Tax Inequality

http://paperblogwriter49.blogspot.co.uk/2014/06/laffer-curve-dead-in-water.html

I agree with Bernie. Tax has become a dirty word in this nefarious government. It's time the Labour  Party reverted back to it's socialist roots and agreed to tax the rich like Thomas Picketty suggests....up to 80% The mega rich would hardly notice & the benefits to the community would be immense. Of course these taxes would have to be ruthlessly imposed & rigorously collected....more jobs for the Tax Office? I can see no earthly reason for these ideas not to be agreed by 'my' Labour Party unless to pacify the mega rich of their own....and the greed of the Snivelling Tories & LibDems....not to mention the unimaginably dreadful, xenophobic, racist ukippers.
I worry about what will happen after the Independence Referendum....whatever decision is made.
On the one hand we have Tories, Labour & LibDems (agreeing!) telling us we should stay together for the financial betterment of all sides: and the YES voters that we can do it better alone.
Devolution offered the chance to the UK Parliament for improvement in financial arrangements with Scotland but promises came to not-very-much. We have consistently been treated as second class citizens. Why should we believe they would honour any future promises after a NO vote? I am too cynical to accept any promise from Cameron & Clegg and fear that the Labour Party is so scared of losing the middle England vote that they will renege on promises even though they might have been made in good faith.
If I were sure that higher taxes (much higher) would be imposed on mega rich people....and that these would be collected not dismissed as uncollectable, I might reconsider my decision to vote YES. So far I don't see this happening and there are only 3 months to go!

Ambulance Service

Today I wrote to all the UK newspapers I could think of.
I am very concerned about the insidious diminution of the NHS and especially just now, about the Ambulance Service for which my husband worked for nearly 30 years. I know they struggled in the past to provide paramedics for all emergency calls and to see this erosion of those struggles enrages me.
I've copied Pride's Purge on the subject to everyone I think might care both in England and Scotland including my utterly useless LibDem MP Alan Reid & our excellent Labour candidate for Argyll, Mary Galbraith. Not sure what anyone can do apart from get rid of this wicked coalition at next year's GE and vote YES in Scotland to prevent similar appalling changes happening here in the future....whatever government is in charge. Depressingly, I fear it's too late to reverse most of the changes imposed on the NHS despite Andy Burnham's very well meant promises. I trust him to do his utmost, as always but his hands will be tied.
On that note....I need some fresh air!

14.06.14
Dear Editor,

I write to express my serious concern regarding the latest diminution of the precious Ambulance Service in England. I understand that in some parts of the country, in some emergency ambulances there will no longer be a paramedic....to save money. Some ambulances are run by privateers who can be expected to count profit before the care of patients; they have to make money for shareholders and they seem able, some how, to salve their consciences about making profits from the sickness and need of their patients.
This is another insidious example of the iniquitous privatisation of the NHS for which I worked for 40 years - as did members of my family before me and some still do so.
I find this incredible and totally unacceptable. Why are we as a country not shouting this from the rooftops? Where are UK Labour? I suggest that people ARE shouting from the rooftops and UK Labour ARE objecting (Andy Burhnam must be quite hoarse) but it's not being reported in mainstream media for nefarious political reasons.
From my Scotland perspective, where we have not accepted privatisation of our health service, I worry that should there be a NO vote in the Independence Referendum we too will suffer the same fate as those in Englandshire; maybe not immediately but inevitably.
This reinforces my decision to vote YES.

Yours sincerely,
Patricia M Farrington MBE
Bla'bheinn,
Cruach,
Bowmore,
Isle of Islay,
Argyll.

Over the last couple of days I've been having a Twitter discussion about availability of GP appointments....in England. I must be honest and say that I have had no problem here in Scotland where Health is devolved....so far! The local Service is falling apart but appointments seem available. I live on a small island and this is a great advantage. I suspect in many Scottish urban areas the picture might be different.
However I am concerned for my fellow citizens even though they live over the Border and my MP tells me I shouldn't bother (not quite....'my pretty little head' but almost!) 
I worked in the NHS for about 40 years on both sides of the Border. I campaigned for better conditions for patients & staff, to the detriment of my career and for all of it. 
I have enormous respect for the GPs on Twitter. As one of them said we rarely disagree. My worry is that this government, ideologically committed to dismember the welfare state, is running down the amazing service provided by GPs so that the unscrupulous Jeremy Hunt can say 'it's not working' and can hand what's left of it over to greedy privateer pals so they can make as much profit as possible from the sick and disabled in our communities.
My GP contacts seem to have been persuade that waiting times can be managed better if patients' health worries are triaged better....in other words: if you 'just' have a cold or a verucca you should wait 3 weeks to see a GP. If you have a 'serious' complaint you should be seen as soon as possible. Here lies the crux of my argument.
I reckon GP training is intensive and a vast amount of information is absorbed by these excellent providers. This qualifies them to diagnose health problems and decide if further action or help is required. Great! 
The rest of the population are not qualified in this area....and why the heck should they be? Each to their own....surely?
So ....if I have an irritating cough or a rash I can't explain should I be allowed to consult a GP asking for advice and reassurance as soon as I can or should I be denied an appointment for 3 weeks because it's not life threatening ? Who knows if it might be TB or meningitis or myriad other dangerous diseases....not me?

Devolution of Cash for Regions

Labour List's Mark Ferguson wrote today about Labour's plans to devolve spending to the regions....of England. This is my reply :
Good news from the Labour camp.....for England! No mention from you or those commenting on your otherwise excellent piece, about Scotland. It's as if we don't exist in the calculations or is it that possible Independence cannot be discussed? 
I suspect Labour officials cannot believe an independent Scotland will ever happen ....so it's conveniently avoided due to complexity. Which ever way the vote goes there will need to be enormous changes regarding funding for Scotland. It is already a different country rather than a region but I suspect most residents of Englandshire never give this a thought. I am a staunch Labour supporter. I was knocking doors with Argyll's candidate Mary Galbraith at the weekend but I continue to be frustrated at this attitude that Scotland doesn't deserve the status of a country....that we cannot run our own affairs....that Alec Salmond isn't fit for the job. 
Against Labour Party advice I am very tempted to vote YES and endure any adverse consequences we may bring upon ourselves. At least we would be rid of these ghastly, greedy patronising, arrogant Tories & LibDems who are running our lives so they can make unprecedented profits....and stuff the proles!