The threat to our NHS goes on

Opposition is still mounting to the Government’s Health and Social Care Bill.

As the Bill continues its passage through Parliament, the Health Secretary Andrew Lansley loses allies by the day.  It now seems that even his fellow Cabinet ministers are briefing that the Bill should be dropped. 

This is no surprise.  Just look at who has come out against the plans: the Royal College of Nursing, the British Medical Association and the Royal College of Midwives, to name just a few.  Even the British Medical Journal has called the Bill an ‘unholy mess’!

The simple fact is that the Government does not have a mandate for this Bill.  Before the general election, David Cameron came out strongly against any more top-down reorganisations in the NHS.  Now we are thrust into yet another round of reorganisation, when the NHS should be concentrating on the efficiency savings they’ve got to make over the next few years.  Patients will be the ones left suffering because of all of this.

Not only does the Bill impose a needless reorganisation on the NHS, but with its enthusiasm for private providers, it threatens to corrode the principle of healthcare free at the point of delivery, to whoever needs it.  That’s been at the very heart of the NHS since Labour set it up in the 1940s (in the teeth of Tory opposition, I might add!)

Let’s be clear – markets and private sector providers do have a role to play in the delivery of 21^st century healthcare, after all most GPs are private businesses.  But it must never be a free for all. We should use the market where it can help drive up standards for patients, while keeping it far away from those areas where it would cause harm.

That’s the balanced approach, with the interests of the NHS at heart.  It’s not what this Tory-Lib Dem Bill represents.  We need to try and stop the Health and Social Care Bill, before it does any more damaged to our beloved NHS.

Stoke-on-Trent South reflects national picture as unemployment continues to rise

The latest unemployment figures continue to show a grim picture both locally and nationally, with the rate of unemployment now at a 16 year high.

The number of unemployed claimants in Stoke-on-Trent South in January rose to 2,615 – 264 higher than the same period last year and 214 higher than December.

Reacting to these figures, Rob said,

“These figures show that the Government’s confidence in its cuts program is misplaced, and their complacence in reacting to them is an insult to those people who have found themselves without a job.

“Whilst the rise in unemployment is lower than in recent months, the figures are still going in the wrong direction and the Government still haven’t finished with their cuts program.  David Cameron needs to hold his hands up, admit he has made mistakes, and come up with a better way to grow the economy and get people back to work”.

The Labour Party has its own five point plan for growth, and you can find out more information by visiting http://www.labour.org.uk/plan

Rob supports Big Energy Week

Rising fuel bills are stretching household finances and people are looking for ways to save money on their energy bills.  Help is at hand through Big Energy Week (16-21 January 2012) which is being run by Citizens Advice – and has received support from Rob Flello MP.

During Big Energy Week you can get practical advice on cutting your fuel bills and help to see if you are getting all of the financial support you are entitled to.  You can pick up a leaflet with tips and advice on cutting your fuel bills at your local Citizens Advice Bureau.

A new website – www.bigenergyweek.org.uk – is full of tips on how to cut your energy bills.  The website also has details of local Big Energy Week events in your area.

Rob said: “Fuel bills are a big worry for many people at the moment.  I am pleased to support Big Energy Week and hope it will make a big difference to my constituents by saving them money on their bills.”

Rob joins Dermot O’Leary at Young People’s Trust for the Environment event

Last week Rob joined the President of the Young People’s Trust for the Environment, Dermot O’Leary, at a Parliamentary event held in their honour.

The Trust, which was established in 1982, aims to encourage young people to care about the environment and educate them about the challenges it faces and the importance of sustainability.

Despite only having eight members of staff, the Trust managed to deliver over 800 free talks to schools across the country last year and involved 20,000 children in their Green School Awards, numbers they want to increase through additional support and sponsorship.

Speaking after the event, Rob said,

“It was a pleasure for me to come along and see some of the work that the Trust is doing. Environmental problems are likely to be some of the most important facing future generations and it is vital that we educate
our children to understanding why, and how, this can be tackled.”

‘Arrogant’ Cameron fails to back Robin Hood Tax

Rob has said he is “disgusted” by the Prime Minister’s failure to back the implementation of a ‘Robin Hood Tax’ at last week’s G20 summit in Cannes.

The tax, which has the backing of nearly 100,000 people in the UK and millions more around the world, would charge 0.05% on international banking transactions and ensure that the banking sector pay for the financial crisis they helped to create.  Despite this tiny charge, it could potentially raise hundreds of billions of pounds – money that could be used to pay down our debt, protect education and health spending, or improve millions of people’s lives around the world.

Rob said,

“ I am disgusted that our Prime Minister continues to stubbornly argue against a Financial Transaction, or ‘Robin Hood’ Tax.  He stands at the despatch box and attacks Labour on an almost weekly basis about the national debt, yet when a solution is put in front of him he refuses to back it.”

The Prime Minister has, in the past few weeks, stated that he would not back such a tax unless it could be imposed globally.  At the Cannes summit, however, a number of countries who were previously hostile seemed to cool their opposition to a tax.  Some commentators believe that only two of the G20 countries – the UK and Canada – are now definitely opposed to its implementation.

Rob continued,

 ”The Prime Minister has found himself in a ridiculous situation.  He has been arguing that a Financial Transaction Tax would only work if applied globally, presumably because he thought this would give him a way out due to the opposition of countries such as Russia and the USA.  Now that these countries have seemingly changed their stance, however, the Prime Minister finds himself in the awkward position of having no argument against the Tax, yet he still arrogantly refuses to back it.

“I therefore look forward to finding out what excuse the Prime Minister is going to use this time, as the one he has been using previously simply will not wash.  Leaders from the worlds of politics, business and religion have all come out in favour of what is fundamentally an excellent idea, yet the Prime Minister – who, let’s not forget, leads a party which receives over half of its funding from the City – wants us to believe that he knows better.”

Rob helps USDAW launch campaign against police cuts

USDAW, the shopworkers’ Union, has launched a campaign against the police cuts with backing from Rob, and has branded the Tory-led Coalition’s attack on police budgets a threat to the safety of all shopworkers.

The Union has produced a leaflet and petition against the cuts and will use its annual Respect for Shopworkers Week, which takes place between 7–11 November, to urge shoppers and members of the public to back the campaign and sign Usdaw’s petition.

Usdaw Deputy General Secretary Paddy Lillis was joined at the launch in the House of Commons by Rob. 

Number’s Up: Rob takes part in MS challenge

The spotlight was on Rob  at the recent Labour Party conference in Liverpool, as he took part in the ‘Can you beat the MS lottery’ challenge.

The interactive challenge, which was designed by the MS Society, tested politicians’ knowledge of multiple sclerosis (MS) by asking them to match numbered lottery balls to a range of statements. MPs were called upon to guess on everything from the UK’s ranking amongst EU countries for access to MS treatments to how much money local councils are cutting from care budgets.

Laura Weir, Head of Policy and Campaigns at the MS Society, explained: “With changes currently being made to the NHS and welfare benefits, there has never been a more important time to make politicians aware of the difficulties facing people with MS across the country in obtaining the drugs, specialist care and welfare support they need. This is what we are aiming to do with our MS lottery challenge.”

Mr Flello said: “People with MS face a lottery on a daily basis when it comes to accessing treatments, care and welfare support. I will continue to work with the MS Society to ensure that people affected by MS in Stoke-on-Trent South receive the treatments and support they need.”

For more information on MS and the support available to those affected by the condition visit the MS Society’s website: www.mssociety.org.uk.