7/18/2010

Did you vote Lib Dem to help the Tories dismantle the BBC and the NHS ?

Nick Clegg attempted to to sell the idea of the coalition to Lib Dem members on the basis that the Lib Dems would be a moderating influence over the excesses of the Tory right, but it seems clear that far more policy coming from the coalition is Tory, and only a tiny party of it is in any way Lib Dem.

This week we have seen the Tories announce a major overhaul of the NHS. Indeed the plan has been described as the most radical overhaul of the NHS since it was created. It essentially removes any democratic control of the NHS, it removes much of the strategic planning that currently exists across areas, and with the removal of the PCTs it eradicates the economies of scale that are clearly evident in a Primary Care Trust that covers, for example, a whole County. Instead, we are to have groups of Doctors (this weeks government buzzword is "consortia" who will have their own admin staff, their own accountants, their own HR people, their own IT staff, who will run what services they want to provide locally.

Anyone who knows anything about economics can see that this is going to save absolutely no cash at all. Indeed, Paul Burstow, the Lib Dem MP wheeled out by the Tories this week to justify the Tories latest insult to the intelligent, argued that many PCT staff who will lose their jobs will find themselves employed by the new consortia. So no doubt having received a redundancy pay off (from out taxes) these people will then get the same job back with the doctors. Now that really is saving cash !

At present we have PCTs who can refuse to prescribe certain drugs (particularly life saving cancer drugs). Whatever will happen now if a local consortia have a cancer patient who needs an expensive cancer drug ? Do we think that a local doctor is more likely to give this from their budget ? Don't be so stupid.

Of course, it wouldn't be so bad had any of this been in the party manifestos. According to the Lib Dems own health policy, the party pledged;
We will scrap central targets and guarantee that you get your treatment on time. We will give people the power to stop hospital closures in their area through elected local health boards. And we will put doctors and nurses back in charge of their hospitals and wards.
Clearly handing power to Doctors removes any vestiges of control away from people and democratically elected officials, so clearly the Tories have got the better of the deal.

Did Liberal Democrat voters vote Lib Dem in order to see the Tories introduce a much more divided, less democratic system which is at odds with Lib Dem policy in so many areas ?

Then we read that the BBC is to be cut back in order to show that the BBC must take its share of the pain in the recession. I don't buy this for one moment.

We all know that the Tories have for a long time wanted to see the BBC become a pale shadow of what it is. There are many Tories who would rather see 150 channels of the rubbish produced by SKY, Living TV, Challenge TV, and the many other cable and satellite channels, which cost the consumer up to £70 a month, rather than see the BBC set a standard not only for British TV and Radio, but also to the rest of the world, and all this for only two months of a full subscription to SKY.

Of course, there are the other reasons for the Tories wanting to attack the BBC. Firstly, the Tories got the full backing of Murdoch. Murdoch hates the BBC and has attacked it for years. The other reason is that the BBC is the very antithesis of Conservatism. It does not make a profit, but it provides a valuable service. This is something the Tories don't get. For all their talk of regret over making cuts, we all know that Tories loathe anything that does not turn a profit.

So in a few years time we are faced with the prospect of an emasculated BBC as the price the Tories are willing to pay for the support of The Sun and Murdoch, and the Lib Dems will have played their part in ensuring that this happens.

Is this why you voted Lib Dem ?

It's not why I voted Lib Dem.

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

BBC - Yes and it can't come soon enough.

NHS - it's been dying on its feet for years - so Yes to that too.

Answer your question?

James said...

Aside from never having had any confidence in the Orange Bookers, I couldn't agree more. Best bit - the second label. Oh yes.

James said...

To be clear, what I meant to say is I agree with Nich.

Anonymous said...

In reply to your question, yes.

Quiet_Man said...

"Did you vote Lib Dem to help the Tories dismantle the BBC and the NHS ?"

No, but I would have if it had been on offer.

Organge Book LD Cllr said...

Why don't you just sod off and join the Labour Party, where you belong?

Norfolk Boy said...

I voted Lib Dem in North Norfolk

and definitely NOT for either of the courses of action.

I also find it incredible that Norman Lamb would be able to support either measure, given what he said to us on our doorstep. But then nothing surprises me about these mendacity of these people.

Norfolk Boy said...

Mr orange booker, why don't you piss off and join the tories.

At least Nich Starling is honest and represents what many people thought they would be getting

Nich Starling said...

I am staying because I am staying true to my principles, not selling out on them. Why dint you get a real blogger ID so we know who you really are ?

Nich Starling said...

And I was referring to Orange Booker's abuse, not you Norfolk boy

Alan said...

To those people who commeted early on, if you did vote Lib Dem hoping they would enact Tory policy, then you voted for a party that explicitly made clear it would not do those things, so you show yourselves to be fools.

Anonymous said...

Alan ...... perhaps we had to vote Lib Dem in order to help get rid of Labour.
Life isn't always as simple as you obviously think it should be.
Time to be a big boy Alan.

Anonymous said...

I voted Lib Dem to get some Lib Dem policies through. This is happening. However, as a junior coalition partner, I also realise we have to take some rough with the smooth and I'm mature enough to know we can't just stamp our foot and take what we want and vote down what we don't. (I also think the NHS and BBC are in need of radical overhaul). It seems you, NB, prefer the 'model railway' approach to politics, creating a perfect little imaginary miniature world where all our policies and only our policies are implemented and eveything is lovely. Except it never happened and it never would have done.

I think working with kids too long has got to you.

Anonymous said...

And what about all NHS nurses being forced to give up NHS employment by 2013 (NHS White paper)

most nurses I know want to work for the NHS not a private comapny or third sector company

we want our labour (nursing skills) to be used to benefit patients not compsny profit

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Anonymous said...

Burstow goes on about new powers for local authorities

but overview and scrutiny committee of councils already dpo this, but have no power to stop anything

I cannot see any thing new

no power to stop Norfolk GPs signing a contract with Addenbrokes rather than Norfolk & Norwich, because its cheaper for example or they dont get on with the consultants

GP fundholders refused to sign contracts unless Consultants came out to their contracts for example (rather than looking after other patients)

artworker said...

I voted lib dem! -otherwise it was the tories in my neighbourbood....
I voted for the Libs purely for PR. if I wanted Conservatism that's who I'd have have voted for- 'cos there's no other choice, here...
Do I agree with what's happening now? NO. But then we are merely voting fodder.

There is no mandate for what's happening, but Nick knows best, I just don't agree with him, now.

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