Sue Grey report

[Pippedydeadeye]

I could cry with despair.

[Ella77]

Is it some degraded version of the American Dream that causes so many Brits to vote them in time after time? I suspect it’s just because they appeal to peoples basest (sexist, racist, xenophobic) instincts though.

[Marth]

Is it some degraded version of the American Dream that causes so many Brits to vote them in time after time? I suspect it’s just because they appeal to peoples basest (sexist, racist, xenophobic) instincts though.

I think it's all about money. Keeping what they have, not giving it to those who are not "deserving", not giving it all to the taxman.

It's like the people who had bull bars on their Chelsea tractors to keep their children safe on the school run, even though someone else's child is much more likely to die if hit by a CT with bull bars.

Looking after their own. Only. The Tories embody it. Labour will give all their money away to the undeserving scroungers.

[sally maclennane]

The media give them such an easy time of it. And people do still believe what they see in the papers/on telly.

I think there is also something in the British (English maybe?) psyche that people feel they should be ruled by "toffs". It's so ridiculous because Johnson et al wouldn't piss on folk if they were on fire but some people see it as the natural order.

If I'd had a family member who died of Covid, I'd honestly have to restrain myself from going after him with a baseball bat.

[lazzbo]

If I'd had a family member who died of Covid, I'd honestly have to restrain myself from going after him with a baseball bat.

Same. I would never "get over it" or "move on".

[speedy gonzalez]

I think round here it's combination of thinking you've made it if you vote Tory or Lord of the manor thinking. I think we had a Labour MP briefly and maybe a Lib Dem at some point but it's pretty much always been Conservative. No wonder people give up voting when it seems like it makes no difference when you vote. It's a weird constituency of very rich and very poor.
I was always brought up to always vote and to always think of other people when it came to voting. I felt so sad when watching the final episode of Derry Girls. Voting and making a difference.

[Ella77]

That’s interesting. The “thinking you’ve made it” thing. I bet that’s a huge part of it.

[Livilla]

Ooh, my MP has submitted a letter of no confidence in Boris. Good for him. (He’s a Tory, obviously, but he’s always been a very good and visible constituency MP)

[Pippedydeadeye]

Changing the ministerial code now was a very very bad idea. Did he think we’d all forgotten already?

[Topcat]

He doesn't give a single fuck, Pip.

Its been done because he is under investigation and this is the easiest way for him to wriggle off of the hook again.

[Kleio]

Ooh, my MP has submitted a letter of no confidence in Boris. Good for him. (He’s a Tory, obviously, but he’s always been a very good and visible constituency MP)

My MP entertained him today and bought him an Ice cream on our seafront.

[speedy gonzalez]

Our MP is still keeping quiet. I suspect he's been threatened with no new hospital. Not that I can see it happening anyhow.

[Pippedydeadeye]

They’re dragging their heels on the new hospital builds anyway and not releasing the capital funds.

[Topcat]

Were there any actual new hospitals planned then?

I took it as yet another lie.

[speedy gonzalez]

So did I TC. There was a big meeting about the campaign for the replacement hospital round here night and our local MP didn't turn up. It's basically going to have to turn into a cottage hospital with the nearest a&e 45 miles away.

[Topcat]

I fucking hate them, Speedy. Absolutely fucking hate them.

[Pippedydeadeye]

Ours was counted in the new build programme even though it’s really just building new parts on an old site.

[Texaco Shirley]

Were there any actual new hospitals planned then?

I took it as yet another lie.

There were 6 I seem to remember. The other 34 were extensions and renovations.

[speedy gonzalez]

Unfortunately, there's still plenty of people who vote Conservative (even within our hospital) and think they'd be okay under a privatised health care system. Not within our department though! While there's still people like that our government will carry on doing whatever it likes.
My niece lived in America for a short while and there's people with wristbands asking not to be treated because they can't afford it.

[Ella77]

think they'd be okay under a privatised health care system.

Do they understand how expensive private healthcare would be if it were the only option? How they'd have to weigh up the risk of calling an ambulance against the bill for (just) the ambulance? It not like you'd pay £100 a month and everything would be free after that (although plenty of people still wouldn't be able to afford that.) Back of a napkin*, we're probably looking at £500-£600+ a month each, and there'd be large bills on top of that because not everything would be covered. These people are witless.

*Based on the American model. I know they don't compare directly yet, but my point is that it would be a LOT of money.