UK
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Get your Clause off our hospitals! By Jos Bell
An Amendment hastily tagged onto the Care Bill, Amendment 168A (to be inserted after Clause 109) gives the power to any hospital administrator appointed in England to dismantle whichever hospital services they may take a fancy to, as long as they neighbour a hospital which is deemed to be failing. Continue reading
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‘Go Home’ texts expose racist, anti-migrant British policy to the world By Les Back and Shamser Sinha
Last week two London academics exposed a racist government blunder, sparking international embarrassment and a statement from the Prime Minister. A small victory in the jaws of defeat, they say. Here is their report on one week in anti-immigrant times. Continue reading
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“The struggle to tell the truth through stories”: An interview with British film and television producer Tony Garnett—Part 2
In a retrospective this summer, “Seeing Red,” the British Film Institute celebrated the work of veteran film and television producer Tony Garnett. The BFI described Garnett as one of television’s “most influential figures,” who “produced and fostered a succession of provocative, radical and sometimes incendiary dramas.” Continue reading
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UK Labour seeks to outdo Conservatives with right-wing policies By Jordan Shilton
After a reorganisation of Labour’s shadow cabinet, which included new appointments to the positions of shadow education minister and shadow minister for work and pensions, party leaders publicly endorsed virulently right-wing politics. These positions were given by party leader Ed Miliband to Tristram Hunt and Rachel Reeves. Continue reading
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“The struggle to tell the truth through stories”: An interview with British film and television producer Tony Garnett—Part 1
In a retrospective this summer, “Seeing Red,” the British Film Institute (BFI) celebrated the work of veteran film and television producer Tony Garnett. The BFI described Garnett as one of television’s “most influential figures,” who “produced and fostered a succession of provocative, radical and sometimes incendiary dramas.” Continue reading
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How to abolish a free health service, step one By David Cullen
The Tory plan to charge migrants for NHS treatment has rightly come under fire for being policy directed at an invented non-issue; because it will therefore probably cost more money than it will save; and because it will change the doctor-patient relation in an insidious way – asking doctors to police their patients. Continue reading
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NHS: Your right to know By Grahame Morris MP
What has often gone unnoticed [in the privatisation of the NHS] is the democratic deficit. The erosion of our rights to question those who run public services and spend our money. This is what prompted me to introduce a Ten Minute Rule Bill calling for Freedom of Information (FOI) legislation to be extended to private… Continue reading
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NHS on the brink of extinction By Kailash Chand
In his speech to this year’s Labour conference, Shadow Health Secretary Andy Burnham confirmed that if the party wins the 2015 general election, he will introduce legislation to repeal the Health and Social Care Act 2012 in the following Queen’s Speech. Continue reading
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Police State UK: Guardian faces parliamentary investigation over Snowden revelations By Chris Marsden
Britain’s Guardian newspaper is facing an investigation by at least one parliamentary committee, in line with demands made by Prime Minister David Cameron, concerning the exposures of Edward Snowden, the whistleblower from America’s National Security Agency (NSA). Continue reading
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Waiting times at five-year high in British National Health Service By Mark Blackwood and Ajanta Silva
Waiting times for National Health Service (NHS) treatment now stand at a five-year high. NHS England, the public body charged with overseeing delivery and implementation of the Health and Social Care Act 2012, has revealed that 240,000 patients in England within the last 12 months have been added to the ever growing waiting list—2.9 million… Continue reading
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“Intelligence Led Surveillance” and Britain’s Police State: The Manufacture of “Mass Surveillance by Consent” By Charles Farrier
In the dark ages known as the twentieth century, mass surveillance of entire populations was a sport practised only by elitist totalitarian states . Those unlucky enough to live in what was then termed a “free country”, had to sit on the sidelines and simply imagine what it was like to be subject to constant… Continue reading
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UK Government moves to make it easier to shut hospitals without consultation By Caroline Molloy
Amendments tabled today to the Care Bill – due to have its third reading in the Lords on Monday – give the government or Monitor the right to order any hospital they like to ‘reconfigure’ – in other words, close – with little consultation, to benefit neighbouring struggling hospitals. Continue reading
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The NHS and dog whistle politics By Kambiz Boomla 15 October 2013
The new Immigration Bill introduces hefty charges for migrants to use the NHS. It is a costly, wrong-headed insult to the migrants – like my father – on whom the NHS has always relied. Continue reading
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People’s Inquiry – a grassroots vision for our NHS? By John Lister
Campaigners fighting hospital closures, cutbacks and the erosion of mental health and other services have years of bitter experience of presenting solid, evidence-based arguments in “consultations” that ignore them and press ahead regardless. I know. In almost 30 years, I’ve been there with them too many times. Continue reading
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Welcome to Britain. Go Home. And have a pleasant journey By Les Back and Shamser Sinha
The Home Office gave Capita the mobile phone number of a leading civil rights activist. They texted him and told him to Go Home. Landlords, doctors, health visitors, teachers are being enlisted as agents of border control. What’s happening to the character of Britain? Continue reading
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The Vaccine Coverup: 30 Years of Secret Official Transcripts Show UK Government Experts Cover Up Vaccine Hazards To Sell More Vaccines And Harm Your Kids” by Child Health Safety
An extraordinary new paper [March 2012] published by a courageous doctor and investigative medical researcher has dug the dirt on 30 years of secret official transcripts of meetings of UK government vaccine committees and the supposedly independent medical “experts” sitting on them with their drug industry connections. Continue reading
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Repeal Schedule 7 of the Terrorism Act!
Schedule 7 allows for people to be detained for nine hours, fingerprinted, strip searched and asked questions without a right of access to a lawyer. It can be exercised without the need for any grounds to suspect the person is involved in terrorism, or any other criminal activity. This means it can be used against… Continue reading
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Drone Wars: MoD study sets out how to sell wars to the public By Ben Quinn
The armed forces should seek to make British involvement in future wars more palatable to the public by reducing the public profile of repatriation ceremonies for casualties, according to a Ministry of Defence unit that formulates strategy. Continue reading
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Historic U.K. Trial. Anti-drones Protesters Praised by Judge. Illegality of Drone Warfare Upheld By Chris Cole
As many of you will have seen reported in the media the Waddington Six trial took place yesterday. All six spoke about the dangers of drone warfare and how the use of drones by British forces breaches international law. District Judge John Stoddert listened carefully to everything that was said, but stated that he felt… Continue reading
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The NHS and You: The BBC wants to hear from you
The BBC is asking for your views on its news and current affairs coverage. This is a good chance to feedback any comments you may have on its coverage of the NHS Continue reading
The New Dark Age 