Doctoring The Voters

Our political system is coming more and more to resemble the Mad Hatter's Tea Party of "Alice In Wonderland".  Perhaps if we go to a production it will be more of a retreat to reality rather than enjoying a bit of fantasy.

It is not just Scotland, UKIP, ISIS and the EU that Cameron has to think about.  Although there is a common thread.  That is the National Health Service and all those who sink in it.

In the furthest flung part of England, well almost, in Kent, there is a threat to one of his present Ministers being challenged in what should be a safe seat on the specific issue of the NHS.

Helen Grant is opposed by a local doctor, recently retired, who does not like what has happened in his area and is a member of the National Health Action Party which hopes to field a dozen candidates in the coming General Election.

Here is part of what he has to say:                                                

Quote:

"The effects of commercialisation and the corporate mentality on our local NHS in recent years have been depressing . Tragically we have seen deaths from Clostridium Difficile when past management tried to run down Maidstone Hospital to pay for the new hospital at Tunbridge Wells.

We lost the fight for our maternity unit despite 95% GPs (and the public) being opposed to its closure; totally inconsistent with the Government lies of giving GPs and patients power.

We’ve endured a South African firm running Maidstone’s new Treatment Centre, which was a financial disaster and they haven’t been seen for dust, an audiology outsourcing where the company disappeared overnight, and a psychology privatisation that consisted of patients being telephoned and told to buy a book from Waterstones.

There are many more examples and this will be the future unless this damaging and dangerous policy is changed and those who are accelerating it forward, often for personal gain, are removed from driving our NHS to the cliff edge and over.”

Unquote.

Also, involved with these issues is the major problem of the PFI bill for a new hospital built recently.  This private finance under government policy has loaded mega million liabilities way into the future.  Many other areas have the same problems.

So there is a prospect in some Tory areas of them losing to Lib Dem's, others to UKIP, others to marginal Labour all because of spoiler candidates, such as these Health protestors as well as a loss of their traditional voters.

We could end up with another coalition of sorts unable to agree about much and decide even less on urgent and crucial matters.

And be stuck with it for a five year spell when the economy is going into tail spin.

In the middle of Maidstone is a pub restaurant called "The White Rabbit", perhaps Helen Grant might like to lunch there on occasion.