2015 post UK election discussion

[marty mcfly]

Exactly.

But here is an idea. To reduce the cost to the NHS from smoking related stuff, heavy smokers could go on a 6 month tour on one where you cant smoke, for obvious reasons, to make them give up.

There. All our problems solved with that.

The problem is that smokers pay for the NHS plus die earlier saving us all on pensions and care. There's a funny Yes Minister scene about smokers.

 

[roydo]

I don't know what your experience of the NHS is but mine is one of total amazement at the fundamental lack of co-ordination and administrative control. I witnessed once scene where upon arrival I was met by a reception desk with 4 staff all doing separate individual tasks - only to be sent to another reception desk with a further 3 staff all doing basically the same job.

Then whilst waiting for beards I witnessed some random NHS bod wheeling a shopping trolley full of what looked like personal medical records around!

Yes the NHS needs more front line doctors and nurses but it also needs a full and comprehensive shake-up of its practices and procedures - I can see why its a total money-pit, but constantly throwing money at it is not IMO the true answer to solving the problem.

Well the Missus works in it, and my old man has been using it a lot these last few years. It is ace.

Thats why I have been a bit confused that all MPs have been saying how brilliant it is, then promising squillions more to fix it these last few weeks.

 

[1966efc]

What Labour doesn't need: another Oxford PPE bloke with two years experience as an intern. An Islington know nothing. We need someone who can say "If the Labour Party is not a moral crusade, it is nothing" without looking like an utter dweev.

And that's Sam Jarvis.

 

[summerisle]

Exactly.

But here is an idea. To reduce the cost to the NHS from smoking related stuff, heavy smokers could go on a 6 month tour on one where you cant smoke, for obvious reasons, to make them give up.

There. All our problems solved with that.

Australia,when the Ashes are being played, will do me nicely

 

[roydo]

The problem is that smokers pay for the NHS plus die earlier saving us all on pensions and care. There's a funny Yes Minister scene about smokers.

Oh. I gave up in January as well. Feel a bit guilty now ffs.

Soz NHS.

 

[Moomin]

This is the fella we need nicknamed.

The steely eyed messenger of death.

Get him in FFS.

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/who-dan-jarvis-meet-labour-5670094

Wow, I'm impressed by that. Until the other day I've never heard his name mentioned but that's impressive going.

 

[dannyboy]

I actually like Andy Burnham. I think he might be a good choice.

Labour supporters will respond to him, the rest of the population I'm not so sure.

It's the quandary the party finds themselves in as I mentioned before. Do they want to retain at least some of their core values or do what they did under Blair?

 

[roydo]

Australia,when the Ashes are being played, will do me nicely

You do realise submarines are 99% under water?

 

[marty mcfly]

I don't know what your experience of the NHS is but mine is one of total amazement at the fundamental lack of co-ordination and administrative control. I witnessed once scene where upon arrival I was met by a reception desk with 4 staff all doing separate individual tasks - only to be sent to another reception desk with a further 3 staff all doing basically the same job.

Then whilst waiting for beards I witnessed some random NHS bod wheeling a shopping trolley full of what looked like personal medical records around!

Yes the NHS needs more front line doctors and nurses but it also needs a full and comprehensive shake-up of its practices and procedures - I can see why its a total money-pit, but constantly throwing money at it is not IMO the true answer to solving the problem.

I would go for directly elected health commissioners for each individual city/region. That way if we aren't happy there's someone we can give the boot to.

 

[marty mcfly]

Labour supporters will respond to him, the rest of the population I'm not so sure.

It's the quandary the party finds themselves in as I mentioned before. Do they want to retain at least some of their core values or do what they did under Blair?

I think they need to start by changing the image of the party that it's not for people who work in the public sector or are on benefits but rather people who actually work.

I won't argue again whether that is fair or not but that's the image.

 

[1966efc]

Labour supporters will respond to him, the rest of the population I'm not so sure.

It's the quandary the party finds themselves in as I mentioned before. Do they want to retain at least some of their core values or do what they did under Blair?

The question is always the same. What do we do about the large sector of society which fails to benefit from economic "progress".

Likewise, the answer is the same: find a determined visonary who can both articulate and implement a Socialist answer to the problem.

 

[Reidy's Bottle Of Grecian]

not sure aboiut the Liverpool situation but just seen this about Manc....

Manchester faces another cuts onslaught under new Tory government, warn Labour leaders

Manchester's council leader has said that the national situation could have an impact on the city’s most vulnerable

Labour leaders have warned the city faces another onslaught under the Tories saying the new government is ‘bad news’ for Manchester.

Manchester council leader Richard Leese said the poorest people in the city will struggle under David Cameron’s government.

He said it was good to see a ‘significantly improved’ majority for Labour in Manchester’s local election, but expressed anguish over the national picture and the impact it could have on the city’s most vulnerable.

Sir Richard told the M.E.N: “The national picture is deeply depressing.

“The prospect of a Conservative government ruling with a majority in the House of Commons is not a good one.

“It means we are now not in a position to get rid of bedroom tax, or protect our position in safeguarding the NHS

“And the sort of cuts we’ve seen in the most deprived parts of the country, including Manchester, are going to continue.

“I think it’s going to hit the poorest people in our country and it’s bad news for Manchester. This is not the sort of country I’ve been working for in politics for a very long period of time.”

Labour boasts impressive majorities in all five of Manchester’s parliamentary seats - and has EVERY seat in the council chamber.

But joy for big wins in the city were eclipsed by the party’s national demise.

Council bosses say that if cuts to local government had have been shared equally across the country under the coalition, the city would have been £1.4m a week better off.

Some £50m was wiped from the budget this year. Another £30m is set to follow next year - on top of £250m since the last election.

The Tories say there will be no changes to the funding deal for the city.

Greater Manchester police and crime commissioner Tony Lloyd, who is in the running to become the region’s interim-mayor, said: “It’s going to be difficult. We’ve got to fight for our communities and the conurbation. We’ve got to make sure our voice is heard by this Tory government.”

Blackley and Broughton stalwart Graham Stringer said Labour needs to do ‘everything it can’ to protect Mancunians under David Cameron’s rule.

Under this government, Manchester - one of the most deprived authorities in the country - has lost 26 times more ‘spending power’ per person than Hertfordshire, the wealthiest.

But ministers have repeatedly insisted their model is fair, stressing poor areas still get far more money than rich ones.

Ministers warned councils of further waves of town hall cuts earlier last year, and said cash would continue to be distributed in the same way.

Council chiefs, including Sir Richard Leese, have warned the region’s devolution deal isn’t a silver bullet that will solve harsh budget cuts, with the ‘northern assault’ on funding set to continue.

As revealed by the MEN in December last year Manchester was hammered yet again in the latest round of government spending cuts. Figures showed the city’s ‘spending power’ - the total amount it has at its disposal through central grants and council tax - fell by £28.1m.

Surrey’s went UP by £27m.

Every one of Greater Manchester’s boroughs suffered, with Oldham’s spending power cut by £10.4m, Rochdale’s £9.6m and Salford’s £10.1m.

Greater Manchester’s 10 local authorities faced cuts of more than a quarter of a BILLION pounds for 2015; on top of the £1.2bn of cuts since the government’s austerity measures were introduced in 2010.


As someone that lives in the Wigan Metro area (Gtr Manc) I can confirm that there have been widespread cuts to council services, sports fields had prices increased whereby clubs have to take out long term leases that cost more and they have to maintain them themselves, Council Tax Benefit... Big Society came into play here whereby all residents were given the chance to decide if everyone had to pay at least 25 %... working or not with the threat of cuts to other services if it wasnt passed. They dont light the motorways or east lancs rd at night. Everyone was led to believe that the same sort of cuts were across the country but that map seems to say different.

 

[bring the ghost on]

we're sort of saying the same thing here about the middle classes, who don't necessarily require a revolutionary intellectual leader, but perhaps someone who could advise them on finding a more reasonably priced bottle of merlot

It's tough at the top.

 

[Pat's Van]

What Labour doesn't need: another Oxford PPE bloke with two years experience as an intern. An Islington know nothing. We need someone who can say "If the Labour Party is not a moral crusade, it is nothing" without looking like an utter dweev.

And that's Sam Jarvis.

no, that's Dan Jarvis

 

[Minimeister]

I don't know what your experience of the NHS is but mine is one of total amazement at the fundamental lack of co-ordination and administrative control. I witnessed once scene where upon arrival I was met by a reception desk with 4 staff all doing separate individual tasks - only to be sent to another reception desk with a further 3 staff all doing basically the same job.

Then whilst waiting for beards I witnessed some random NHS bod wheeling a shopping trolley full of what looked like personal medical records around!

Yes the NHS needs more front line doctors and nurses but it also needs a full and comprehensive shake-up of its practices and procedures - I can see why its a total money-pit, but constantly throwing money at it is not IMO the true answer to solving the problem.

And you got all that from going to one appointment?