2015 Election - antidotes?

Somehow, I do not think many students will be voting Libdem this time.

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/lib-dems-say-they-would-block-labour-from-cutting-tuition-fees-in-any-future-coalition-10078034.html

Is this political suicide?

An interesting take on immigration. I wonder what Ukip's response would be to this research.

www.politics.co.uk/blogs/2015/02/27/immigrants-aren-t-taking-your-job

may2015.com/ideas/should-pmqs-be-scrapped-reformed-or-amped-up-video/

This is an interesting article. Lots of people who have never watched PMQs think it should be scrapped. The number of people taking part in the survey shows how people manipulate surveys.

https://nhaswsurrey.wordpress.com/2015/02/13/letter-in-todays-haslemere-herald-dr-louise-irvine-welcomes-debate-with-jeremy-hunt/

A letter from an American living in Hunt's constituency.

The public sevice users bill is having its second reading in the Commons on 27th.
It was promoted by Caroline Lucas.

services.parliament.uk/bills/2014-15/publicservicesownershipanduserinvolvement.html

Hope it gets through.

If you want to reverse privatisation, ask your candidates to sign up to this.

weownit.us6.list-manage.com/track/click?u=ef1f3f5b8067610251b19fb6c&id=602f60ff3d&e=e86ba43eff

In fact, it would be interesting to find out just how many prospective MPs want to continue privatising everything.

I looked this up after reading on the "Tories/Universal Benefits" thread a comment that followed the link:

"One of David Cameron’s most senior health advisers told a conference of health executives that the NHS will be privatised, advising representatives from healthcare companies of an impending goldrush in the wake of Andrew Lansley’s health reforms........"

"........ According to the public relations industry monitoring site Spinwatch, Mark Britnell did not mince his words on privatisation when addressing a seminar called “Reform Revolution” at a conference for healthcare corporations:

“In future, the NHS will be a state insurance provider not a state deliverer.............”

" ............... The NHS will be shown no mercy and the best time to take advantage of this will be in the next couple of years.”

How much more evidence do people need before they conclude that the NHS will be unrecognisable if the Conservatives get in again?

If you vote Tory, this is what you are voting for with regards to the NHS.

nhaspace.com/2015/02/19/5-forms-of-nhs-privatisation-you-should-know-about/

durhamjen

I didn't respond re Vize being a Labour supporter because I nether know nor care!!

At no time have I accused him of being so!!! That is once again an issue you made up !!!

I said his report was 'biased' and the heading of his article did not reflect the content, I never said he was a Labour supporter.

I stand by what I said.

In theory commissioning does not solely mean privatisation but in practice it is happening and even more private healthcare companies are reported to be employing British consultants to examine the business opportunities which they believe may, depending on which party/parties form the next government, gather speed after the election.

It cannot be denied that Conservative ministers have expressed the view that the state should be substantially shrunk and service provision passed to private/third sector organisations. Even if areas of health care are passed to charities and non-profit making organisations, this will cause fragmentation and will ultimately undermine the operation and ethos of the NHS.

By the way, you still haven't shown how Richard Vize is Labour. He wins awards for his journalism on health. Not from the Labour Party.

www.onmedica.com/newsArticle.aspx?id=f2cfd2d0-caee-4b7e-ba2b-2fcd392c3d5e

One third of all contracts awarded by CCGs have gone to private companies. That's so far. This year and next year the majority of contracts will come up for retender. If the rules on competitive tendering do not change, private companies will be the preferred provider.
So yes, Hunt wants the NHS to be privatised. Even you can't have failed to notice that, POGS. He's even written a book about it.

Eloethan

Hunt's comment re 'commissioning' indicates that their top priority will continue to be privatisation of services.

Are you saying you understand the term 'commissioning' to be solely related to privatisation ?

POGS As durhamjen has quoted above, Vize certainly did put forward the Conservatives' position re the NHS. All political commentators have noted that the Conservatives have made it quite clear that they have no desire to elaborate on their future plans for the NHS, but Hunt's comment re "commissioning" indicates that their top priority will continue to be privatisation of services.

The ones myself and family go in are on time and clean.
A good service.

Maybe it's just the national sport, moaning and bitching, Feetlebaum.

Can you explain why the only nationalised railway line makes a profit, to give back to the government, and why the government does not like this?

Don't you want trains that are cheap, clean and on time, soontobe?

My memory is of even more moaning and bitching about the 'nationalised' BR than you hear nowadays.

Our railways are the world's oldest, and while France and Germany were able to almost start again after WWII with a clean slate, we had to make do and mend to keep running at all.

Trouble is, ours had awful troubles when nationalised. No thank you very much.

Have you ever wondered why foreign governments are allowed to own British utilities, but not our government?
Many continental railways are owned by the people. The trains are usually clean, cheap and on time. Why shouldn't ours be like that?

I'll keep the railways as they are thanks.

Did you look at the charts, soontobe?
The reason the fares are so high is because the companies pay dividends to shareholders. However, we subsidise the railways anyway. The only one that gives more money back to the government than it takes in subsidies is the East Coast line, which is nationalised anyway at the moment. However, the government has plans to sell it off, to Virgin, I think, so your fares are not going to go down.

That's my opinion.

"Conservative health secretary Jeremy Hunt has indicated that he still sees a powerful role for commissioning, while moving his party into the territory of clinical improvement by announcing an annual review of avoidable deaths through analysis of patient case notes. England will be the first country in the world to monitor avoidable deaths in this way.

While Labour will ensure health policy generates election controversy, it is unclear whether it will swing votes. The Conservatives’ aim is simply not to lose voters over the NHS, while Labour’s anti-private sector approach seems to be aligned with a core vote strategy, rather than an attempt to win new supporters. Kendall’s backing for personal budgets shows where Labour could have gone in the search for new voters."

Two paragraphs at the end comparing Labour and Conservative policies.. Which is beyond trivial?

I dont think I want the railways renationalised.
It was pretty awful last time round.
On the whole, I think the railways are pretty well run. A bit expensive though.

How is it arguable?
Health did not feature on Cameron's list of the top six priorities.
As it is usually the top for the general public in any survey, I think Vize is doing him a favour by mentioning it and reminding him.

So, I've done a search on Richard Vize and can find nowhere where it says he supports Labour.
This article was from the Guardian, but he has also written for the Times and the Telegraph. He also worked for Ofsted and the King's Fund at one time, hardly part of the Labour party.

Perhaps you can find it, POGS.