‘Ring-fenced’?
As it stands, the NHS – supposedly ‘ringfenced’ from austerity – has to find £50 billion of so-called efficiency savings by the end of the decade. The government claims to be protecting frontline services but the number of nurses working in the NHS has decreased by 3,500 over the last year. And according to the chief of finance of the NHS, there is no shining light at the end of the tunnel. He said “It’s really important that the service gets used to operating in this resource climate… It’s not a question of just doing it for a year or two and then getting out of the woods; this is it as far as I can see ahead.”
Healthy eating
Ever wondered why the government doesn’t take health seriously? Perhaps who it takes its advice from might give an idea. For example to write policy on obesity, alcohol and diet-related disease, the government asks for help from companies including PepsiCo, Kellogg’s, Mars, McDonald’s and KFC. Hmm…
Election strategy
Tony Blair recently told Labour MPs: “We can’t go into another election without the support of a single chief executive, as we did at the last election.” What Labour MPs should really be remembering is that there are millions of working class people angry about jobs and services being cut, and only a handful of chief executives sniffing around for ‘business-friendly’ policies. But will they?
Ireland
3,000 people came from all over Ireland to a rally in Dublin on 24 March against the introduction of the regressive household tax, which is a set rate for every household. Only 2,000 could fit inside so speakers were sent to speak at the overflow rally outside. The Socialist Party’s sister organisation in Ireland is playing a leading role in the campaign against the tax and calling for a strategy of mass non-payment. With less than a week to go until the government’s deadline 85% of people have not registered to pay the tax.
