No, actually, not NICE

I know there is a finite amount of funding for the NHS.   I know the demand is growing apace.   I know we are now able to keep alive people who would have died of their diseases fifty years ago.   I know all this demand is not balanced by dropping off any of the old calls on NHS funds.

But, nevertheless, it does seem quite dreadful that there are sophisticated modern drugs out there which could help people suffering from cancer, from arthritis, or other diseases, yet NICE in its wisdom won’t allow patients to have them.

If ever there was a misnomer it has to be “NICE”.

Another disadvantage for our forces

Our armed forces really have become the whipping boy.

The demands on them are greater than they have been for decades, and, though overstretched, the government still expects to rely on them in case of strikes by the emergency services in the UK.

The soldiers, sailors and air force go off to fight abroad whilst worrying about their families back home and the appalling conditions in which many of them are living.   They themselves live in bad conditions.   They are ill-equipped personally, and have weapons and vehicles which are not perhaps the best for the job they are doing.   They face constant danger, and they do all that on a starting salary way below that of the police and many other occupations.

And now, when you might think they couldn’t have it much worse, we are told that their training will have to be cut back because of the high cost of fuel.   So we’re going to send them out not properly prepared.

In the post second world war years the military were known as the Professionals, and rightly judged to be the best in the world.   That they still are of the best is no thanks to the way they are treated.   We must not put them more at risk by cutting their training. 

It’s taken a long time for this Labour government to respond to the public anger expressed in the last year about conditions for the armed forces.   There was that conversion last week when ministers sounded so pious in their alleged concern for the military, and suddenly announced new investment for military wings at Selly Oak Hospital, and higher compensation for those suffering serious injuries, and better housing.   All these things are to be welcomed, albeit a bit late coming, but if training is cut back those troops will be at a terrible disadvantage.

Not even a pretence at a Common Market now

Whenever I get sufficiently angry about what goes on over La Manche, I usually mutter that I didn’t  vote for any European Union, I only voted for a European Economic Community, and how I wish I hadn’t now.

My post-holiday blog reading reached as far as Croydonian’s piece on 16th July, which just shows what a farce it all is now.   I’m grateful to Croydonian for making it public, and reproduce it here:-

“The ‘Common Market’

Remember when it used to be called that, and we were led to believe it was little more than a free trade agreement?

I would be quite happy with that, but that is no longer on the menu. It does not even stand for inter European free trade any more:

“The European Commission today presented a Report and a proposal for a Directive to amend the current EU excise duty legislation on tobacco. The draft Directive foresees a gradual increase in the EU minimum taxation levels on cigarettes and fine cut tobacco up to 2014….László Kovács, Commissioner for Taxation and Customs Union said: “Today’s proposal supports the EU policy to reduce tobacco consumption and narrow the differences in price levels of tobacco products within the EU. It will help reduce illicit trade and cross-border shopping, which undermine the revenue and the health objectives of Member States which impose high taxes to deter smoking. It will give more flexibility to Member States on setting minimum tax levels and will modernise the current rules so as to ensure a level playing field for producers and retailers”.

Ever been had?”

I’m always lost in admiration at the research which Croydonian does to enable him to write his posts.   Sometimes it’s a bit beyond me as I’m no foreign policy student, but this one is absolutely spot on!

It’s been great being away, but good to be back blogging again, and I’ll start with James

I see it’s just over a month since I last posted.   But it’s been a good one.

I’ve had two short holidays, both great, but it doubles the pressure before and after.   Trying to clear everything up before going, then in the week in between, as well as doing the special job I came back for, trying to catch up on what had arrived while I was away and clear again before going for my second break.   During that second break I didn’t even read the newspapers.   Then when I finally returned, lots of meetings and catching up in between.

At last, a bit of light at the end of the tunnel, and I have to confess that I’ve spent a good few hours today reading up on all my favourite blogs.

There’s a lot I would have liked to comment on at the time, but probably a bit out of date now.

Still, here goes, and I’ll start by saying how great it was to see that my good friend, James Brokenshire, has been selected as PPC for Old Bexley & Sidcup.   James was an outstanding candidate at Hornchurch.   I’ve never seen anyone work harder, and he absolutely deserved to gain the seat back from Labour.   He was heavily involved in the constituency, and was a fine MP.   It was a tragedy that the boundary changes fractured Hornchurch into three pieces, each tagged on to an existing constituency, leaving nothing for the incumbent Hornchurch MP.   Those constituencies which did not select James, as he began the round of trying to find another seat, have lost an excellent constituency member, but Old Bexley and Sidcup have gained one, (dv).

Amusing to think that a constituency which once had the grumpy and rather inarticulate former Prime Minister as its MP, will now have the delightful family which is James, Kathrine and the children!