the plans, saying: “The need for a proper plan to increase the number of key workers in health and care is something the current government seems unable to grasp.”

TUC general secretary Frances O’Grady said: “This funded plan will help cut workloads, tackle the backlog and help hospitals plan for the future.”