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Sunday 18 December 2011

IS NEW LABOUR REALLY TO BLAME FOR UK RIOTS ?


Published Summer 2011 on The Green Benches website. 

This is the accusation being laid at Labour’s door by Peter Oborne  http://is.gd/iEV4oI.
This thought will be painful for many in the Labour Party, myself included.  I voted for
Labour in 1997, for Tony Blair.  He was a breath of fresh air.   Tony and his team had great ideas, the tories looked tired and could not recover from what seemed an endless number of scandals. As a result, New Labour won a landslide victory.

Yes, New Labour introduced the minimum wage, reduced unemployment, invested in the NHS, in education, commenced Surestart…  But as we know things began to sour, initially due to the Iraq war when we saw marches at Westminster, Labour MPs speaking and voting against the government – including the one I worked with. These were heady, uncomfortable days.  I felt very much at odds with my own party.  Members left Labour in droves..

It was almost from that point onwards that things started to go downhill, even though we won a general election again and again.  But was that, in part, due to the tory party still recovering..?  They certainly didn’t like being thrust into opposition – their arrogant assumption that they belonged at the top table had been proven wrong !

In May 2010 we found ourselves in opposition.  Many had become disenchanted with Labour.  Not just middle England voters who Tony had targeted, but those at our core, those who intrinsically belonged with Labour.  Many felt let down and they let us know.  They were once known as the working class, but many are no longer working…  

A couple of weeks ago we witnessed the worst riots ever seen in the UK.  People have been outraged at seeing communities set on fire, shops looted, people killed etc. I don’t need to go into this. But within a week after the riots began, and after the calls for strong sentencing, reports and interviews emerged that confirm there are very serious problems in some communities http://is.gd/eiJulf  These are many young men who have no hope of finding a job and where young girls become pregnant as a  route to finding independence, an income.  We heard that many young people leave school without some basic educational achievements yet we understand that educational achievements were rising year after year.   
So along with Peter Oborne do we need to ask if Labour tackled the problems that were on their doorstep for so long ?   Hindsight is a wonderful thing indeed…  

It is right that Ed Miliband is not retreating from accusations and is facing them head on -  even suggesting that the riots may be linked to various scandals – MP’s expenses, phonehacking and the banking industry  http://is.gd/48c3iv.  There are some who disagree but we have seen Ed in the midst of all the troubles with Labour MPs in their constituencies.  He has been meeting people from around the country and I believe that he has recognised a repeated thread which has led him to reach several conclusions.

Ed Miliband challenged David Cameron to hold an inquiry, stating that if he wouldn’t, then he would !   We shall have to see how in depth this will be.   Labour’s Inquiry would least involve those in the ivory towers of Whitehall,  but involve the residents and leaders who are at the heart of those troubled communities  http://is.gd/fFdlQb.  Let’s see what form the government’s inquiry takes. 

To tackle the issues will cost us heavily.  But riots cost us heavily too. More people are now jobless due to fires and will require financial support.  People have lost their homes, so we are faced with re-accommodating them.  Businesses have been ruined. Businesses, homeowners and tenants will claim for damages and as a result insurance premiums will rise.  If not insured the state will assist, basically falling to us to pay.  Yes the riots have been about behaviour and responsibility but also about much more.  This costs in financial terms but in so many other ways too.

We have heard voices state that young people feel there is no hope, they lack jobs and opportunity the haves and the have not’s.   We are a county of grafters and we must be allowed to graft !  Morally, I would rather that we faced up to our responsibilities as a nation – we need to show consideration and provide jobs for all sections of our society. To ignore is to turn our heads away from the truth and we know what happens then ! 

Rather than concentrate on the City - the matriarch of capitalism, we must look at new forms of manufacturing, new industry - training and skills need to be acquired.  For those who do not achieve required grades for University, or may not wish to be saddled with huge debts, we have to find alternative forms of employment.  Rather than pursue a purely academic curriculum, we should explore other avenues for young people in their later years at school, maybe introducing forms of vocational training with work experience on the agenda.  Surely this has to be the way forward.  Everyone benefits !

The Government front bench has little understanding of the lives of people in the communities we have seen so much of recently.   I hope Labour keeps this government on its toes, ensuring that the issues that need to be addressed, are addressed.  We cannot afford to ignore – this would be futile and uncaring.  People are depending on us… we cannot let them down this time.  Is this too tall an order ?

SUGGESTED POLICY FOR LONG TERM CARE OF ELDERLY PEOPLE..


SUGGESTED POLICY FOR LONG TERM CARE OF ELDERLY PEOPLE IN THE UK
INTRODUCTION  (appeared on other website in July 2011) 

Long term care of elderly people has become very high on the national agenda. This document sets out some of the issues concerned with long term social care within the UK. It also addresses some suggestions as to how standards can be improved and how we might assist our elderly population.

1         Priority - Living with dignity & desired standards
2        Care plans
3        Type of care available
4       Staff training
5        Funding
6       Elderly people in society – the concept

1   Priority
Elderly people and all those in care should live with dignity whether it be in their own homes or at the appropriate time within  a hospital, nursing home,  care home or supported living setting.  How we care for people as a society is intrinsic  and conveys much about us as a society.  There are examples of living with dignity in old age:

Key factors:
Research shows there are eight main factors that promote dignity, all of which contribute to a person's sense of self-respect.
  • Choice and control - Enabling people to make choices about the way they live and the care they receive.
  • Communication - Speaking to people respectfully and listening to what they say; ensuring clear dialogue between workers and services.
  • Pain management - Ensuring that people living with pain have the right help and medication to reduce suffering and improve their quality of life.
  • Personal hygiene - Enabling people to maintain their usual standards of personal hygiene.
  • Eating and nutritional care - Providing a choice of nutritious, appetising meals that meet the needs and choices of individuals, and support with eating where needed.
  • Practical assistance - Enabling people to maintain their independence by providing  "that little bit of help".
  • Privacy - Respecting people's personal space, privacy in personal care and confidentiality of personal information.
  • Social inclusion - Supporting people to keep in contact with family and friends, and to participate in social activities  (1)  http://is.gd/YSKr1T
2 A CARE PLAN
Care plans should be prepared by a key professional who has links to the caring professions/support networks. The person requiring care should be involved in any care plan whenever possible, along with a close family member or registered carer if family member is unavailable.  The key professional should be decided by the GP and the local Social Care Manager.  This will encourage a joint working relationship to the benefit of the patient/client.

3 TYPE OF CARE AVAILABLE
At present the care available is either or a mix of support at home, supported living in sheltered housing, care home, respite care and nursing home provision. Unfortunately many elderly people have extended hospital stays for various reasons but mainly due to lack of facilities/funding negotiation.  This prevents acute hospitals/wards from admitting acute patients resulting in the term commonly known as bed-blocking.  This can be a distressing situation for both the patient and their relatives and adds to the problem of waiting lists.
Clearly long term care is now very much on the national agenda, unfortunately very much due to bad press in recent weeks.  The recent broadcast of the Panorama programme caused us all to re-examine the issue of long term care  (2)  http://is.gd/Jtkqey.
There are various guides online that can help relatives or indeed the person requiring long term care to seek a good care home. Checklists are available but how often are the checklists ticked?  Some online guides:
Spot checks should be undertaken by local authorities at private care homes.  I would like long term care to be provided by the state but accept that this requires planning. 

4. TRAINING OF CARE STAFF
Whilst we are examining the issues about standards of care for those we love, and indeed for ourselves as we grow older, perhaps we should also consider the standards of those who will be caring and what their qualifications might be. 
Trained/qualified nurses are often employed in Nursing Homes where residents require specialist/nursing care but what about care homes?  What qualifications can be expected in care homes and from those who provide care in the community by staff sometimes known as ‘care assistants’?   On undertaking some minor research I gather that little training is often given, sometimes as little as one week’s training.  I really question this as being sufficient and must be worrying for those receiving care and also for those providing it.  How confident are these people that they are doing a ‘good job’?
Long term care is here to stay and I believe that we have reached the stage, indeed many of us reached this stage decades ago, where quality of care should be provided for those requiring it.
I would like to suggest that a proper career structure in the caring services is provided by a formal training course.   I strongly believe that this would raise standards of care and also raise morale within the caring profession.
This could be introduced into the sixth form apprentice curriculum.  All provision of adult care would be covered – for young adults through to elderly people.  Such a course would ensure that good standards of care are provided and maintained to anyone receiving care whether it be at home, in a day care setting, residential care, at home etc.  This would cover all types of care for different ages with different module options for various disciplines e.g.  people  with various conditions e.g. severe autism,  young people with disability,  adults with special needs and elderly people requiring support and maximum care. Some understanding of chronic conditions should also be part of a module, e.g. diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, so that specific awareness and care can be given to those residents.  The course should also cover some minor nursing care e.g. changing dressings, bathing & hygiene, etc.
On completion of training for perhaps a one year full time or two years part-time study,  a qualification would be given – The Care Diploma.  This would be accepted in all areas of adult care including a hospital setting where nursing assistants are employed. Maybe this should be the minimum requirement for anyone entering into the caring arena.  Mature students should also be accepted onto the course.
Private care home operators could enter into a contract with their employees to provide training  perhaps one day per week plus online training for a period of two years.  I’m sure some care home owners will dislike this suggestion but if they wish to reap the benefits of providing such a service, they should also accept responsibility for staff and residents.  Training fees could be shared by the employer & the employee.  If training is undertaken in the sixth form then this would be covered by the state.
The course would cover all types of adult care with different module options for various disciplines -  people  with various conditions e.g. severe autism,  young people with disability,  adults with special needs and elderly people requiring minimum support, and those who require maximum  care. Some understanding of chronic conditions should also be part of a module, e.g. diabetes, Alzheimer’s disease, so that specific awareness of and care can be given to those residents.
How refreshing would it be to give credibility to staff working in this area where such standards are required?  Staff would also attain knowledge, confidence and pride in their work and hopefully be valued by society at large.  The days of casual labour working in our care homes would no longer be acceptable - indeed it is unacceptable by many of us now! 

5.  FUNDING OF LONG TERM CARE
As I write this article the Dilnot Report has been published (5) http://is.gd/4zhmVx and here is a guide to that report (6) http://is.gd/5KfVIk
Recently we have witnessed the business ethos that is behind several care home organisations e.g.  Southern Cross, leaving many of us feeling uncomfortable. As that business appears to be in trouble, that model cannot be deemed sustainable.  The Private Care Industry needs to be re-examined and certain clauses placed into contracts of care with the priority focussing on care.   The average salary at Southern Cross is just over £13,000.  I wonder how much the salaries are at other care establishments and how much of the residents’ money is spent on salaries, residents’ food etc. and how much goes into the bank accounts of those big corporate companies who so often are supposed to be providing the care for our loved  one’s ? 
Although The Dilnot Commission has provided some answers that will now be debated, there are many other questions outstanding… as outlined above and which leads me to…

6. ELDERLY PEOPLE IN SOCIETY – THE CONCEPT
The elderly population in the UK is growing and we are told every day that we are all living longer.  That, of course, does not apply to everyone – we do not all live into our 90s and beyond – but many more of us can expect a longer healthier life. 
When we are young adults we often move away from our parentsto study. We then set up home, start a family, have careers – very busy lifestyles.  By middle-age some of us have more time and maybe moved back nearer to our loved one’s as our own children came onto the scene.  Also by middle-age we have parents in their 70s/80s that require and, indeed, should be able to expect our attention.  None of us like to think that we are cast onto one side just because we become less able.  
However, when people do become less able It is at this time that we need to examine our lifestyles. Sometimes caring for our relatives can be the easiest solution especially when respite care is now available - perhaps that provision needs to be extended.  Surely this is the way it has to go?  When we were young and perhaps not so young, who was there for us?  Isn’t it time to examine our own attitudes as a society, re-adopt the values that we once had and that we often witness in other cultures – pay-back time?!
Perhaps as part of a building programme, more bungalow-type accommodation could be considered in neighbourhood areas. 
I know that many of us do care for elderly relatives but there are many who do not.  We can’t always leave it to others… only when it’s really necessary, surely, should we do so.  
This document is merely a suggested way forward in addressing some of the problems that we currently witness and encounter in the provision of long term care.

Bibliography
(1)     Community Care
(2)    The Guardian
(3)    Age UK
(4)   Revera
(5)    The Dilnot Commission
(6)   The Guardian

Saturday 11 June 2011

The pause is over and now we wait...

Why do I feel that I'm waiting to meet the executioner !  I understand there are talks going on between David Cameron & Nick Clegg, no doubt a few other friends/foes too, about the NHS reforms.  I suppose the content will be about Cameron trying to get his way by keeping the right wing of the Tory party on board whilst coincidentally attempting to keep Clegg and his party sweet.  Hmm....  I wonder if Shirley Williams & her senior cohorts in the Lib Dem Party will go along with the changes -  or will it be just too much.. or is the desire to stay in power just too strong ?

We know that, despite what David Cameron says, that waiting lists have not just doubled but spiralled. There are figures which disclaim his statements at PMQs and reports appear to qualify this http://is.gd/6G2H86.  The King's Fund is monitoring these figures - the graphs are quite frightening http://is.gd/sGqRN7.
The initials A & E represent Accident & Emergency - isn't that a clue that a visit to that department is urgent...  yet waiting times to be seen  by a doctor stand at now over four hours.  From the information above, there is enough evidence here that clearly conveys this govt can't be trusted with the NHS.

David Cameron will be determined to get the reforms through the House and he and Nick Clegg will have to persuade their respective parties that the 'pause' has been worth it. http://is.gd/oDWtii .

Time is growing closer as to when we know about the reformed NHS bill. I wonder just what it will contain... I really don't mind that the NHS could collaborate with the private sector - there could be benefits. After all many of our NHS consultants already work within the private sector.  What does worry me is that shareholder profits & dividends take priority and that patient needs and care are put on the back burner...  The money which is to be put into private health care is our money, it belongs to the citizens of the UK - the taxpayers. It may soon fall into the hands of big business.  I do not want the NHS to be run where profit is more important than the patient !

Thre are some excellent examples of treatment and care within the NHS, where waste is kept to a minimum.    Wouldn't it be a refreshing change if this government actually met with some of those managers/consultants with proven expertise in patient outcomes and good financial management and ask them how they do it.  It is only now, after investment during Labour years, that we have seen great improvements - before then the NHS was on its knees.  I know, I worked within it !   A conversation withthose health professionals could well pay dividends for all of us - it would be a good start rather than merely telling them to cut, cut, cut !  But - equally importantly - the government must listen to those health professionals !  If they ignore..  we're all in peril !  And I certainly hope, if they are unhappy with the proposed reforms, that health professionals will be prepared to say so.  The BMA has never been a shy and retiring oranisation.. so I am hopeful.

A wonderful  organisation like the NHS, that is the envy of the rest of the world,  cannot stand still, it must evolve along with new treatments that become available.  Reforms and change can be greatly beneficial but surely initiatives need to be within a nature of collaboration with the NHS itself.  And finally, the one thing that the NHS needs and deserves is investment. Without that,  it will die..  and what we could be left with just doesn't bear thinking about !



I also contribute to the blog   #http://pressreform.blogspot.com/
















Monday 2 May 2011

What on earth was happening ? I just knew it was something BIG !

For some reason I awoke just after 3.00am having had a deep refreshing sleep.  Almost as though it was meant to be.  Now, some of you know that my sleep pattern is far from normal... so the fact that I was tweeting at 3.45am came as no surprise !  Yes my antennae was switched on and buzzing - there was definitely something happening...  I turned on my lap top and lo and behold there was a statement from CNN stating that President Obama would be speaking from The White House in about 30 minutes at 10.30pm eastern time - 3.30am UK time.  On went the telly. Yes, there was  Wolf Blitzer from The Situation Room confirming what was about to happen.  Er..  hang on...  10.30pm on a Sunday evening from The White House... ? Excuse me - what on earth could be going on.. Definitely something BIG ! I was awake enough to realise that.

I looked at BBC News, Sky News - nothing happening !  So I sent a couple of tweets along the lines of  'Wakey Wakey....  are you aware of what's happening?'.   The Guardian's Alan Rusbridger was the first journalist in the UK to latch on to what was happening and the following piece came out at 4.00am http://is.gd/B9hFUb and eventually the BBC and Sky woke up - I even sent them tweets saying 'Wakey wakey something big is happening' !  But CNN was on the spot and on the ball ! Obama made his statement  http://is.gd/Xm1AiT. 

And then the news began to roll...   Oh and goodness me, did it roll ?  Well and truly.  Experts were called into CNN, Fox News which was.. er... was er..  Fox News!  I'll choose not to go there... I didn't stay there anyway ! Experts were called in and asked for their opinions.    CNN showed people waving, screaming, shouting and cheering from the railings in front of the White House and the cheering and dancing continued later in Times Square and other places in the United States.  Clips of 9/11 and the atrocity of the twin towers were shown...  Yes, the man most wanted had been found and now no longer existed.   Osama bin Laden was dead.  Cameron looking a little bleary eyed, sporting a different sort of unruly hairstyle gave his response http://is.gd/tFvYLk.

In the hours that followed many comments, opinions, pictures, new and historical videos were conveyed.  It all poured out very quickly and presenters were almost tripping over each other such was their zeal to be the first to break each little teeny weeny minute piece of news.  Statements were made, not all matching by any means. Different accounts were given - all by no-one who was actually there but nevertheless each and every word was given as gospel...   convincingly...  but even so some were not accurate! A photograph of bin Laden was circulating on twitter and did so for hours before it was announced that the photograph was actually two years old !  http://is.gd/5ZmZ3X   Of course by the time I publish this blog, that may have been retracted and  proven to be accurate !!  Even now over 12 hours later the pieces of news that were breaking then are being 'corrected' or as they would prefer to say, 'confirmed' at this time.  It was dramatic, make no mistake of that.  Shock and excitement being conveyed.  Most of the news, of course came via tv stations. A flavour of the day :  Sky http://is.gd/s2oDqn   BBC blog http://is.gd/j6om5P
BBC News http://is.gd/GVAgdz  View from Israel http://is.gd/lFRLTg  FoxNews http://is.gd/oyggfg

But how did all this begin?   Why did Osama bin Laden become such a venerated & worshipped figure amongst some - yet  feared and hated by others ?  I don't think anyone on any tv station has raised this today, (apart from him heading a terrorist organisation) yet there has been much speculation as to who his successor might be - almost along the lines of who the next Pope would be !  What about Al Qaeda...  it's future...  But who/what is Al Qaeda and why has it become part of our lives ?  I would have thought that after such an event as has been reported today, that this question might have been examined but instead we've been awarded different accounts of the same story hour after hour...  It all began on 9/11 or did it...?  Doesn't it go back further ?  Where do we go from here ?  Do we want the same relationship.  I'm not sure that I do...  Do you ?  How did it all begin ?

A quick potted history : The commencement of Al Qaeda is usually traced to the 1979 Soviet War in Afghanistan. The US was of the opinion that the Soviet support of the Afghan Marxists against the Afghan Mujahedeen was an indication of Soviet aggression and a way of expansion. Clearly the US felt uncomfortable.  Operation Cyclone was launched via the CIA which forwarded funds through Pakistan's Intelligence agency to the Mujahedeen.  Osama bin Laden approached the wealthy of Saudi Arabia to fund some organisations to fight the Afghan Marxists such as the Maktab-al-Khidamat group from which Al-Qaeda was created.  In 1989 the Soviet Union withdrew from Afghanistan but the communist Afghan government remained in power for a further three years, eventually over-ruled by the Mujahedeen which struggled to successfully provide an administration. I well remember the dreadful scenes from Afghanistan during that time and we have certainly seen them in recent years.  Continual fighting left the region devastated.  The struggle then spread to other parts of the world by some Mujahadeen and various organisations were created to take the struggle further, one such organisation being Al-Qaeda which I understand was created & headed up by Osama bin Laden.

The above all occurred  before 11th September 2001 - or as we have come to know it - 9/11.  We know what happened that day.  Afterwards, Bush reacted, deided to go  into Iraq taking Britain with him !  And we were part of a fully fledged war in the middle east. The US is still there...  but do the American people wish to draw a line under all of the above ?  You bet they do !  So where now ?


Without doubt Al Qeada will be appointing a new leader, if it hasn't done so already.  Maybe the first indication we receive of that will be a violent one, injuring many many people.  I sincerely hope not but it's likely and we are reaslistic enough to face up to that fact.  Warnings to be vigilant have already been issued by the US Govt and the UK Foreign Office.  I think we all reckon on revenge being taken for the US taking the life of Osama bin Laden.  Can it be avoided ?  Well, bin Laden brought various grievances and some of us will remember that these included  the presence of US troops in the Middle East; the brutality and treatment of the Palestinians; and the continued sanctions against Iraq.

Do we argue with any of that ?  Do we and the US have such concerns...  ?  Haven't we aired such grievances...?   Am I saying that we have common concerns about what is happening in the world ?  I think I am....  Is it just too simple to sit down and talk...  before any more lives are lost...  To do so we need to be chasing an agenda of peace, not war.  We ALL need to be able to 'Turn the other cheek' and to take one quote from the Quran 'Turn thou then from them and say, ‘Peace’.  Would that be possible...  would it ?  Could we do that ?   After all, where does fighting and war take us...  ?  Is it too much to ask ?  Or maybe not enough....  Ask yourselves, what is the alternative ?  More of the same...  more lives lost...  we all lose loved one's in the end. Is that what we really want ?  Losing mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, children... 

Could world leaders take us there ?  Would it be possible ?  Are they ready for that ?   How would the media handle such a thought, such a consideration?  Would it be as 'thrilling' for some as the news which has broken today? Would it sell newspapers or would the thought of peace not be quite so sensational?  Oh I'm not naieve to believe it could happen without serious repercussions from some quarters...  or that it could happen overnight, or could it ?  Isn't it worth a try ?  For all of us and for our children ? For peace, not war...  Why don't we just try the Peace route..

Also posted on the #pressreform website which I contribute to. http://is.gd/1gG682

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Wednesday 13 April 2011

Well, we can always turn to the Press Complaints Commission...

It appears that more and more people are complaining about what is and what is not appearing in the newspapers, the emphasis placed up on it and how news is reported on tv with suggestions that 'this just isn't fair'.  Some take up their complaints with the Press Complaints Commission and here are some recent cases

 http://3.ly/pFyt some would say not too serious.



So what is the PCC, under whose jurisdiction does it operate and who funds it ? Well, here lies a story...

For starters I find that "The independent Chairman is appointed by the newspaper and magazine publishing industry" according to the PCC website. Independent ? Really ? Why would the newspaper and magazine publishing industry appoint the Chairman... I can see that such an action would be in their interests... Aaaah, I get it... on further investigation I find that the PCC is funded by... the press ! Yes, the press ! I suppose this is where the term 'self-regulation' comes into reality.

How can it be right that the press can fund a Commission to investigate complaints about the press ? How can the press insist that the only option available to complainants is for them to complain to a body which has been created by the press and is based on a Code which the press drafted. Yes the Commission drafted it's own code - by members of the Press ?  The press of course has access to lawyers to defend their case. Many individuals do not ! And there appears to be no element of appeal ! Here is the editors' code of practice http://is.gd/5UyplF

You'll be comforted to know that the editors' code of practice is periodically reviewed by "a special committee of editors" ! Yes editors ! The Chairman of that special committee I gather, is Paul Dacre from the Daily Mail  http://is.gd/6t1bZ6.  The Chair of the PCC itself is Baroness Peta Buscombe, a Conservative Peer. There's an article relating to her and the PCC here http://is.gd/AZFzCE and it's an interesting little story!

I began to search to find out how and why the PCC was established in the first place. It seems that it replaced a body called The Press Council which was considered not to be fulfilling it's role from what I can gather. So the PCC was formed in 1991. Seems a long time ago and the media and press has changed since those days... one example being that there wasn't the incessant coverage of 24 hour news that we have today. Don't think the 'paparazzi' was around either?   It seems to me, and I know to many, that the press just appear to get away with whatever they wish to write...  Once the headline is there, it's there.  If an apology is ever given it's usually on page 17...  hidden away.  Broadcasters seem to believe that we'll believe anything they spout forth !  That really isn't the case at all...  We've all become media savvy and it's time the press woke up to it !  They treat us as though we've just landed on planet earth...

And finally who is the PCC accountable to ? I'm afraid that is an answer I cannot give as I've not been able to find any reference to the PCC being accountable to anyone but itself !

And if you're really interested here's some further information :
Website of the PCC http://is.gd/TBtOaB.
The governanace of the PCC : An independent review http://is.gd/TBtOaB
er.. who undertook the review ? Hmmm...

This week-end has seen the unfolding of criminal activity that cannot be ignored however much the press would like to ignore it...   The press of course are usually the one's to break the news where unfairness is seen to be playing a part or where criminal activity takes place and is of public interest.  But this story is about them!!   And it has taken months to receive the tiniest smattering of coverage. Now we are beginning to find out why... 

More newspapers appear to have been caught out in the phone-hacking saga - the first person to break this news was a lawyer. Since then others have come forward...  Are people frightened of the press for some reason ?  And let's not forget that phone-hacking is illegal..   This is a very serious matter.  We have No 10 involved, the judgement of the PM, a former Prime Minister who believes his phone was hacked, members of the Royal Family, various celebrities, other Members of Parliament,    Have I left anyone out....   I'm sure there's someone else...  of course, one Mr. Rupert Murdoch, for whom all roads seem to lead  in this issue.   So where does this leave the BSkyB application ?...  Are we really confident that Mr. Murdoch's application should go through without a blink ?  I don't think so..

This week-end has seen news uncover that makes it apparent that 'things have been going on' for a long time. One question that springs to my mind is - who holds the power - and who exactly runs this country ? 

But not to worry - we can always turn to the PCC !





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Friday 8 April 2011

As Mr. Murdoch opens his cheque book...

The news has broken this afternoon that News International, has admitted liability in some phone-hacking claims. Some victims will be offered compensation.http://is.gd/00MQKg


What has brought this on ?  Why the sudden offer ?

Neville Thurlbeck, the News of the World’s chief reporter, and Ian Edmondson,  former assistant editor who was recently sacked from News International over phone hacking were questioned earlier this week after presenting themselves at separate London police stations earlier this week. http://is.gd/LUBEqL

But have those arrests prompted this action ?  Well, clearly, it appears that they've admitted guilt at a late stage in the game whilst all the time Murdoch's News International News of the World has consistently denied phone-hacking. However, it is now saying that after robust internal investigations it has found that indeed phone-hacking did take place.  So the one big questions in my mind is : why didn't the police uncover that phone-hacking was rife all those years ago and even more recently in the autumn of 2010 before this third investigation was set in motion after immense pressure as questions were being asked about the Met's failure to get to the bottom of this issue ?  The DPP challenged Yates this week http://is.gd/me03pf. Unanswered questions remain...

This is early days in the breaking news and part of the statement is below. No resignations have been announced from News International.   


"We continue to co-operate fully with the Metropolitan Police. It was our discovery and voluntary disclosure of this evidence in January that led to the re-opening of the police investigation..
With that investigation on going, we cannot comment further until its completion."

Oh so they're really the good guys ! 

Its been dirty and its been rough.  And basically Murdoch is trying to bring this matter to a close using his cheque book...

But is still smacks of cosiness  - who has dinner with whom ? http://is.gd/kP8CXE
Who goes through the back door of No. 10 rather than being upfront and entering through the front door like all other visitors conveying that there might be a hidden agenda...?  http://is.gd/omfFiq   Who's been paid off already to stay quiet and who's been paying the Police ? http://is.gd/6eMPbB     And who's been having dinner with whom ?  Oh I already asked that didn't I ? And so it goes around... anyone would think they were all friends...


And meanwhile The Camerons are on their jollies in Spain and Nick is in charge !  At least it gives No. 10 a bit of thinking time...  A coincidence?  Will something else explode ?  Let's wait and see..

Tom Watson's thoughts : "The scandal is far from over."

I also contribute to the blog #pressreform - take a look!  

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Wednesday 16 March 2011

Maybe I should apologise....

for wasting my life ! Yes, I'm one of those lowly individuals who has worked in the public sector for most of her life !  I didn't make lots of money, I didn't drive a flash car, nor live in a big house, nor wear the latest designer gear...  but I did, and still do, care.

I began nurse training in the 70s. It was an ambition I'd held since being a child of 7 or 8 years of age.  I visited my grandma in hospital and that was that - decision made.  I was in awe of those blue angels who wore white caps and white ruffled sleeves!  They cared well for my grandma!

But it wasn't just the uniform that attracted me, it was the sense of caring.  That was no big deal, it came quite naturally.  Indeed, even as a child I would bring home all those who needed care - from the new immigrant girl at primary school whose mother wore a bright jewel in her forehead - to the lame duck I found in the pond.  In fact my father referred to all of my 'casualties' as 'lame ducks' !  Then as I grew older and brought several overseas Uni friends home at Christmastime, those individuals were often referred to as being part of Mags' League of Nations !  But I was from good stock - my parents showed the same interest in others.  So to enter nursing was no surprise to anyone.  I then went on to do other things in life, but always in the public sector and eventually worked for a Member of Parliament during the last 13 years of the Labour government.  And I proably learned and shared people's varied struggles more in that job than anywhere ! 

So here I am today, sitting in front of the TV, waiting for the debate called by Labour to commence. They'll be debating the changes proposed for the NHS - my beloved NHS!  I could cry at the thought of desecreation that these proposed changes are likely to bring.  What of the nurses and doctors who are going to lose, or indeed have lost, their jobs - all highly trained professionals - far more highly trained than I was !  There is much more to learn today, so much fanstastic technology to assist with healing and recovery. Don't think I'd know where to start if I was put in charge of a ward today !! These people are trained to the highest standards and where to now... apart from their perception of them being on the scrap heap.  I never thought I'd witness this.  And what of the waiting lists...  they were 18 months in some cases when Labour took over in 96.  By May 2010 it was just a matter of weeks, in some cases days.

I've been a patient too. And the care I received was wonderful. Should I need chemo again, I hope it's at the hospital and not upstairs in Boots, which is what this govt is proposing I gather.  I want to know that highly trained professionals are caring for me and that facilities are at hand, should they be needed!  This is one big step too far... privatisation at what cost ?  That is just one small example of changes we'll see.

This tory-led government is taking us down a road that I fear we'll all regret.  This isn't just about change, it's about ideology.  They want to finish off the NHS, in the way that Thatcher's government didn't.  But goodness me, I saw the NHS brought to it's knees in the 80s/90s when Clarke & Dorrell were in charge !  This time it's possibly going to be far worse...   The NHS needs investment.  We are a rich country, despite what the tories say.  We can afford a good NHS but whether we have the willingness to invest to make it fantastic is another matter...  And respecting that whilst we need people to create money, invest in business, create jobs, we also need a balance.   I've always paid my taxes, we need others to pay their's especially those whose businesses can well afford to do so !  That would help to balance things out a little more too !

And will the lib dems, having attended a conference during the last week-end, have really listened to their membership ? Shirley Williams and others made their opinions known, loud and clear, about the NHS.  The majority at the conference sided with her.  But will the lib dems vote with the tories today or stand up for what is right ?   I'll be watching - we're only hours away from finding out...

So, again, I apologise...  I'm a lowly individual, like so many others, who has worked in the public sector caring for others !  I realise that just wasn't good enough...  those careers are no longer respected or appreciated ! Message received !

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Tuesday 22 February 2011

Can't the UN do something ?...

That is the question I have seen time and time again on Twitter but none more so than in the last few days regarding the events in Libya.

Last evening that question must have appeared about 20 or 30 times just in my timeline...   So what is the UN doing ?  In checking this out last evening, I found out that the UN was on holiday.  When I tweeted that little piece of information tweets flowed in suggesting that it couldn't possibly be true...  I even received a comment from Faisal Islam, of Channel 4 News "No way" he said !  Thinking he'd take some convincing I sent him this link http://is.gd/vGzhch confirming that it was Washington's Birthday - a Bank Holiday in the US known now as President's Day.

But enough of that, I decided to do a bit of digging at the UN to establish who exactly are the members of the United Nations Security Council & Human Rights Commission.  Well, here's what I found...

The Membership of the UN Security Council http://is.gd/fgzZVj

Those Member States - what are their values ?  Do they value human rights as a basic right ?

Before you look at the countries, which is what I did earlier, I think to get a sense of what their values are  look at the paragraph under the heading 'Torture' and the Visit Reports which appear at the end of each Document.  Otherwise it will take you all night.   All the reports are produced by Amnesty International.  WARNING : some information is very upsetting.

The first five countries are permanent members
Russian Federation http://is.gd/Vr9XDw 
The United Kingdom http://is.gd/F5OEWz 
The United States  http://is.gd/tGH8DN  

The following ten countries are members for two years:
Bosnia & Herzegovina http://is.gd/fEIAte    
Brazil  http://is.gd/oLK9T7 
Columbia  http://is.gd/aAZuTq
Gabon  http://is.gd/HfLxs5  (no UN presence so why does it sit on the UN Sec Council?)
Germany http://is.gd/6QA2Sb
India  http://is.gd/TF9AuU
Lebanon  http://is.gd/kmng31
Nigeria  http://is.gd/euRJyp
Portugal  http://is.gd/QBq2jx
South Africa  http://is.gd/BndovG

So there you have it.   Although we get some answers, these reports raise difficult questions.  What next for the UN Security Council ?   How enforceable are the rules that the UN lays down ?  If member states don't abide by them,, what can be done ?   Looks like the Inernational Court of Justice is the only way forward and the next step for some  http://is.gd/r30IG9.  It is possibly the only place to go for an end to some of the very grave injustices that are occurring every day throughout the world - and to bring the perpetrators to justice...  But  how long does it have to take ?  It seems so unjust when we see people fighting in the streets for their freedom... to gain basic human necessities eg food, let alone the torturous and repressive conditions.  Although we call for an end to what we are seeing in Libya, and other countries, what can we really do ?  Personally, I feel rather helpless... 


All information on this blog is publicly available


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Thursday 27 January 2011

There's so much happening so quickly... difficult trying to keep up !

How the pace has quickened since Andy Coulson resigned from No. 10!   Dramatically  it's gloves off and let's get down to it from a media point of view.   The whole issue of phone-hacking, News of the World, Murdoch, Mulcaire, News International, Coulson, No. 10  etc. etc., seemed to come alive and suddenly information was being released, fears were being aired and the lid seems to be lifting off from this seemingly sordid and mysterious can ! From where I'm sitting it also rings out that perhaps, as many of us hope, justice might just be seen to be done.

Without doubt this whole issue plus the news that other newspapers and maybe other media organisations are involved in the illegal act of phone-hacking appears to have unleashed many varied questions. Just how prolific is phone-hacking ? By whom ? For what purpose ? Why didn't the police uncover what is being made available now from News International ?  Was this information on the second server that one MP referred to recently ?  If so, why didn't the police find it in their investigations ?  Are we satisfied that News International has released full information or is this merely a gesture ?  Should the forensics go back in to the offices to do a thorough, and I mean thorough search ?  Should we be satisfied that a different team from the Met is to investigate ?  Should we be insisting on an independent investigation  and certainly in inquiry?

Certainly with regard to all of those questions I'm not sure that I'm satisfied with any of the answers we are so far receiving...   I hope that those in a position to do so, will insist that an independent investigation takes place. John Prescott and Chris Bryant have asked for a Judicial Review and I hope this takes place soon.  Surely if we are to witness justice being undertaken, then this has to happen as this would rightly sweep away the current aura of deep suspicion.

A flavour of news coverage from the last few days   Most recent first :

BBC The Daily Politics video : watch Tom Watson & Brian Paddick 27 Jan 2011
The Indy  Police will leave 'no stone unturned' in phone hacking inquiry

Sky News  BSkyB Profits Rise 26% To £520m
The Guardian Trail that led Met police from Prince's household to tabloid newsroom
The Guardian  Nick Davies's email to MPs  http://is.gd/DeshQw
The Guardian   Kelly Hoppen sues News of the World
The Guardian BSkyB spends £7m on News Corp bid 

The Evening Standard  Lord Prescott criticises Met's handling of phone-hacking inquiry
The Telegraph  Phone hacking at NoW 'could have taken place last year'
The Indy   Scotland Yard launches new phone hacking investigation
Ofcom   Ofcom’s public interest report into News Corp’s proposed acquisition of Sky now published:
The Guardian   The Coulson Affair - who runs Britain ?  http://is.gd/CMflsD
The New Statesman  Cameron's terrible judgement has been exposed

I also blog with two friends on http://pressreform.blogspot.com/   ( follow #pressreform on Twitter)

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