Agenda 2019

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/nov/25/margaret-thatcher-pushed-for-breakup-of-welfare-state-despite-nhs-pledge Thatcher pushed for breakup of welfare state despite NHS pledge The duplicitous Thatcher together with Howe, Rifkind, Hurd, Tebbit and the other accomplices of the Thatcher governments, conspired in secret to destroy our Welfare sate and our National Health Service. As I have long argued, this has been the ambition and objective of the Conservative party since 1947 and has over those years, been surreptitiously advanced with piecemeal privatisations of numerous departments and functions of the welfare system and by closures of wards and hospitals where departments and departmental responsibilities have been gifted to the private sector, under the cloak of improving the service and saving money within our NHS. Today, this malevolent aspiration of the conservative party and their business supporters, circling like vultures waiting for their oppor...

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2016/may/29/andrew-brigden-conservatives-david-cameron-fractured-eu-debate-election Tory MPs escalate party turmoil with open call for Cameron to quit At least this article quotes real people as named sources, rather than being completely reliant on "a senior figure" or sources close to" or any of the other concocted "evidence" which this and other newspapers and television spew out when attacking (or smearing) the Labour party and its leadership. If Cameron were to be deposed and removed from the Premiership, then the country would gain a great benefit from the subsequent brawling within an even more fragmented Conservative party with the numerous factions scrambling for the "top job". It may even lead to the House of Commons, forcing a bill through through Parliament to hold an early general election in accordance with Section 2 of the "Fixed Term Parliaments Act". It certainly a...

  http://www.theguardian.com/money/2015/oct/20/conservative-mp-george-osborne-tax-credit-plans   Tory MP attacks George Osborne's tax credit plans in maiden speech   Tory MP Heidi Allen launches passionate attack on Osborne's tax credit raid There seems to be little media or television coverage of the maiden speech of Heidi Allen, Conservative MP for South Cambridge, who during yesterdays debate on Working Tax Credits, ripped into the government policy to cut the benefit and in consequence make more than three million families worse off by around £3000 per year. The Conservative front bench seemed distinctly uncomfortable as well they might, and perhaps even angry as M/s Allen accused them of, "betraying Conservative values" and emphasising that,  "Choosing whether to eat or heat is not a luxury" when families had "no cloth left to cut". Had a Labour MP made the same ferocious attack on their own front bench. the media would today be...

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/oct/17/tory-mps-at-risk-tax-credits Tory MPs in 71 marginal seats at risk from cuts to tax credits Always see the funny side Working Tax Credits are a subsidy paid by the tax payer for business to pay low wages. The government bleat that the cost of this "benefit" has increased substantially over recent years and has to be cut. The only way to reduce the level of these tax credits, is to force employers to pay wages and salaries which are adequate to meet today's living costs. The "minimum wage" or "living wage" call it what you will, is a government confidence trick designed to indicate that the g overnment is "doing something" to assist lower paid workers where in fact it does nothing of the sort. In April of next year, hundreds of thousands of families in this country will be up to £3000 per year worse off due exclusively to a combination of government fiscal policies...

  http://www.theguardian.com/money/2015/oct/16/david-cameron-spokesman-respond-question-time-tax-credits-complaint  Cameron responds to Question Time tax credits complaint    Michelle Dorrell: ‘You’re about to cut tax credits after promising you wouldn’t’   Only 24 people out of every 100 people who voted at the last general election, gave this lying hypocrite an overall majority in the House of Commons. The baying, howling Tories on the government benches, snarl that they have a "mandate from the British people" to carry out their pernicious "reforms" and to inflict even more austerity on this country, in order to "balance the books". They lie and cheat while filling themselves with the perks of position and office. They laug h at the housing crisis, they reject moves to ensure that rented homes in the private sector are fit for habitation, because to repair them would be "a huge burden on landlords”, they cut welfare and res...

http://www.theguardian.com/money/2015/oct/16/average-monthly-rent-hits-record-high-of-816-highlighting-housing-shortage Average monthly rent hits record high of £816     Social housing should be built to suit a range of incomes   A report which underlines the simple economic reality that, where there is a shortage of a commodity, in this case rented accommodation specifically, but emphasised by a housing shortage generally,  the price level of the available "stock" will increase. We have seen the level of rents increase significantly over recent years and with some regional variations, has increased in the past 12 months alone, by between 6.3% and 8.5% with a fall in Wales and the North of England.   Higher rents combined with the growth in property values mean that landlords in England and Wales have seen returns of 9.4% over the past year. Landlords have plenty to be happy about, suggested Adrian Gill, director of Your Move and Reeds Rains....

https://www.minds.com/blog/view/456455953705865216/iceland-recovering-fastest-in-europe-after-jailing-bankers-instead-of-bailing-them-out Iceland Recovering Fastest in Europe After Jailing Bankers Instead of Bailing them Out George Osborne's bargain basement sale has left taxpayers with a £1.1billion loss The British tax payer (you and I that is) poured £45billion of our money into RSB as a "State Bailout". Consequently, it seems to me that we own the bank. Gideon is now selling off our shares (and he didn't even ask our permission) in RSB at knock down prices to friends in the city and at a loss to us, the taxpayers. There is a small bribe for the taxpayer however, that the government will allow us to buy a tiny percentage of the available shares, and with a minute discount o n the price! As with other privatisations, Gas, Water, Electricity, Railways etc, the government Alchemists manage to persuade sections of the public to purchase that whi...

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/oct/07/pm-cameron-vows-scrap-rules-forcing-developers-build-affordable-homes-for-rent Cameron vows to scrap requirement to build affordable homes for rent   Cameron will encourage developers to increase the building of homes for first-time buyers. Cameron either by accident or more probably design, conveniently ignores hundreds of thousands of people in this country who will never be able to afford to buy either low cost first time buyer homes or "affordable" homes. This country has a housing crisis created by successive governments, where people are unable to buy or cannot afford to rent. Tinkering at the margin with the vague prospect of owning a home at sometime in the future, is a not very well disguised bribe to attract votes, which has been the way of things for decades and has failed miserably. What this country desperately needs is a housing programme to build at least 800,000 new homes of which a minimum of 75% ...

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2009/oct/09/taxpayers-alliance-director-tax#_=_ Taxpayers' Alliance admits director doesn't pay British tax Hard on the heels of yesterdays story concerning Alex Wild (who is research director of  Taxpayers Alliance) and his outrageous suggestion to cut pensioners benefits now as many of them will be dead before the next general election and of those remaining, many will not remember who cut their benefiys anyway, comes the revelation that Alexander Heath, a director of the increasingly influential rightwing lobby group lives in France and has paid no tax in the United Kingdom for many years. The Taxpayers Alliance which has very close ties with the Conservative party claims to be "the guardian of taxpayers' money, the voice of taxpayers in the media and their representative at Westminster".At the Conservative party conference, the influence of theTaxpayers Alliance was underlined when David Cameron and George Os...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-34439965?SThisFB%3FSThisFB Taxpayers' Alliance: Cut pensioner benefits 'immediately' "Many of those hit by a cut to the winter fuel allowance might "not be around" at the next election, and others would forget which party had done it" Alex Wild of the Taxpayers' Alliance Alex Wild. Taxpayers Alliance    In making a comment which could have been taken straight from  the pages of  "Der Stürmer", Alex Wild reveals the "Taxpayer Alliance" as being little more than another extreme right pressure group, which with support and encouragement from the Conservative party, is fast becoming a dangerous and influential malignancy in British politics. The Conservative party uses this and other noxious groupings, to float out their pernicious ideas for party policy to gauge public reaction and to prepare the British people for even greater excesses during the course of a parliament.   Tax...

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/homelessness-soars-40-under-tories-6506576           Homelessness soars 40% under the Tories - and charities blame welfare cuts         Criminal outrage. This country desperately requires the construction of 700,000 new homes of which 80% must be social housing. In the 21st Century it is indefensible that people are living in overcrowded conditions, are unable to find accommodation either for rent or purchase, or are homeless on the streets of our town and cities.   Crisis:  UK faces the biggest housing shortage since WWI    It is a moral and social outrage and successive governments should be ashamed of their failures to address this affront civilised society.

                      http://www.theguardian.com/politics/blog/live/2015/sep/08/fallon-says-more-british-jihadis-in-syria-could-be-attacked-by-raf-drones-politics-live#comment-59032405 David Cameron under pressure to explain legal basis for drone attack in Syria        A renegade government, led by Cameron and a small clique of maverick ministers who believe that they have the right to administer state executions where ever and when ever they choose. Leaving aside the deaths of these two Isis terrorists, there is a more fundamental issue at stake. The execution was of two British nationals (who may or may not have been planning something) in Syria, a country who we are not at war with. The House of Commons had rejected British military involvement in Syria. (Notwithstanding this, Cameron has within the last few mo...

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2015/jul/16/nhs-consultants-given-ultimatum-on-weekend-working NHS consultants given ultimatum on weekend working    The leader             The fiscal "mastermind"                 Destroying the NHS     Leading the war on welfare Leading the assaults on Trade Unions       Hunt oversimplifies (as usual), a very complex matter in order to send an ultimatum from his government department to yet another sector of society. With numerous ultimatums and threats over the past week, there seems to be no part of society which this wretched government is not seeking to declare war on. Fighting a war on two fronts is never a good idea (just ask the Germans), but Cameron, Osborne, Javid and now Hunt are instigating hostilities against ordinary people all around the country.     ...

  http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/jul/15/labour-leadership-candidates-ideologically-driven-union-crackdown         The biggest crackdown on trade union rights for 30 years                Not content with punishing the sick, disabled and welfare claimants with pernicious cuts to expenditure and services, the rabid right of the Conservative government, now declare war on the Trade Union movement. By attacking ordinary working people the government have laid the seeds of discontent and civil conflict in this country. "They have sowed the wind and now they are going to reap the whirlwind"    

http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2015/jul/15/trade-unions-conservative-offensive-decades-strikes-labour?CMP=share_btn_fb     Tories launch biggest crackdown on trade unions for 30 years         The Labour party must oppose the continuing assault on ordinary people in this country. Organisation and protests against the excesses of this Conservative government is essential. Should Harriet Harman suggest even partial support for Conservative policies, she is clearly in the wrong party.

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/snp-fury-as-hs2-finds-no-business-case-for-taking-fast-train-service-to-scotland-10272342.html SNP fury as HS2 finds 'no business case' for taking fast train service to Scotland    High Speed Trains. Not going to Scotland anytime soon! I am not an HS2 supporter and personally would scrap the whole idea. However,having been practically promised the HS2 link into Scotland, it is very understandable why the SNP and presumably hundreds of thousands of people in Scotland, would be incensed at yet another "English renege" on an undertaking now clearly designed to promote a "No" vote in the Scottish independence referendum. How many more promises, undertakings, assurances made to the Scottish people during the campaign will be broken by Cameron and his wretched government over the coming months? More Scots now wishing they had voted "Yes" is hardly surprising.

http://www.dorsetecho.co.uk/news/12955257.EXCLUSIVE_INTERVIEW__We_take_a_look_at_the_future_of_Dorset_s_healthcare__DCH_A__E_is_safe_but_major_hospital_will_be_in_east_of_the_county/ Dorchester County Hospital A& E is safe but major hospital will be in east of the county As a regular patient at Dorchester County Hospital (who have just announced their plans for a reorganisation), cardiology for pacemaker check/box replacement, and visiting hematology for monthly blood checks, am I to understand that these services will no longer be available at DCH? A round trip from home to say Poole Hospital is a distance of some 70 miles with a traveling time of around 2 1/2 hours, and to Bournemouth Hospital the round trip is some 85 miles taking almost 3 hours traveling time. There are many people reliant on Dorset Hospital services who will be even more inconvenienced than I will be, all sacrificed on the alter of Hunt and his Conservative cronies who are intent on cre...

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/c1b121e6-f184-11e4-98c5-00144feab7de.html Cameron and Clegg prepared to ‘move quickly’ to form coalition The conspirators The pencil marks are not yet on the ballot papers, but here we have Tweedle Dumb and Tweedle Dumber plotting their next moves in their war against ordinary people in this country.  On the one hand, the man with the vicious cabinet intent on attacking the sick, disabled, the pensioners and benefit claimants all in the name of "austerity" to "reduce the deficit and balance the books".  On the other hand the unprincipled hypocrite who doesn't really care who occupies 10 Downing Street, as long as he can retain the title of Deputy Prime Minister, the inflated salary, the ministerial car, the additional perks of office, the seat at the cabinet table and all the kudos to satisfy his over inflated ego and perception of his own importance. Until yesterday, these two lying cynics, were tearing lumps off each...

http://www.theguardian.com/education/2015/feb/01/primary-school-maths-grammar-nicky-morgan-education#comment-47016794 Primary school pupils face new maths and grammar tests under Tories   Why is this latest "set of punitive policies" labeled as a new initiative from the Conservatives? Teaching children multiplication tables and how to read by the age of 11 is not new, neither is it unique. Some years ago, more in fact that I care to remember, I attended the Ruby Street Primary School in London. The classroom of 1B, my first year class under Miss Cox, had posters around the walls with "Times Tables" on each of the posters ranging from 2 to 12, which had to be learned. Every child in the class (classes usually had 48 or more children at that time) had to learn by heart each of the tables and then had the daunting challenge of standing in front of Miss Cox, (and the assembled class) and reciting 2x2=4 and so on through to 12x12=144. Not all at t...

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/nhs-explainer-why-are-we-experiencing-an-ae-crisis-now-9961468.html   Why are we experiencing an A&E crisis now? A very busy HNS Since the 1980's, when it became the policy to close hundreds of the smaller hospitals and create super size “centres of excellence” at a few locations around the country with the rather naive assumption that “Bigger is better”, we have had an “A&E crisis”, which has not been limited to the A&E departments but has percolated throughout the hospital system. This A&E crisis, was exacerbated throughout the 1990's with the fallacious proposition, that in order to solve the problem it was essential to introduce more and more layers of management, introduce “targets” to monitor performance of departments and individuals, and to pour money into the system. A fiscal policy which mainly went into financing the expanding bureaucracy rather than improving the standards of care. ...