Bringing it home better than any politician - Harry's story

It would be a sad reflection on Harry if he had 'been used' by the Labour Party. Does he not have a mind of his own to agree to speak at a conference?

Who will look after our public services?

Well, contracts for running the probation service are currently being handed to huge multinational companies who have a proven record of incompetence and corrupt practice.

Prisons are grossly overcrowded and suicides are rising under the growth of privatisation. Profit before lives.

Education is being handed to private companies who don't have to follow a national curriculum or even employ trained teachers.

Care of the old and poorly is being contracted out to private companies. Some provide quality care but many cannot make a profit unless they pay their staff pathetic wages and have the minimum on duty. We have a new care home in our town, £900 pw basic.

Good care costs a lot of money, are we prepared to pay for it? Should taxpayers sink public money into private pockets or would it be better to keep the service 'in-house' and plough the profits back into a service for all?

The Health and Social Care Bill, removes the responsibility for quality in the NHS from the Sec of State so he/she can say, 'Not my fault, it's those naughty GPs. They are responsible now'.

Railways - a majority of those polled believe railways should be taken back into public owenership.

Water - used to be a municipal responsibility until it was sold off. Now largely owned by the French govt.

Do I need to go on?

It has been a pleasure holding these conversations on Gransnet. I'm going on holiday for a few days, will log in when I get back.

In three of those five years, investors took more dividends out of the business than it raised in profits after tax

Grrr it makes my blood boil durhamjen - there are still people who do not believe that the Australians own the water!

English water that is owned by foreign companies?

This goes back to an earlier post I made: it seems that England has been conquered again after all ...

Isn't there anything that can be done to get utilities (in England) back under public ownership?

Neither does it help when the media suggests that there is a conflict between young and old

I've spoken to a fair few young people and none of them hold that view. I think that all this is coming from government via the media - divide and conquer and all that.

some of the stories surrounding the care of older people are absolutely shocking and last winter over 30,000 pensioners died from the cold

Even over here our elderly can often feel very lonely and isolated; I've been told that they make appointments to see the GP simply because they feel loneliness and it's someone to talk to for a while.

The fact that so many elderly people die from cold-related illnesses is one of the reasons I would seriously cut overseas aid: sort your own house out first before you try putting someone else's house in order.

Holly, I know you do not live in London, but there is more in this than Thames Water.
www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/jun/15/thames-water-discontent-privatisation

Anyone who is interested should look at
weownit.org.uk
to find out information about privatised utilities. They have written a very long report.
I find it interesting that Paris has decided it wants to own its own water, yet veolia, the company that did own it, owns lots of water in this country.
Northumbrian Water and Kielder? Owned by a Chinese company.
Scottish water and Welsh water is owned by the people, as is that of Northern Ireland. Why is it only English water that is owned by foreign companies?
Welcome, Mogette1.I agree with your post. Carry on saying what you are saying.

Hello Mogett1, welcome to gransnet. For what it's worth, I agree with your post

Hello Mogett1.

If you think that the financial crash was Labour's fault, you have not been reading the proper information.

Since when did we have "proper information" police. What we read will be what we choose to read. It is also perfectly possible for two people to read the same thing and come to two different conclusions.

This is a great place to "say stuff" as you say but could we remember that we are each have the right to offer an opinion accepting that others equally have the right to hold a different one.

npcuk.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Pensioners-Manifesto-2015.pdf

Good idea, or not?

Hello Mogette1 and welcome to Gransnet

The comments I've heard so far regarding Labour's promises is that they haven't said how they will pay for it all; the mansion tax will only bring in a relatively small amount of money (in the grand scheme of things).

I have only just joined Gransnet and am so pleased to have a forum to say stuff.

Why do people think Labour is the same as the Tories? Labour have said they will repeal the bedroom tax which is causing so much anxiety and the NHS Bill which allows privatisation of services. They will exempt the TTIP from being used on the NHS and the EU has agreed to that.

Labour has said it will allow all railway franchise bids to be tendered by the public sector. It was Labour who introduced Surestart and built indoor toilets for all primary schools in my county (60 in all).

If you think that the financial crash was Labour's fault, you have not been reading the proper information. Yes, Labour should have regulated the banks more but the Tories kicked up such a stink and have done so again since then. It was the banks 'what done it' make no mistake. When Labour left office in 2010, the economy had already started growing again because of the investment made. George Osborne's austerity policies sent us into depression that was not necessary. Young people are the ones suffering as a result. Low wages, zero hours contracts or no job at all.

Even most of the utilities are foreign-owned, lots of them by foreign governments, which is interesting.

That does worry me - why would our essentials be attractive to foriegn investment but not home investment? Why were they even sold off in the first place? I know I've said it before but I will say it again: two world wars and the UK is now owned by foreign entities after all. Shameful.

Well it won't be for the green party . They are only in power at Brighton and they employ, employed staff on zero hours contracts whilst shouting their mouth off against it and the refuse built up because of council issues and the refuse collectors went on strike.

I'm wondering why you haven't responded to this part of POGS's post, durhamjen, as you seem to rate this party very highly.

Not much, HollyDaze. Even most of the utilities are foreign-owned, lots of them by foreign governments, which is interesting.
I would never buy L'Oreal as it's part-owned by Nestle, and I have problems with them.

I always thought Boots was a good British company, headquarters in Nottingham, cared for its workers. When did that change?

Boots is now American-owned isn't it? I tried to order some Boots eye cream that I always use but found it is no longer available and the website suggested a Loreal eye cream instead - I googled Boots to find out why they are recommending Loreal instead of their own products and found out that the company had been sold. So I won't be buying any more Boots products.

Is there nothing left that is truly British

Apologies durhamjen, I have only just seen your post addressing this.

Just why did the NHS underspend its budget by £900m? I thought it was supposed to be underfunded.

Could it have something to do with monies being held back to cover fines imposed them? I'll bet they won't make the mistake of not spending it all in the future.

I seem to recall, Holly, that the NHS asked for that money back and Osborne refused on the grounds that, as it hadn't been spent, they obviously did not need it.

Good grief - and politicians couldn't think of areas of healthcare to invest in? Beggars belief doesn't it.

Well it won't be for the green party . They are only in power at Brighton and they employ, employed staff on zero hours contracts whilst shouting their mouth off against it and the refuse built up because of council issues and the refuse collectors went on strike.

I'm wondering why you haven't responded to this part of POGS's post, durhamjen, as you seem to rate this party very highly.

Obviously, POGS, you have not read the NHA manifesto. If you had you would know that they are not a single policy party.
They are aware that they will not be the government because they do not have the funding or the backing to field many candidates.
They do have a single focus, which I happen to believe should be the most important in the next election, but what do I know?
The Tories may say so as well by the next election, and silly people might believe them again!

Actually, you haven't told me who you will vote for out of the parties that will stop the privatisation of the NHS. All you have done is tell me who you will not vote for, which are all the parties that I would if they stood in my area. Do you think that privatisation is good for the NHS?
Have you read the link about Hinchingbrooke?

DJ

As you ask.

Well it won't be for the green party . They are only in power at Brighton and they employ, employed staff on zero hours contracts whilst shouting their mouth off against it and the refuse built up because of council issues and the refuse collectors went on strike. I listen to Caroline Lucas and I find her annoying and sometimes irrational. Natalie Bennett annoys me even more.

It can't be for the NHA because a government has to make decisions on more than NHS matters so it would offer me nothing to vote for as it has only one policy.

In the meantime, POGS, there is an election next year, and the alternatives are to keep the status quo, in which case the NHS goes down the pan, or to vote for a party which will stop it being privatised.
Which will you choose?

I think the problem is, Ana, that they get fined if they overspend, so it's difficult to get things accurate to the year end. It's the biggest employer in the EU, and staff costs are very high. If each Trust or CCG does not renew staff who resign or retire, it is quite easy to underspend.
Like all local authorities, if you do not spend it you lose it. While the government keep saying they are spending more on the NHS, the NHS has had the Nicholson challenge, to save £20 billion. I can't work that one out, either.

Penguin, one of the things that the NHA is asking is to ensure that people pay their taxes properly. Action Aid at the moment is campaigning against tax dodging, with a Towns Against Tax Dodging Campaign. Action Aid is not necessarily concerned just about the NHS, but neither am I. It looks at how Associated British Foods paying corporation tax in Zambia would put 48000 children through school.
Alliance Boots has avoided £1 billion in taxes through clever accounting, which would have paid for 78000 UK nurses over the last six years.I
I always thought Boots was a good British company, headquarters in Nottingham, cared for its workers. When did that change?

Durhamjen

We know your story is tragic but I am dispelling the myth that these things happened 'only' under a period of time the Conservatives are in power.

I have been vocal in the past about my mothers care, or no care, up to her sad ending in one of the top 10 hospitals listed for negligent care. This was under the Labour government so I get fed up with pitching this argument as any political party as being 'the saviour' of the NHS.

I will continue to try and point the debate as to what 'any' government or the NHS should be doing for the future. Lessons must be learnt and the status quo be irradicated.

The NHS will stagnate if doesn't modernise, watch it's spending, go back to good basic nursing care, improve it's administration, listen to whistle blowers not sack them etc.etc. It's rubbish to say that any one political party has performed better, the evidence defies that statement.

Just why did the NHS underspend its budget by £900m?

I thought it was supposed to be underfunded.

Thanks for the info re NHA jen. I should follow these things more closely, I'm at the hospital next week, I just get so despondent about politics, politicians.

This article about Hinchingbrooke is in the Guardian today. It's the only private hospital in this country at the moment.
www.theguardian.com/society/2014/sep/26/care-quality-commission-hinchingbrooke-hospital

I seem to recall, Holly, that the NHS asked for that money back and Osborne refused on the grounds that, as it hadn't been spent, they obviously did not need it.