And talking of the election I had a resident in that area express concern at the Conservative party literature being put out in this election. See below the highlighted points:
In a letter to voters: "In the past 5 years we have had a total of 6 different Labour Councillors. This constant change isn't good for Cainscross. We need councillors who will stay the distance, ones that know the issues and fight them year after year. We all know that it can be hard work being a councillor, yet it has to be true that if you can't do the job then quite simply don't apply for it."
In 'Cainscross Matters' under 'Election Report': "This year's Local Elections in Cainscross saw the Labour Party lose one of it's two councillors as Laurence Carmichael stormed to victory, and now it seems that they don't even want the one they have left."
There seems to be a suggestion that the personal circumstances that led to resignations by the Labour councillors are somehow not valid. Chronic illness is surely not a reason to criticise councillors commitment? And there is also no evidence that Labour do not want their current seat with Cllr Karon Cross who is clearly working very hard in her community.
What do Blog readers think? Is this a step too far or fair electioneering? Please add your comments below.
Political parties in Stroud have largely been very good at fighting fair elections that do not make personal attacks. I have mentioned concerns to a Conservative party Cabinet member.
Election leaflets are funny things in that they often don't tell the whole story - and this Conservative one is no exception - the leaflet talks about the Tories campaign to save local hospitals - and it is true that they have been active but so have virtually all the local councillors from all the parties - indeed it was wonderful to see all pulling in the same direction.
The leaflet goes onto talk about how Stroud gets the least money in the County for health - again true and again needs to be challenged - but let us not forget it was Tories that voted three times against the increases in money that Labour have put into the NHS.
It seems that nationally the Tories have woken up to the need for assurances that health care will be there when they need it. Mr Cameron has at last abandoned a policy that he himself put forward just a year ago - allowing individuals to buy out of the service with patient 'passports'.
We should also not forget that Conservatives still back the sale of NHS services to private companies and continue to see the marketisation of health care as a fundamental principle of health provision, despite all the evidence that both are damaging to health care and are far more expensive that a publicly run NHS.
Indeed Shadow Health Secretary Andrew Lansley has said that there should be 'no limits on the use of private firms to deliver the best services for patients.' But private health care is simply not cost effective, and selling our hospitals to private companies so that they can make a profit is immoral. Health care must be provided by the state to ensure it is equitable and accessible. I don't trust Tory statements about saving the NHS if this is there plan.
Infact it is Labour's adoption of Conservative privatisation policies that has meant more and more money for unaccountable health companies, shareholders and fat-cat directors but cuts to standards and already under-resourced services. This is where all that extra money has gone.
The extent of private sector involvement already is staggering. Labour have increased health funding but it is the private companies that are seeing most of the benefits: £3.3 billion profit from PFI schemes alone. That taxpayers money could have prevented the threat to our local services - a mere £40 million shortfall compared to the £3.3 billion profits.
In sharp contrast to all three main parties the Green Party believes wholeheartedly in a high quality NHS that is publicly funded, publicly owned, and publicly accountable. We oppose privatisation of all public services and the market economy - health care is not a commodity to be bought and sold. The Green party are the only main political party signed up to the national campaign to stop this - I would urge individuals to also sign:
5 comments:
Leaflet unacceptable. Can only hope voters see through Tory slurs.
Does anyone believe anything in an election leaflet??
Some politicians will print anything to get a vote - I once believed Labour were going to do all the things they promised like get the railways back into public ownership, not have nuclear power, develop an ethical foreign policy and more. Having said that there are also many politicians who are trying their best - this leafdelt, if it is like you say, clearly isn't from one of those - having a go at councillors in this way isn't healthy for democracy.
Leaflet bad but much more concerned re what Labour - and Tories for that matter want to do to our health service - privatisation is killing it.
Just seen this bit below which fits with the discussion above re health - thought it might interest:
PFI - hypocrisy in action
PFI has hit the news again this week with the Tory health spokesperson, Andrew Lansley criticising the extreme cost of PFI. Strangely, the BBC doesn't seem to have pointed out that the extreme costs of PFI are matched by the extreme hypocrisy of the Tories. PFI was introduced by the Tories, albeit not for NHS hospitals (it took the further right Labour governemnt to do that!) Does this mean that the Tories have U-turned on their PFI policy - of course not, they don't have any policies.
£53 billion is to be paid for hospitals worth £8 billion - money for old rope. Will the next generation of PFIs would be far better value for money that the first ones? Probably (it would certainly not be difficult), however PFI companies borrow the money to build the hospital at commercial rates which are above the government's public sector borrowing rate. PFI companies have a duty to pay their shareholders a dividend, i.e. they have to make a profit. There is no way that PFI hospitals can be cheaper to build than a governement funded one.
From: http://greenhealthservice.blogspot.com/2006/10/pfi-hypocrisy-in-action.html
Post a Comment