For God's sake

If I had read this article in the established press on April 1st I would have thought it a joke:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7576357/Muslim-staff-escape-NHS-hygiene-rule.html

Ah well, it's not a Christian wearing a cross so that's alright is it? What about the human rights of patients being exposed to silent killer germs? Aren't they entitled to expect minimum risk from germs while in hospital? What has happened to this country? Will someone get a grip for God's sake.

“Political Stunt” v. Tory Stunt

The conference arranged by the Secretary of State for Health to help build a consensus on plans to pay for care of the elderly has been branded a “political stunt” by his Tory counterpart. Their preferred option was for a stunt involving a 'R.I.P. Off ' poster campaign to frighten people into believing that a no vote for them would result in a £20,000 “death tax”.

So we have another political football match being played out while the vulnerable have to watch from the side lines. As one old boy in a care home remarked on the BBC ‘News’ last night, we’ve worked all our lives paying taxes and insurance so the Government must provide care for us in our old age. True, but the problem of funding has to be addressed to achieve a consensus of all parties.

In that spirit reports suggest that the conference drew wide praise from charities, local authorities and experts who attended. The preferred option appears to be a progressive estate levy which takes account of people’s ability to contribute rather than the scare mongering £20,000 compulsory tax referred to in the poster campaign. But the Tory stunt had the desired effect. When asked, two-thirds of people favoured everybody contributing to the cost of those needing social care but when asked if there should be a “death tax” to pay for it two-thirds responded negatively.

That is no surprise but if they had been asked if they would rather pay a progressive estate levy than risk selling their homes to pay for nursing care no doubt there would have been a different response. But to be fair the Tories have offered an alternative, a voluntary insurance scheme! Fine for the super rich who can easily afford the insurance cover and get away without paying tax while the poorest are likely to lose out.

“Political Stunt” 1 – Tory Stunt 0. Time for a real consensus please.

Welcome

If you are reading this you have dropped into my newly created cyberspace.

As a now ancient Briton I frequently despair of the way we have gone down hill in Great Britain. For example, bad mannered, thoughtless drivers with their couldn't give a damn attitudes demonstrate the decline. They appear never to have sat a driving test and think the road their waste bin. They ignore speed limits, drive down outer lanes then push in where the road narrows. They show no understanding of roundabout discipline and save their indicators for future use as though there were a shortage of electricity. Then we have Council graffiti with gallons of paint everywhere and signs indicating what the morons choose to ignore.

Education, Health Service, 'Customer Couldn't give a Toss' departments. One could go on and on so this space will provide an opportunity for doing so from time to time.

Happy reading.