Here in Manchester, Manchester City Council has taken a very different approach. This can be seen clearly in Hulme, with its redevelopment in the 1990s, an ASDA was one of the first retail units built. The other smaller retail units and the very small market were built later, and as such have struggled to exist. In fact, the market is now a B&Ms, with a few ex-stallholders still having a presence. The council repeated their mistakes in Bradford, with the area being renamed New Eastlands and a large ASDA being built near to the stadium. A large supermarket is to built in Ancoats, now referred to as New Islington, with very few local business still in existence. The gentrification of Manchester has been a total failure but politicians still enthuse about Manchester’s success!
Under successive Governments, Labour and Conservative, the NHS has been slowly privatised and had staff numbers reduced. The politicians have failed the NHS and the people of England and Wales.
Jeremy Hunt’s announcement in Parliament last Tuesday on the changes he is planning in the wake of the Francis Report into events at Stafford Hospital was remarkable for two things: the complete absence of the key factor that Robert Francis identified as being at the heart of the poor care at the hospital and as clear a case of “giving away the ‘master’-plan” as you will ever see.
Or not wish to see, since for all Hunt’s timorousness and petulance it will be an absolute disaster for hundreds of thousands of people.
The problem that never was, or ‘out of sight, out of mind?’
Hunt prefaced his announcement of his measures by genuflecting before the altar of the Francis report:
I also pay tribute to Robert Francis QC for his work in producing a seminal report that will, I believe, mark a turning point in the history of the NHS…Our…
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Except for the use of foul language, which is unnecessary, this article does expose Tesco’s hypocrisy and cynicism. The Government has not got a clue about fiscal matters, making people poorer has a detriment of the local economy and eventually the nations economy. This Government and the opposition are driving this country into a hole, it will never recover from.
Tesco claim to have called on the DWP to scrap benefit sanctions in a response to a letter asking them about their use of forced, unpaid workers.
In a humiliating snub to Iain Duncan Smith, the company set up their own workfare scheme outside of the Jobcentre system last year. Tesco say that this scheme is entirely voluntary but add in the letter: “I appreciate your concerns and can advise that Tesco have suggested to the Department of Work and Pensions that, to avoid any misunderstanding about the voluntary nature of the scheme, the risk of losing benefits that currently exists should be removed.”
Now unless Tesco are fibbing, if their scheme is outside of the various DWP workfare schemes, then it should be entirely voluntary. The statement suggests that in order to avoid confusion Tesco would like to see all benefit sanctions removed. Tesco want free workers without the…
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James Steele: America’s mystery man in Iraq – video | World news | guardian.co.uk
A report into the USA’s sponsored death squads which operated in Iraq.
James Steele: America’s mystery man in Iraq – video | World news | guardian.co.uk.
Some people may have been mislead by some of the messages from our (rarely right) media and might be interested in this link about bedroom tax: THE BEDROOM TAX CALCULATOR as well as the article itself. And here is a link to advice on a possible way to defeat the Bedroom Tax: Bedroom Tax, how to get rid of it quickly and simply
What councils don’t tell you about the enforcement of council tax.
Millions of people who do not pay the council tax now will be charged 8.5% to 20% from the 1st April. Millions will not be able to afford it; councils knew that when they made those irrational decisions.
Councils will not tell you;
1. That they have the discretion to write off the tax for vulnerable and impoverished people under clause 10 (1) 13A (1) of the Local Government Finance Act 2012. It is necessary for the council tax benefit claimant to write a letter to the council setting out their financial circumstances, all debts, and all relevant information such as health/disability. Payment of the bedroom tax, rent due to the overall benefit tax and the rent due to the housing benefit tax would be relevant.
2. That the bottom line is the income left after rent and council tax needed for…
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Inquiry behind NHS scandal omitted crucial data – Public Sector IT
The British public have been losing faith in Public Inquiries for some time, this just reinforces people’s mistrust of those in power:
Inquiry behind NHS scandal omitted crucial data – Public Sector IT.
And another blog worth reading about South Stafford NHS and the Francis Inquiry Report:
Media Jarman claim 20k avoidable NHS deaths – Why its nonsense
Will the government’s benefit raid turn us all into April Fools?
The list of changes to benefits and public services listed below, staying at home and not voting, is not an option.
Will the government’s benefit raid turn us all into April Fools?.
Can Wind, Water and Sunlight Power New York by 2050? – NYTimes.com
An interesting article in the New York Times about a report into the possibility of New York being energy efficient without fossil fuels and nuclear energy “Examining the Feasibility of Converting New York State’s All-Purpose Energy Infrastructure to One Using Wind, Water and Sunlight,”: . The author of the article did call into question
– Does New York State need — for its own sake or the environment’s — to be an energy island? A lot of economists, and environmental analysts, would say no.
Yes it does need to be an energy island, on economic and environmental grounds, something environmentalists have been calling for. A move away from large centralised power stations, fossil fuelled or nuclear, and to more smaller, localised power sources: Sustainable_community_energy_system. Case studies of Sustainable Woking can be found at: Sustainable Woking case studies. It took just one council official to drive this initiative through back in 1991 and yet Manchester – A Certain Future since its fanfare launch in 2009, has achieved exactly, nothing! It is amazing what can be achieved with some effort and enthusiasm.
Can Wind, Water and Sunlight Power New York by 2050? – NYTimes.com.
Many of us knew from the out-set, that Manchester – A Certain Future, was nothing but utter ‘Greenwash’, purely wasting tax-payers money. Those of us, who have said as much, have been described as the ‘usual greens’, who cannot see that the council is doing something. The author of this article, as a ‘fresh set of eyes’, puts quite nicely. He did forget to mention, Nottingham and the East Midlands have been doing it since 2000. Whilst Woking since the 1990s, and as was mentioned last week at the launch of Greater Manchester’s Hydrogen Hub, cut the energy consumption by 70%. Where is Manchester City Council’s proof, that they have saved any energy, other than through shutting down front-line services, severely impacting those in need.
We just got this amazing comment from a local businessman, who has been involved in the “Manchester A Certain Future” process since last year. We at Manchester Climate Monthly have been asking questions about democracy and “process.” He is asking hard-headed questions about effectiveness.
“As something of an outsider, and having first been invited to attend the “refresh meetings” last summer, I wonder whether a fresh pair of eyes is worth anything? If they’re not, then don’t read on, but if anyone would like the view from the SME installer side of renewable energy and energy-efficiency technologies (insulation, building fabric measures, plus the usual PV bling) who comes to MACF as a novice of its history, then I’d say this: Last summer, at the first meeting I attended, the comments and facial expressions I received from those around the table when I said “I don’t know anyone in the…
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Unfortunately, it is too easy for bullies and perverts to hi-jack social media sites.
patricktsudlow 