This is a picture of Ben Ainslie the triple Olympic gold medalist who received the Olympic flame carried in a lantern to Lands End by the Royal Navy. He was the first of the 1000 torch bearers to carry the torch in its 8,000 mile relay across Britain and should arrive in London to open the 2012 London Olympics in 70 days time.
The BBC and ITV News teams both filmed the event and the BBC also filmed what looked like a security incident where torch bearer security prevented a member of the public who tried running next to the torch bearer.
It is due to be carried through Cornwall and into Devon, where it’s expected to reach Plymouth Hoe tonight.
The relay torch bearers both young and old, are members of the public chosen for their achievements and community activity with each torch-bearer running 300m with the torch before passing the olympic flame to another bearer’s torch.
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A UK court has ordered the country’s internet service providers (ISPs) to block the Pirate Bay website for copyright violations, using technology initially intended to block illegal pornography sites.
Pirate Bay is a torrent search engine that allows users peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing links to files and although in the past it allowed users to download copyright material such as films, music and programs. It also though provided quite legitimate file sharing of users own produced files.
The site itself does not host or have copyright file content so a ban would mean that those sharing legitimate files through torrents would no longer be able to in the UK audience due to a Internet ISP ban of the Pirate Bay torrent search engine in the UK – another example of growing online censorship.
Could a Ban work though?
A simple ban is unlikely to work due to the fact that the site could be copied or re-hosted elsewhere – just as when WikiLeaks was ‘mirrored’ elsewhere when it faced it’s ban by ISPs through US Government pressure; however anonymizing software could bypass simple a ISP block.
The only effective way to block such torrent search engines such as Pirate Bay would require software that would inspect internet traffic – “deep packet inspection” that also blocked the anonymizing software.
Such a task the James Ball commenting in the Guardian newspaper “would require apparatus as sophisticated as the great firewall of China.”
Children’s Society says coalition’s universal credit, as currently envisaged, seems a step backward
More than 350,000 children will lose their free school meals under the government’s radical plans to reform welfare entitlement next year, an analysis by the Children’s Society has warned.
In a report entitled Fair and Square, the charity says the proposed universal credit system, which comes into force in October 2013, will stop paying for certain benefits if a household earns more than £7,500.
At present the welfare system compensates poor families with cash from the tax credit system.
The result is that 120,000 poorer families are likely lose free school meals, worth £367 a year, unless they dropped their earnings below the threshold of £7,500. This would mean parents having to cut the numbers of hours worked or take a pay cut to keep their benefits.
Source: The Guardian
Today the UN Secuity Council has issued a statemet to send military obesevers into Syria to monitor the current ceasfire, and Russia and China joined the other 13 security council members in voting in favour of resolution. The secuity council has issued the following statement today
The full statement is available on the UN Website
The Chancellor from the last Labour Government should be hailed as the man who saved the UK Banking system from financial collapse. Alistair Darling (MP for Edinburgh South West). He should be known for the fact that he was he who was solely responsible for actually avoiding a complete UK financial and banking meltdown.Even the telegraph has described him as a person who would be best suited as forerunner for the position of leader of the Labour Party in the past
It was he who took the decision to save the Royal Bank of Scotland, Halifax (HBOS), and Northern Rock and doing so also prevented virtually every other major bank in the UK from closing. At the time he is famously known as the bad guy who predicted that the world economy had reached the lowest point in a “60 year financial period” and said it may take decades – as his prediction is now proving – to recover.
In an interview in The Guardian published 30 August 2008, Alistair Darling warned, “The economic times we are facing… are arguably the worst they’ve been in 60 years. And I think it’s going to be more profound and long-lasting than people thought.” His warning led to confusion within the LabourGovernment who were oblivious to the problem – Darling, insisting it was his duty to be “straight” with people
Unlike US Government who took the decision not to help the major investment institution Lehman Brothers deal with their mounting toxic assets thus causing greater economic disaster worldwide – Alistair Darling avoided the UK going into a worse scenario in the UK – he took the decision without requiring legislation (as the US would require) to save Britain’s major banks.
Below is an address he made to the London School of Economics which describes the actions he needed to take whilst in his position as chancellor when in 2008 the emerging European (including UK and Ireland) institutions started to feel the effects of the US financial market collapse.
The major E3+3 countries of the world (including the UK, US, China, France, Germany and Russia) will be meeting today in Instanbul with the Iranian Government once again to discuss and have an offer of an assurance over any proposed nuclear programme that Iran may be conducting. This follows a meeting of the E3+3 at the UN General Assembly in September 2009. At that meeting Iran’s nuclear programme was found a matter of concern to the E3+3 countries as they said in their statement – those talks basically wanted to see Iran to implement all measures required by the IAEA and the UN Security Council and to build confidence that a exclusively peaceful nature nuclear programme was only being developed.
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) website has issued the following statement : “We welcome the fact that the Iranian government is ready to re-engage with the United Kingdom and other members of the international community on its nuclear programme. These talks present a genuine opportunity to move things forward. The Iranian government has written to us to say it wants these talks to cover its nuclear programme. The talks will be a demonstration of whether or not the Iranian government is really ready to do that”
The Oxford Research Group have said on their website about the risk of a conflict appearing greater than ever due to events in Iran and the arab world since the last meeting took place.ORG say’s in a statement about the talks that a negotiations between Iran and the member states of the E3+3 have proved elusive due to ‘a lack of political will, demonization, deep distrust and misunderstanding on all sides.’ They warn that if these talks fail, there could be the prospect of a military attack on Iran - which they have previously published a series of reports since 2006. Israeli itself is also poised to take action should Iran be planning such a programme (as discussed in their Global Security Briefing ‘The Potential for Israeli Military Action against Iran’s Nuclear Facilities’)
Below is the Foreign Office Minister Alistair Burt discussing his hopes for negotiations with the Iranian Government during the E3+3 talks today.
Simon Danczuk is Rochdale’s MP since 2010.
Simon started working at the young age of 16 in a factory making gas fires, he then worked for ICI (the chemical company). While working, he studied as a mature student at night school and gained qualifications he had missed out at secondary school before gaining a place at Lancaster University where he studied economic sociology and politics.
Danczuk co-founded research; public affairs and communications company Vision Twentyone and also has been involved in The Big Issue in the North, Opinion Research Corporation, Bolton Bury TEC.
He has written a number of articles and books ranging on such diverse subjects as democracy, homelessness, regeneration, drugs, housing and employment. His business acumen saw him as being voted one of the up-and-coming stars of North West business by Business Insider magazine in 2001.
He campaigned prior for a referendum for an elected Regional Assembly for the North West.
Having been involved with the Labour Party for many years (joining it via the trade union GMB) in the 1980s. He was elected as a councillor to Blackburn with Darwen Borough Council, and served in this position for 8 years. He also was a campaign manager for Rossendale and Darwen Labour Party
Simon Danczuk was elected as a candidate in 2007 to be Rochdale Labour Party’s Parliamentary Candidate. He has since being voted MP in Rochdale campaigned tirelessly for local investment in business, voting against cuts and the abolition of the EMA, on local jobs and for regeneration of Rochdale Town Centre and it’s shopping areas. He also has opposed cuts to the local Police service and against the closure of the Accident and Emergency unit in Rochdale’s NHS infermary.
Below you can see Simon taking a look around Rochdale town and speaking to leaders of Rochdale’s council about his hopes to see more investment in the town centre. As a no nonsense MP he is against any forms of Council misuse of money or officials impropriety of their positions. He also is one of the only MPs in the country to have a surgery available for local constituents to visit on a 9am-5pm basis – his surgery is based near St. Mary’s Gate in Rochdale.
He will of course be running as the Labour candidate on May 3rd 2012, and you can find out more information on Simon by visiting his website at his website.
Ken Livingstone showed a very caring and emotional side of himself as he was overcome by watching a video by Londoner‘s backing his campaign. In the video members of the public implored him to do the best for London, should he become London Mayor a second time. One member of the public saying in the promotional video ‘Go on Ken – do it for London!’
Mr Livingstone who was visably moved by the video, speaking to the Telegragh newspaper said that if he lost the electoral campaign that he would not stand again and that he would go back to doing his radio programme but added recounting his childhood :
‘if I lose the opportunity to help millions of ordinary Londoners for whom every day is now a terrible struggle. I grew up in that post-war Britain where parents had to count every penny, everything had to be used, it was a real struggle, and we are back in that world. If I fail to do that, it’s a guilt I carry to 
my grave. I want the chance to make life better for ordinary Londoners.’
He also has previously criticised Boris Johnson, the current Mayor, for not being present during the time that the London riots were taking place – as he had been on holiday – Mr Livingstone saying that he had failed Londoners at their time of greatest need as their Mayor.
Ed Miliband who was also present during the screening of the video patted an overcome Ken Livingstone in support for his campaign for mayor.
For more information and to support Ken Liivingstone in his campaign to be Mayor of London again please visit http://www.kenlivingstone.com/home
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon speaking in Geneva said that presently this is a critical point for Syria, and the world is watching with skepticism due to previous promises being broken by the government of Syria. He has said that Syria’s words on a ceasefire should be will be matched by their deeds, but that UN military action to get Syria would not be an option. Obviously Syria’s adherence to the ceasefire is therefore voluntary.
Many including the Arab-envoy Kofi Annan are concerned that Syria may not comply with all the points in the peace plan set down by the UN. Under these terms the six- point peace plan agreed to by Syria, all violence and fighting was to stop on today.
Mr Ban Ki-Moon said today: “Joint special envoy Kofi Annan and I and many world leaders have made it quite clear that any militarization or any military operation is not an option. It will only complicate and worsen the situation and thus arming opposition forces is not desirable.”
Today’s ceasefire followed Kofi Annan receiving a letter from the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Syria informing him of the Syrian Governments decision “to cease all military fighting throughout Syrian territory as of 6 a.m. Damascus time 12 April” but it also said it wanted to keep the right to respond to any attacks carried out by terrorist groups or civilians against “government forces or public and private property.”
Kofi Annan, The UN and Arab League envoy to Syria, has said he has received assurances from Damascus that it will respect the ceasefire plan he has previously proposed.
Mr Annan who has been visiting Iran said there could be “improved conditions on the ground” by Thursday morning. However the Syrian government had previously failed to withdraw troops and weaponry from large population centres as it had agreed. So far at least 100 people have been reported dead. Three people were killed on Wednesday after violent shelling in the city of Homs and the Deraa province.
Mr Annan told reporters in Tehran that he had received “further clarifications” from the government of President Bashar al-Assad on how it intended to suspend hostilities, and respect his six-point peace plan.
Mr Annan said “We have been in touch with them and have had positive answers from them and have also approached governments with influence to ensure that all parties respect the ceasefire”
Chile’s Congress passed an anti-discrimination law Wednesday following the killing of a gay man whose attackers beat him and carved swastikas into his body.
The House of Deputies approved the law in a close 58-56 vote, seven years after it was first proposed. The Senate passed the law in November. Some passages remain to be finalized in a commission of senators and House lawmakers.
President Sebastian Pinera had urged lawmakers to accelerate approval of the law after 24-year-old Daniel Zamudio died March 27. Zamudio’s death came more than three weeks after he was attacked, and his case set off a national debate about hate crimes in Chile.
Source : Huffington Post
After last nights promice on Newsnight – the four main (Conservative, LibDem, Labour and Green Party) hopefuls for the London Mayor election have each produced details of their income and taxes. There now however is speculation over the transparency of the details produced and in particular the delay in Ken Livingstone producing his tax and income details.
GuidoFawkes.com has implied that the figures produced by the Labour candidate are only a partial summary of his income/taxes stating that it is based on personal tax/income and not his company’s tax details in full (Guido Fawkes) and that the figures were not produced by an accountant but by a former member of his team; his Climate Advisor, when he was Mayor of London.
It also raises concern over why he is paying himself through dividends rather than a salary and questioning whether Ken has been taking advantage of the National Insurance exemption in doing this.
LibDem hopeful Brian Paddick not only produced his full tax return over the last three years but in a slight oversight in his attempt to produce these figures neglected to shield the details of his personal National Insurance and home address for the public to view. Boris Johnson also had produced his tax details showing he paid 45.1 per cent of his income in tax in 2010/2011, a rise from 36.8 per cent in 2009/10.
On the Ken4London site the following statement has been produced to cut fares has been produced and a letter from his team to the parties concerning the details of Ken’s income and tax posted as this article goes to press.
The spectator online magazine have accused the Ken and his Labour team of silence in the delay of the details accusing his team of not answering the why the details were not ealier forthcoming. The Labour team had put out the following statement
‘We believe household publication is necessary for full disclosure as the question of Ken’s income and his wife’s income and their tax has been central the coverage of this issue. Publication of Ken’s returns alone will not address many of the questions that have been raised. The only way to answer all the questions about this issue and to move the debate on the real issues facing London is for full household income disclosure. This should apply to all the candidates equally to avoid any further questions about the income and tax affairs that may or may not be applicable to them through their households. The same principles need to be applied to all the candidates if this process is to be seen as open and fair.”
George Galloway probably made a mistake when he recently twittered about a victory in Blackburn. But it’s left many wondering was it just that or a plan for another future labour takeover?
Announcing yesterday “Welcome to the 6000 new followers. I will try to live up to your expectations. Shattered but happy after the Blackburn triumph”
Realising his mistake he hastily then tweeted : “Bradford is now home for me“, but his next tweet suggests that his account had been hacked! A mistake perhaps or maybe he’s envisaging taking over a further victory in the days to come – maybe the odious Jack Straw needs to watch his own seat.
Not all agree with George Galloway, and I must admit I don’t agree with everything he’s said or when I do I don’t always like his opinionated expression of views – but maybe that un-diplomatic tenaciousness in putting his point across is the only way to get things across sometimes.
Galloway was a prominent critic of Saddam Hussein‘s regime in the 1980s but then became a embassador for overturning economic against Iraq in the 1990s. He became ‘friendly’ with ex-president Saddam Hussein and it’s then Prime Minister Tariq Aziz obviously in his role. He has spoken out against the treatment of Palestine in the Israeli/Palestine conflict (but maintains relations even within the Jewish community). Thus it’s o wonder confusion might arise sometimes to his allegiance to diametrically opposed political situations – but at heart he fights against poverty, injustice, racism, capitalism and obviously war. He thought Saddam a dictator, he met him – but disagreed with the military intervention; but so did the UN .
Anyone who defames him is immediately told to back down or spend a day in court with him – these victims are endless. His self-importance and self-publicity then shrines through these appearances. Channel4 news didn’t serve well with him either, after only a two-minute interview with Channel 4′s Cathy Newman before he tore off his microphone claiming he had more important interviews to hold. Newman said that she “had at least 10 more questions to go when he ripped his mic off”.
He could best be remembered for taking on the public during his radio shows, and with great zeal; often demonstrating some form of common sense. He should rightly be the antithesis of anything that is ’Labour’ – I hope he proves to be nail in the Labour (or rather New Labour) party coffin. Labour lost its socialist values. I believe that there hasn’t been any change in Conservatism since 1979 – as new New Labour merely continued it.
I don’t agree with him on everything; he even at times is iritating but I’m glad to see some opposition to New Labour’s policies. The Labour party forgot many of it’s grassroots socialist views – I know I campaigned for them in 1997 – the party became a parady of Orwells “Animal Farm“ as it tried to accomodate lower upper & middle class voters and excluding and ignoring working class. They won elections alright but became unrecognisable in policy looking more Conservative daily and allowing an unregulated financial market to take the country to meltdown, just as Thatcher in the 80s.
Love him or hate him - maybe he’s not entirely virtuous – but he speaks his mind even antagonisly getting that point of his across. .
Below a clip of one of his famous radio shows; here speaking to self-proclaimed Nazi:
Cromwell Hospital
This enthralling piece of footage is the second part of the crucial delivery of a donor liver by the Metropolitan Police.
The liver was collected from Stanstead Airport by the Essex police on its first part of its journey – however the Metropolitan police had the unenviable task of navigating into London to the Cromwell Hospital
The journey begins from Junction 7 by two Metropolitan police Rover SD1 3500s. The two cars(one a back-up) speed Southbound into London. At times their speeds peak at 120 Mph .
The journey was made in 30 mins with just 5 minutes to spare and described as one of the finest examples of police driving under pressure ever captured on video.
Around 50 police officers were used to help transport the liver. These were mainly posted in advance to road junctions to stop the traffic as the liver run approached.
When driving through The City area of London, two motorbikes from the City of London police helped escort the Metropolitan police cars.
Astronomers released this week a picture containing more than one billion stars in the Milky Way galaxy. It combines data from two near-infrared1 telescopes – the UK Infrared Telescope (UKIRT) in Hawaii and the VISTA telescope in Chile - and is the result of a decade-long collaboration by astronomers at the University of Edinburgh and the University of Cambridge to process, archive and publish the prodigious quantities of sky survey data generated by these two telescopes.
Source: Edinburgh University Physics Department
Dr Phil Lucas from the University of Hertfordshire leads the UKIRT study of the Milky Way, and co-leads the VISTA study. He said: “The combined data on over a billion stars represent a scientific legacy that will be exploited for decades in many different ways. They provide a three-dimensional view of the structure of our spiral galaxy, the Milky Way, while also mapping several hundred nebulae where stars are being born. The VISTA data, in particular, is breaking new ground by showing how several hundred million stars vary in brightness over time.”
Sir Richard Branson
Sir Richard Branson now owns a small part of the banking industry in the UK and Worldwide – he now owns a Northern Rock Bank. His Virgin Money group is getting into banking – but what does he intend to do? Well he has said he’s going to transform banking. He WILL make investors happy – he always has! , but what of the customer – he plans to revolutionize our savings and investment ? But perhaps our money is okay after all he owns:
AirAsia X — long-haul budget airline operating from Malaysia (16% owned by Virgin Group)
Marussia F1 — a Formula One team established in 2010. Formerly called Virgin Racing, Virgin are still a part-owner, despite having sold naming rights to Marussia.
V Festival — two-day music festival held in two separate locations in the United Kingdom
V Festival (Australia) — an Australian version of the V Festival
Virgin Festival — a North American version of the V Festival
Virgin Active — a health club chain in Australia, South Africa, Spain, Portugal, Italy and the UK
Virgin America — a United States budget airline based at San Francisco International Airport (25% owned by Virgin Group)
Virgin Atlantic Airways — an international carrier based in Crawley, West Sussex, UK (51% owned by Virgin Group)
Virgin Balloon Flights — a hot air balloon operator
Virgin Australia Holdings Limited
Virgin Australia — an Australian-based airline
Virgin Samoa — a Samoan-based airline
Blue Holidays — The holiday programme of Virgin Australia, now a joint venture between Virgin Australia
Virgin Books — publisher, retailer and distributor of books (10% owned by Virgin Group)
Virgin Brides — now-defunct bridal wear shop in Manchester, UK
Virgin Cars — internet automobile retailer
Virgin Charter — a private jet online marketplace
Virgin Comics — comic book producer
Virgin Drinks — drink manufacturer
Virgin Cola — carbonated cola soft drink
Virgin Vodka — alcoholic beverage
v-Mix – spirit mixers
Virgin Energy — a former UK energy supplier
Virgin Experience Days — corporate and consumer experience events
Virgin Flowers — Internet florist
Virgin Galactic — a venture to market and operate commercial space flights, using spacecraft designed by Scaled Composites
Virgin Games — online games, online casino, online poker, online bingo (previously video games for home computers)
Class 390 Pendolino, Virgin Trains service at Rugby
Virgin Green Fund (originally known as Virgin Fuels) — venture capital firm for investing in petroleum alternatives
Virgin Health Bank[4] — a business enabling parents to store their baby’s stem cells
Virgin Healthcare provides a selection of healthcare services tailored to local demand
Virgin HealthMiles
Virgin Holidays — UK travel agency and tour operator for worldwide destinations served by Virgin Atlantic and its partner companies
Virgin Holidays Cruises — UK cruise holiday agent
Travel City Direct – UK Online Travel Agent for holidays to Florida. Acquired from the now defunct XL Leisure Group after it went into administration.
Travel City Direct Cruises — UK cruise holiday operator for holidays to Florida and the Caribbean
Bales Worldwide Ltd – Small UK Tour Operator
Virgin Limited Edition — exclusive hotel operator
Kasbah Tamadot — exclusive Moroccan holiday destination
Lady B — luxurious Catamaran available for Caribbean charters
The Lodge — ski lodge
Natirar — private spa located in Somerset County, New Jersey
Necker Island — exclusive island in British Virgin Islands for private hire
The Roof Gardens and Babylon — 1.5 acres (6,100 m2) open air gardens, venue, nightclub and restaurant in Kensington, London
Ulusaba — exclusive game reserve in South Africa
Virgin Limobike — passenger bike service in London
Virgin Limousines — chauffeured limousine service in San Francisco and Northern California
The New Virgin Media logo. It is also used for Virgin Mobile UK.
Virgin Media — provider of home telephone, cable television, broadband and mobile services to the United Kingdom
Virgin Megastores — CD, DVD and games retailer chain with high—street and online stores
Virgin XS — Factory Outlet—orientated format of Virgin Megastores
Virgin Mobile — brand used by several companies providing mobile phone service around the world
Virgin Mobile UK — provides mobile phone service in the United Kingdom, now part of Virgin Media
Virgin Mobile Australia — provider of mobile phone service in Australia – license held by Optus
Virgin Mobile Canada — provider of mobile phone service in Canada – owned by Bell Mobility with branding from Virgin Group
Virgin Mobile South Africa — provider of mobile phone service in South Africa – joint venture with Cell C
Virgin Mobile USA — provider of mobile phone service in the United States – brand rights held by Sprint Nextel
Virgin Mobile France — provider of mobile phone service in France – Virgin Group owned
Virgin Mobile India — provider of mobile phone service in India – franchise agreement with Tata Teleservices
Virgin Mobile Qatar – brand license to Qatar Telecom
Virgin Mobile Chile – Future provider of mobile phone service in Chile, using the Movistar mobile network. [5]
Virgin Money — providers of financial services
Virgin Money US — provider of financial services in the United States
Virgin Credit Card
Virgin Money Giving — Online fundraising website
Virgin Oceanic – sea exploration
Virgin Nigeria — A former subsidiary of Virgin Atlantic Airlines
Virgin Play — a Spanish publisher of video games, once part of the now defunct Virgin Interactive.
Virgin Produced — a film and television development, packaging and production company formed in 2010 and led by Chief Executive Officer Jason Felts and Chief Creative Officer Justin Berfield.
Virgin Radio — Virgin branded radio stations around the world.
Virgin Radio Asia — collection of station operating in India and Thailand including Virgin Soft, Hitz, Easy FM and Oui
99.9 Virgin Radio FM — a Canadian radio station broadcasting a hot adult contemporary format in Toronto, Ontario.
Virgin Radio 95.3FM — a Canadian radio station broadcasting a hot adult contemporary format in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Virgin Radio 96 FM — a Canadian radio station broadcasting a hot adult contemporary format in Montreal, Quebec on 95.9 MHz.
98.5 Virgin Radio – a Canadian radio station broadcasting a contemporary hit radio format in Calgary, Alberta.
104.9 Virgin Radio – a Canadian radio station broadcasting a contemporary hit radio format in Edmonton, Alberta.
Virgin Radio (France) — (Lagardère Active) a rebranding of the “Europe 2″ radio station
Virgin Radio Italia
Virgin Radio Dubai
Virgin Radio India
Virgin Radio Jordan
Virgin Radio Thailand
Virgin Radio Turkey
Virgin Records — record label now owned by EMI
Virgin Spa — shop chain retailing Virgin Cosmetics product
Virgin Trains — a railway operator in the United Kingdom
Virgin Trains ExpressCoach — Intercity bus & coach services
Virgin Unite — charitable foundation
Virgin Vacations — U.S. travel agency
Virgin Vie At Home — retailer of body care, cosmetics, homeware and jewellery products through the Internet, direct selling and Virgin Vie stores (Sent into Administration in 2009, having been rebranded 9 months earlier as Effective Cosmetics (However still selling Virgin Vie branded products)
Virgin Wines — A Californian-based Internet wine retailer, created in 2005 and producer of Red and White wines
Virgin Voucher — gift voucher scheme, also functions as a staff reward scheme
Virgin Ware — clothes brand and retailer
Virgin Management — Custodians
The current news from the BBC Internet News service concerning Syria
Heavy artillery fire has been rocking Homs, as Syrian troops step up an assault on the restive city.
A BBC correspondent there describes almost constant blasts, in the fiercest attack in the 11-month uprising.
US President Barack Obama said it was important to resolve the conflict without outside military intervention.
Meanwhile, Russia and China defended their veto of a UN draft resolution criticising Syria – a move that angered opponents of President Bashar al-Assad.
Later the US State Department said it had closed its embassy in Damascus and pulled out all remaining staff because of security concerns.
A committee of MPs believe that the changes proposed by Andrew Lansley‘s health reforms are obstructing efforts to make the NHS more efficient, and that the reforms fail to address how to care better for an expanding elderly population.
The highly critical report by the cross-party select committee on health, that is due to be published on Tuesday, comes as the medical establishment prepares its own summit on Thursday to discuss concerns over the health and social care bill.
The report which is the findings of a committee chaired by Stephen Dorrell, the former Conservative health secretary will probably cause alarm in Downing Street as the committee has both a Tory and Liberal Democrat majority, and the report shows concern over the Health Secretary’s attempts to restructure the NHS in England where more power will be given to GPs are making it more difficult to deliver on a separate target of £20bn of efficiency savings by 2014-15.
The report echoes the widespread view in the medical profession that it is deeply unwise to be inflicting far-reaching structural reform on the NHS at the same time as asking it to make huge savings. The committee believes that far from finding savings by innovation and greater efficiency, a lot of hospitals are simply cutting their services, despite the Health Secretary’s assurance that this wouldn’t happen. The Committee said it has heard that the ‘innovation’ and efficiency measures have created more disruption and distraction than reform of the service delivery and saving.
The report voices frustration that Lansley’s plans fail to grasp the real challenge facing a cash-strapped NHS – that of moving more care into the community in order to provide better, more affordable and more integrated social and health services for the elderly. Members of the committee, including Dorrell, are known to be concerned at the rising cost to the NHS of caring for elderly patients, many of whom could be kept out of hospital if they were offered help to live at home or in the community. The Bill is expected to return to the House of Lords next month for it’s report stage on the 8th February.
Andy Burnham the Shadow Health Minister said: “The committee have delivered a damning verdict on Lansley’s mishandling of the NHS. It is time for David Cameron to listen to what doctors, nurses and now his own senior MPs are saying and call a halt to this reckless reorganisation.”
However more than 50 GPs from the NHS Alliance who are involved in the commissioning and controlling of the NHS budgets under the changes, have been critical of the British Medical Association’s policy of “blanket opposition” to the health and social care bill. The senior group of GPs claim that previous reforms have not gone far enough and the health service has in the past paid the price for a lack of reform.
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Today protesters have gathered in the West End to campaign against the government’s welfare reform bill. Oxford Street, Regent Street and Oxford Circus have been brought to a standstill as people in wheelchairs chained themselves together.
Campaigners from disability groups and direct action group UK Uncut chanted and waved banners and banged drums blocking off Regent Street and the demonstration is believed to have caused traffic jams in London’s West End as fifteen people in wheelchairs chained themselves to railings and eventually were joined by hundreds of others to campaign against the Government’s Welfare Reform.
Campaigners believe that hundreds of thousands of families will lose their homes or become “imprisoned” inside them. Josie McDermott, a 32-year-old UK Uncut supporter, said: “The welfare reform bill is cruel and unnecessary” and added “..this protest is an essential way to persuade the government to scrap its plans.”
Campaigners believe that the Government is choosing to pick on marginalised groups of people in the UK, in trying to pay back the economic UK deficit rather than focussing on the large bonuses and companies that they believe continue to avoid tax to the estimated amount of £25bn.
“It is typical bully tactics by the government to force marginalised people in society to pay for the economic downturn” one campaigner said.
A spokesperson for the Government said that they will continue to spend more than £40bn a year on disabled people, and that they are committed to supporting disabled people in the UK.
The bill will not affect households where someone receives disability living allowance, as they will be exempt from the benefit cap the Government has pledged, and they have also said that an extra £190 million will be given to local authorities over a four year period to ensure vulnerable people are supported through the housing benefit reform to ensure that disabled people will not lose their homes.
GENEVA (ILO News) – The world faces the “urgent challenge” of creating 600 million productive jobs over the next decade in order to generate sustainable growth and maintain social cohesion, according to the annual report on global employment by the International Labour Organization (ILO).
“After three years of continuous crisis conditions in global labour markets and against the prospect of a further deterioration of economic activity, there is a backlog of global unemployment of 200 million,” says the ILO in its annual report titled “Global Employment Trends 2012: Preventing a deeper jobs crisis”. Moreover, the report says more than 400 million new jobs will be needed over the next decade to absorb the estimated 40 million growth of the labour force each year.
The Global Employment Trends Report also said the world faces the additional challenge of creating decent jobs for the estimated 900 million workers living with their families below the US$ 2 a day poverty line, mostly in developing countries.
“Despite strenuous government efforts, the jobs crisis continues unabated, with one in three workers worldwide – or an estimated 1.1 billion people – either unemployed or living in poverty”, said ILO Director-General Juan Somavia. “What is needed is that job creation in the real economy must become our number one priority”.
