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 USE YOUR VOTE WISELY
In the days when politicians went into politics for what they felt they could do to help others, not themselves, the greedy self-interest shown by today’s crop of MPs would have been frowned on. You might not have agreed with what was in their party manifesto – but you knew that what was set out was designed for the good of the majority.
But today. when political scandals are constantly uncovered, many voters now say they are so disgusted with the corruption associated with politics that they aren’t going to vote if there is an election this year.
I felt like that, until a TV drama, “Mr. Bates vs the Post Office”, got me fired up with the idea that something must be done – and got me thinking “what can I do?”
No one should think that this shocking programme is the result of a benign TV keen to expose social injustice and ignite political argument. It has taken two decades, and even so the injustices highlighted in the drama still haven’t been resolved.
Ex-MP James Arbuthnot,(now in the House of Lords), championed the plight of his constituents working as sub-postmasters, for over a decade. Leading a parliamentary campaign to investigate malpractice at the Post Office, he had an uphill struggle, I admit I was proud of this ex-neighbour (our dogs used to be friends!) as he continued relentlessly fighting for justice. And even though it has come out the appalling way the sub-postmasters were treated, injustice is rife and many are still waiting for compensation.
The Covid enquiry highighted another malpractice – and it is costing millions (one wonders if anything udeful will come out of it. So it goes on, leaving ‘ordinary little people’ such as Mr. Bates – and probably you and me – to explode and feel we must do something. But what can ‘little people’ do?
In previous elections, I admit I have tended to vote for a fairly traditional type of candidate, but now I am going to be scrutinizing election leaflets very carefully. I will be putting MY interests at the top of my list.
Today, I have NO loyalty to any party – what have any of the parties done for me? All that has happened is the Secretary of Health’ has set up nasty post-code lotteries, denying me medical treatment that is given to others in different areas. During the recent doctors’ strikes, it was very obvious that there were noisy demonstrations supposedly on our behalf (as patients), but making our life more difficult.
Unite the Union sent me an email saying they were striking on our behalf as Patients – but had never asked me what I wanted.
So now I have worked out which other charities actually DO work on our behalf, and have bothered to find out what is important for me. when an email popped into my \I-box from the Patients’ Association \ was interested to read:
“This week we published our manifesto for this year’s anticipated general election.”
And went on to focus on campaigning for health and care services that people need to live well. The manifesto has five demands for the next Government:
- Take patient partnership from theory to practice
- Make increasing the availability of quality care a national priority
- Place health at the heart of government
- Deliver genuine two-way communication between patients and the NHS
- Provide the workforce that patients need.
I would definitely like health to be at the heart of the next Government; to add to that L would say take health away from politicians and make a Clinician the head of the NHS
Follow the link in the button below for a copy of their manifesto. Feel free to share the manifesto in your networks. Use it to ask the people who want your vote how they’ll ensure patients get the services they need. For greater detail behind each demand, the PA have an extended version of the manifesto on their website.
“YOU could make a difference
Friends and I have decided we are fed up, but going to do something about it, and have selected two subjects: NHS and fuel bills.
Look carefully through all the election manifestos that will be coming through the letter box, before they go into the recycling bin, highlight any that mention either subject, then ask questions – either by email or by turning up at an election meeting.
Then, by asking questions this will mean the parties will emphasise how important id the subject. And you never know – something might get done!
Election year is the ideal time to highlight important issues – whatever the Party.
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