UK
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FOI: Stop the G4S/Virgin Takeover of the NHS!
Yesterday, the government’s own advisors backed what 38 Degrees members have been asking for in our hundreds of thousands – that we have a right to know what private companies who run services like in our NHS are up to. But here’s the snag. The advice is buried on page 51 of a new report… Continue reading
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Draft Investigatory Powers Bill: We need to kill it!
A couple of weeks ago we called for the Government to ‘pause, take stock and redraft’ their new surveillance plans following the mauling the Draft Investigatory Powers Bill received at the hands of campaigners, security experts, the tech industry and three cross-party parliamentary committees. We have now heard that the Government plans to publish the… Continue reading
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Fracked Up! Unless we stop them
The government’s plans on fracking have been exposed. It’s been leaked that they’re trying to change the law so dirty energy companies can drill for gas in our countryside – regardless of what local communities want. Continue reading
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British arms companies ramp up bomb sales to Saudi Arabia by 100 times despite air strikes on civilians By Newpower
British arms companies have cashed-in on Saudi Arabia’s military campaign in Yemen by ramping up arms sales to the country’s autocratic government by over a hundred times, new figures show. Continue reading
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Video: Junior doctors on the picket line
12 January 2016 — The People’s Assembly Against Austerity Today, for the first time in 40 years, junior doctors have been forced to take strike action over new contracts the Government want to impose which will leave doctors working longer hours for less money. Continue reading
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People’s Assembly: We must support the Junior Doctors’ Strike
11 January 2016 — The People’s Assembly Against Austerity The Junior Doctors will commence their first day of Industrial Action tomorrow. The BMA has stated “it is clear that the government is still not taking junior doctors’ concerns seriously… repeatedly dragged its feet throughout this process, initially rejecting our offer of talks and failing to… Continue reading
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38 Degrees: Yes or no?
2016 could be a beautiful, inspiring year. If we work together, we can truly help make the world a better place. But we know that campaigns like the NHS, bees, and TTIP are going to be tough ones to crack. We’ll be up against powerful forces – self-interested corporations, cynical politicians and shameless media barons.… Continue reading
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“Shooting to Kill” Jeremy Corbyn – The Coup is On By Oliver Tickell
Right wing Labour MPs have launched a full-scale coup against Jeremy Corbyn, and against the members of the party they represent, writes Oliver Tickell. Their plan is simple – backed by mainstream media, to discredit him so utterly that even his supporters turn against him – and elect a new ‘heir to Blair’ leader. Continue reading
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Welfare not Warfare, Don’t Bomb Syria – Sat 28 November / March for Climate Justice / Stop Austerity
The government tells us there’s no money for our welfare state, education and public services but billions can always be found for war. The proposed vote in Parliament on bombing Syria by British forces is likely to take place within the next week. A vote to bomb is more likely following the terrible events in… Continue reading
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We say NO to Care.data
A majority of 38 Degrees members support the idea of sharing anonymised data for life-saving medical research – as long as we can be convinced that the data is kept securely. But we are united in our opposition to this data being shared with profit-making companies, for any purpose. Continue reading
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NHS: Jeremy Hunt doesn’t want you to read this
Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt is trying to sneak through new NHS plans. The Guardian newspaper has revealed that a key NHS blueprint has been slipped out. Even though the public have a right to comment, the government “has deliberately kept it quiet”. Because of this cover-up, we’ve now got just over 24 hours to flood… Continue reading
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Take action to save Freedom of Information today
This evening at 11.45pm, the Commission on Freedom of Information closes its call for evidence. The Act under scrutiny – Freedom of Information (FOIA) – has been used as a tool for transparency and accountability for over 10 years. Without it, we wouldn’t know about the MPs’ expenses scandal, or have seen positive changes to… Continue reading
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Care.data: They never give up
The government is trying to push through the plan that would allow private companies to access our personal medical data and increase privatisation of the NHS. But together, we could stop it. Continue reading
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Help Save the FOIA Act!
There are serious problems with stubborn and powerful elites who refuse to accept that in a democracy the public have a right to know. Don’t let them get away with keeping the truth from you. Sign the petition and support the campaign to keep FOI strong. Continue reading
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Curb the surveillance state! Email your MP!
On Wednesday, Home Secretary Theresa May is expected to introduce new ‘snooping’ laws. But she knows she’ll only get them through if enough MPs support them. A growing number of MPs from all political parties are starting to speak out against her plans. If enough of us email our MPs in the next 24 hours,… Continue reading
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Kill the Bill!
In just a few hours, the House of Lords could kill off George Osborne’s cuts to tax credits. [1] If he isn’t stopped, the Chancellor’s plans will make life harder for millions of British families with low-paid jobs. Continue reading
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The NHS sells you and your soul
This week saw the UK’s largest online pharmacy, Pharmacy2U, fined £130,000 for concealing its sale of names and addresses of NHS patients to quacks and charlatans. Quite literally – the companies who bought patients details were selling “alternative” treatments and lottery scams. Continue reading
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Statement by English PEN and Index on Censorship on the government’s counter-extremism strategy
In its new strategy, the government is proposing measures that may criminalise legitimate speech and shrink the space for open debate throughout society. The UK already has legislation dealing with criminal offences in this category, including the Terrorism Act and the Public Order Act, and there is no need for new laws that may seriously… Continue reading
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The NHS Needs Emergency Funding Now!
It’s official: unless £2bn is urgently given to struggling hospitals, A&E waiting times will go up, cancer treatment will be delayed, and it’ll be impossible for hospitals to provide beds for people in need this winter. Continue reading
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The NHS winter is coming – what’s the one thing all progressive politicians must do to save it? By Caroline Molloy
All week we’ve been waiting for the figures that would show just how bad the scale of the NHS financial crisis was. The regulator, Monitor, had been ‘leaned on’ to delay publication til after the Tory Party Conference. And no wonder. The figures that were finally released today were bad. Really bad. NHS Trusts and… Continue reading
The New Dark Age 