The Socialist

The Socialist 25 July 2012

Olympic Britain - We’re priced out

The Socialist issue 728


On your marks.... Get set.... Fight back!

Outsourcing fails again. For publicly owned and run services!

£13 trillion hidden from tax by super-rich

Not-guilty verdict in Ian Tomlinson case

Olympic Watch

Them & Us


Kazakhstan - Workers struggle against bloody, corrupt regime

Spain's austerity government is facing revolt from below

Miners light up Madrid and show the way to struggle!


1972: dockers face down the Tory government


Austerity Games highlights plight of young people

Save our jobs: We need a 24-hour general strike

Newcastle pride

Pre-emptive arrests: "straight out of 1984"


Kick private profiteers out of the NHS

Virgin vultures swoop on vulnerable people's services

Leicester: Not one cut in the NHS

Kirkby campaigners get support

Olympic protest as South London Healthcare trust forced into administration


Olympic victory for London bus workers

Solidarity with PCS members fighting to defend services

RMT demo in Portsmouth against Condor's 'sweatships'

Remploy strike a big success

Workplace news in brief


TV review: "What have the Olympics done for me?"


Save our server!

Summer printing schedule

Socialist Party Summer Camp

 
 
 
Socialist Party logo Socialist Party on the climate change demo December 2007, pic Paul Mattsson Socialist Party News
Socialist Party Policy statements
Socialist Party contemporary Marxist analysis

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Leicester: Not one cut in the NHS

Andrew Walton, Unison rep (personal capacity)

"My daughter wouldn't be here if it wasn't for the heart unit at Glenfield Hospital," Leicester Socialist Party members were told while campaigning against the closure of the local children's heart unit.

The government wants to cut Britain's specialist heart units from eleven to seven. Acutely ill children would have to travel miles to their nearest surgical centre (in our case Birmingham - a 40 mile trip). They also want to get rid of a blood oxygenating treatment service for children.

Experts warned that lives will be lost as a result. A children's intensive care consultant warned we could also lose the surgery service for adults born with heart problems. These services are used by people across the East Midlands and beyond.

The charity, Heart Link, opposes this closure but its campaign has been based on saving Leicester's unit at the cost of other centres. The Socialist Party opposes closure of any children's heart units. These vital services should be fully funded by the government, and should not have to rely on charitable donations.

Unison, the main trade union at Leicester's hospitals, has organised a protest but now needs to build support for action among health workers and in the wider community, if necessary, to save surgical centres under threat.

People are disgusted at these cuts. In an expression of support for the Socialist Party's position 40 copies of the Socialist were sold at a campaign stall.

Despite its limitations, the campaign to keep Leicester, Leeds and London Royal Brompton units open may possibly win a reprieve. Public pressure may force the government to refer the decision to an independent review body. Fighting for services can win concessions in the short term. But our longer-term message is that no cuts in the NHS are acceptable!


In this issue


Socialist Party news and analysis

On your marks.... Get set.... Fight back!

Outsourcing fails again. For publicly owned and run services!

£13 trillion hidden from tax by super-rich

Not-guilty verdict in Ian Tomlinson case

Olympic Watch

Them & Us


International socialist news and analysis

Kazakhstan - Workers struggle against bloody, corrupt regime

Spain's austerity government is facing revolt from below

Miners light up Madrid and show the way to struggle!


Socialist history

1972: dockers face down the Tory government


Socialist Party reports and campaigns

Austerity Games highlights plight of young people

Save our jobs: We need a 24-hour general strike

Newcastle pride

Pre-emptive arrests: "straight out of 1984"


Stop NHS cuts & privatisation

Kick private profiteers out of the NHS

Virgin vultures swoop on vulnerable people's services

Leicester: Not one cut in the NHS

Kirkby campaigners get support

Olympic protest as South London Healthcare trust forced into administration


Socialist Party workplace news

Olympic victory for London bus workers

Solidarity with PCS members fighting to defend services

RMT demo in Portsmouth against Condor's 'sweatships'

Remploy strike a big success

Workplace news in brief


Socialist Party review

TV review: "What have the Olympics done for me?"


Socialist Party appeal & news

Save our server!

Summer printing schedule

Socialist Party Summer Camp


 

Home   |   The Socialist 25 July 2012   |   Join the Socialist Party

Subscribe   |   Donate   |   Bookshop

Related links:

Leicester:

triangleTeachers strike to defend education and assistants' jobs

triangleTUSC builds support in Leicester byelection

triangleDoncaster: For a mayor that would really stop the bedroom tax!

triangleCampaigning against the cuts

triangleCampaigning against the cuts

NHS:

triangleLondon march to save the NHS

triangleFighting cuts in wales

triangleSupport for Mid Yorkshire Health struggle in the Mirror

triangleNHS staff under the cuts cosh

Hospitals:

triangleStop the health cuts!

triangleNHS WARNING! Privatisation puts patients at risk

triangleNHS cost-cutting is damaging patient care