Like star-crossed lovers hugging as they plunge into an abyss, Severin Carrell whispers sweet nothings to Jim Murphy. The Guardian has given up all pretence of balance in not just its commentary but also its news coverage of Scotland. Carrell’s puff piece is the seventeenth Guardian article on how Jim Murphy will save Scottish Labour, and is based on nothing but an advance copy of a Murphy speech.
Carrell fails to ask any of the obvious questions. Murphy claims Labour are to contact 190,000 Labour voters, mostly elderly male and Glaswegian, who voted Yes. They will do this by “personal letters” and phone calls. This begs the question of how they identify these voters, and who will do the work. The Labour membership in Scotland is now tiny. My source in a Labour MSP’s office tells me the paid up individual political membership – excluding social clubs – stands just shy of 8,500. I find that believable. Largely thanks to Carrell that figure is similar to Guardian sales in Scotland. It is also interesting that a significant proportion of those dwindling Labour members are there because, one way or another, they are on the payroll. Councillors, council officials in “hidden” political posts, MPs and MSPs and their staff, HQ staff, union officials etc.
Labour were far from a full canvass in the referendum campaign. The ballot was (hopefully) secret. They simply cannot identify those hundreds of thousands of ex-Labour SNP supporters. Are these “personal” letters and phone calls just going to anyone who seems mature, male and Glaswegian? The entire claim of a targeted Murphy “campaign” is plainly a simple nonsense. It stands not a moment’s journalistic analysis. Only a brain-dead Labour acolyte like Carrell could promote it.
Herbie re the NHS
Do I read you correctly : you are saying that the present problems have been/are being engineered deliberately to discredit the NHS as it presently is in order to facilitate its privatisation?
Would other commenters care to have a stab at answering my questions?
EXCLUSIVE: Houseman who cleaned pedophile Jeffrey Epstein’s sex toys and feared he would make him ‘disappear’ takes billionaire’s secrets to the grave after he died just last week:
If this Daily Mail report was the source for the New York Daily News story, it’s worth pointing out that Tony Blair’s name is now missing.
With regard to Jim Murphy’s assertion that he will leaflet drop those Labour supporters who voted Yes in the recent Independence referendum.
It is my belief that the ballot has not been secret since the Second World War, so I can’t imagine that it would be too much trouble for Mr Murphy to find out who votes for whom.
Until her retirement my wife worked in an office of about two dozen people; their political views were well known to each other and frequently vigorously debated. Over the last couple of General Elections the Tory Party contacted those known to be sympathetic to their political aims (and I presume would have voted Tory), whilst ignoring those who my wife felt had consistently voted Labour.
She felt this to be more than a coincidence.
Quite frankly, I fear for the integrity of the ballot. We are governed by criminals and surely there is no depth to which they will not stoop?
That Daily News article wasn’t very friendly:
“Legal eagle Alan Dershowitz is not taking the accusation that he bedded a teenage sex slave lying down.”
” Epstein has not said a peep about the scandal. But if Dershowitz and Randy Andy did have sex with Roberts, it might be on video.
The money man set up hidden cameras in the guest bedrooms of many of his luxury homes, another British paper”
Spookie, eh.
The Daily News is owned by Mort Zuckerman.
He’s a bit of a wit and just a tad too relevant:
“In their 2006 paper The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy, John Mearsheimer, political science professor at the University of Chicago, and Stephen Walt, academic dean of the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University, named Zuckerman a member of the media wing of the “Israeli lobby” in the United States.[23] Zuckerman replied: “I would just say this: The allegations of this disproportionate influence of the Jewish community remind me of the 92-year-old man sued in a paternity suit. He said he was so proud; he pleaded guilty.””
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mortimer_Zuckerman
Anyway. Looks like the tribe may be having a bit of a tiff. Something to while away the long nights, I suppose.
The Azeris and Khazakhs are in the Russian orbit.
Christof Germann, always good in keeping us up to date on the state of play:
http://christophgermann.blogspot.co.uk/
“you are saying that the present problems have been/are being engineered deliberately to discredit the NHS as it presently is in order to facilitate its privatisation?”
Yup.
How else will the peeps accept that sad necessity.
The juicier pieces will of course go first.
Torture advocate, Alan Dershowitz:
“There have been few voices supporting law enforcement torture of suspect as loud as that of Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz. Known for popularizing the argumentative fallacy of the “ticking time bomb” scenario, Dershowitz argued that federal and local law enforcement should be given a blank check to torture suspects if they think it might “prevent another 9/11.””
http://countercurrentnews.com/2015/01/alan-dershowitz-named-in-suit/
Lovely man.
He expands his argument here in debate:
http://edition.cnn.com/2003/LAW/03/03/cnna.Dershowitz/
“you are saying that the present problems have been/are being engineered deliberately to discredit the NHS as it presently is in order to facilitate its privatisation?”
Yup.”
I have a slightly different take on it. The current NHS “crisis” – that is, hospitals announcing they are in a state of emergency – is, in fact, a fairly routine affair during the winter months, particularly after the new year, and one that usually attracts very little media attention. There could, of course, be other reasons for the promotion of such routine emergencies to the level of “crisis” by, amongst others but in particular, the BBC, and that probably has to do with with the proximity of the general election (scare stories of Tories destroying the NHS being generally good for the Labour Party).
“Alleged creeping privatisation” – well, this is a fact:
Former health minister criticises government’s ‘mind-boggling’ decision to sell Plasma Resources UK to US private equity firm
http://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/aug/25/uk-blood-plasma-company-sale-nhs-supplies
BarrieJ
“Until her retirement my wife worked in an office of about two dozen people; their political views were well known to each other and frequently vigorously debated. Over the last couple of General Elections the Tory Party contacted those known to be sympathetic to their political aims (and I presume would have voted Tory), whilst ignoring those who my wife felt had consistently voted Labour.
She felt this to be more than a coincidence.
Quite frankly, I fear for the integrity of the ballot. We are governed by criminals and surely there is no depth to which they will not stoop?”
Could it be that the Tory party contacted your wife’s Tory colleagues because they were “known to be sympathetic to their political aims”?
Just a thought.
Mary laments:
“Thousands of Scottish NHS staff have been signed off work with mental health problems, figures reveal.
A total of 8,540 staff were absent in 2013/14 – up 7% on the 7,975 signed off in 2012/13.”
I should imagine there are a good few shirkers in those statistics.
The BiBiCee are laughing in our faces.
Last night it was the lives of rich Russians in London. BBC 2
’21:00 – 22:00
Rich, Russian and Living in London
Film looking at the Russian elite who have chosen to make London their home. It enters the lives of the uber-wealthy, including an entrepreneur, an art collector and a supermodel.’
Tonight it is all about Necker Island and Branson. BBC 2
’21:00 – 22:00
Billionaire’s Paradise: Inside Necker Island
A look at one of the most exclusive holiday destinations in the world – Necker Island. This reveals how the rich holiday, and what it’s like for the staff who serve them.’
They must have some agenda to demonstrate to us, the 99%, how the 1% are rich and getting richer.
I watched neither.
Full court motion here:
https://www.scribd.com/fullscreen/251520789?access_key=key-W1c1meyt238tCM3oMUYh&allow_share=true&escape=false&view_mode=scroll
Dershowitz’s filed response:
http://online.wsj.com/public/resources/documents/2015_0105_dershowitz.pdf
Herbie
“Torture advocate, Alan Dershowitz:
“There have been few voices supporting law enforcement torture of suspect as loud as that of Harvard Law Professor Alan Dershowitz. Known for popularizing the argumentative fallacy of the “ticking time bomb” scenario, Dershowitz argued that federal and local law enforcement should be given a blank check to torture suspects if they think it might “prevent another 9/11.””
http://countercurrentnews.com/2015/01/alan-dershowitz-named-in-suit/
Lovely man.
He expands his argument here in debate:
http://edition.cnn.com/2003/LAW/03/03/cnna.Dershowitz/”
_________________
I have the impression that, for you, Mr Dershowitz’s views on torture makes it more likely that Ms Jane Doe #3’s allegations about him are true.
Or am I mistaken?
Please elucidate.
This earlier Daily Mail story has Tony Blair’s name in the (was there just one?) black book: Revealed: Bill Clinton, Mick Jagger and Donald Trump were in black book of Prince Andrew’s sex abuser friend Jeffrey Epstein. It also reveals that the women victims’ lawyers are seeking court permission to take evidence from Bill Clinton and his staff.
Chaos in the NHS has been ongoing for a number of years.
Whistleblowers have been and are continuing to be bullied for speaking out.
Technicolour
““Alleged creeping privatisation” – well, this is a fact:
Former health minister criticises government’s ‘mind-boggling’ decision to sell Plasma Resources UK to US private equity firm
http://www.theguardian.com/business/2013/aug/25/uk-blood-plasma-company-sale-nhs-supplies”
______________
Thank you for engaging.
Now that you have, any thoughts on the four questions I put in my post at 20h04?
Lysias
Since you’re still around, how about a stab at answering my question?
It was as follows:
““To be fair, Olmert was also a prime minister, but I think it’s obvious that Blair is the one who could be called “a well-known prime minister” in a filing to a U.S. court.”
_________________
You think it’s “obvious” it’s Tony Blair.
Could you explain your reasoning, please?
Thanks.”
Lysias
There’s also this unanswered question. Any chance of you having a stab at answering it and sharing your insights?
“I read the following in the link (the New York Daily News)you provided with your post at 19h59:
“Roberts, identified in court papers as Jane Doe #3, claims Epstein pimped her out to “many other powerful men, including numerous prominent American politicians, powerful business executives, foreign presidents, a well-known prime minister, and other world leaders.”
But Roberts cites just two names in her request to be included in a six-year-old lawsuit against Epstein brought by two other women who claim they were forced to become his sex slaves — Dershowitz and the Duke of York.”
_____________
Do you have any ideas as to why Ms Roberts should mention only the Duke of York and Alan Dershowitz and none of the other alleged “powerful men”?
Why – do you think – did she hold back from naming some or all of the people falling into those other categories of “powerful men”?”
You’re always mistaken, habby. Always. Always Always.
“Whistleblowers have been and are continuing to be bullied for speaking out.'”
Yes, normally by devout adherents to the national religion for exposing shoddy care.
“Do you have any ideas as to why Ms Roberts should mention only the Duke of York and Alan Dershowitz and none of the other alleged “powerful men”?”
The answer is contained in the filed documents. Please read them.
The allegations are primarily procedural wrt the previous Epstein case. The sex allegations are merely supporting material.
They’re not the substance in this case.
Mary
You often write about OUR NHS and so I think you must have overlooked my post and questions at 20h04 otherwise I’m sure you would have lost no time in sharing your views with us.
Here they are again:
“There have been a number of posts on here about the NHS. Moreover, the travails of some NHS hospitals have been hitting the headlines over the last couple of days.
It has been said that those hospitals’ problems are due to unprecedentedly heavy calls on their Accident and Emergency departments, due to some extent to people experiencing difficulty in getting timely appointments to see their GP.
I have a couple of questions for this blog’s self-declared experts on the NHS:
1/.Why is it so difficult for people to get to see their GP in timely fashion?
2/. Who or what is responsible for this state of affairs?
3/. What suggestions are there for remedying this state of affairs?
4/. What connection – if any – do commenters see between this state of affairs and the alleged creeping privatisation of the NHS?”
________
Thanks.
Funny how Fergie was desperate enough to borrow £15,000 from a convicted pedophile, while her “the best man in the world” not only didn’t obliged, but regularly splashed out hiring that £22,000 per week Swiss Chalet !
‘Andrew didn’t act very royally’: Ex-lover of Duke’s ‘sex slave’ claims she never said anything good about the prince – and felt pressure to sleep with him from Epstein.
So the victim told others about it at the time.
Herbie
““Do you have any ideas as to why Ms Roberts should mention only the Duke of York and Alan Dershowitz and none of the other alleged “powerful men”?”
The answer is contained in the filed documents. Please read them.
The allegations are primarily procedural wrt the previous Epstein case. The sex allegations are merely supporting material.
They’re not the substance in this case.”
____________________
In that case, why are you – and others on here – making such a gleeful fuss about the names?
How Branson acquired some of his wealth and continues to do so.
How private firms already run frontline NHS services by stealth
May 29, 2013
More than 100 services across the NHS are run by Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin – the people who bring you planes, trains and telly
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/nhs-privatisation-how-private-firms-1918235
~~~
NHS For Sale
Who’s involved? / Virgin Care Ltd
Virgin Care Ltd was founded in March 2010 when Virgin acquired a majority stake in Assura Medical; the renaming took place in March 2012. Assura began life in 2003 as a property investment company, The Medical Property Investment Fund Limited (MPIF), which then became Assura Medical in 2006. The property arm of Assura continues to trade as a separate company listed on the LSE as Assura Group Ltd (1).
Primary care and community care. Virgin Care has two arms to its business: 24 GP-led provider companies that provide NHS services through networks of GP surgeries; and community-based NHS services (2)
http://www.nhsforsale.info/private-providers/private-provider-profiles-2/virgin.html
~~~
After my recent radiotherapy I needed help. I was told by one of Branson’s ‘community matrons’ who visited in response to a telephone call that, although I was a patient on their ‘virtual ward’, no help would be forthcoming. I still have the tatty leaflet which she handed out to prove it. YCNMIU. She wrote the telephone numbers of private care agencies and care homes on the back of a brown envelope for me to contact. How kind.
He acquired Surrey’s NHS Community Service some years ago for £500m.
‘Healthy competition’ in the NHS is a sick joke
Real health choice under the NHS reform Bill doesn’t exist, and the so-called market is a mockery.
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/features/9193015/Healthy-competition-in-the-NHS-is-a-sick-joke.html
The author of that article is a doctor so he knows what is happening to the NHS.
“You’re always mistaken, habby. Always. Always Always.”
_________________
To which of my questions is that an answer, Herbie?
Naomi Klein’s new book does not make Branson look very good at all.
Mary
“The author of that article is a doctor so he knows what is happening to the NHS.”
________________
As indeed you seem to do, Mary, judging from your numerous posts on OUR NHS and more recently your posts on your personal experiences.
So why not offer us your thoughts on the questions I put at 20h04?
For ease of reference, they were as follows:
“There have been a number of posts on here about the NHS. Moreover, the travails of some NHS hospitals have been hitting the headlines over the last couple of days.
It has been said that those hospitals’ problems are due to unprecedentedly heavy calls on their Accident and Emergency departments, due to some extent to people experiencing difficulty in getting timely appointments to see their GP.
I have a couple of questions for this blog’s self-declared experts on the NHS:
1/.Why is it so difficult for people to get to see their GP in timely fashion?
2/. Who or what is responsible for this state of affairs?
3/. What suggestions are there for remedying this state of affairs?
4/. What connection – if any – do commenters see between this state of affairs and the alleged creeping privatisation of the NHS?””
“More than 100 services across the NHS are run by Sir Richard Branson’s Virgin – the people who bring you planes, trains and telly.”
The usual high regard for the intelligence of its readers being shown by the Mirror there, I see!