Clegg backs broken NHS reforms

As peers today debate around 25 amendments to the government’s controversial Health and Socialcare bill, Nick Clegg has shown his support saying that Andrew Lansley has is passionate about the NHS.

Clegg, the deputy Prime Minister and leader of the Liberal Democrats, told the BBC today that:

“Andrew Lansley is the architect of the NHS bill. He cares passionately about the NHS. He’s the right man for the job and he must see it through.”

This comes at a time when back bench Lib Dems are pressuring Clegg to speak out against the bill because of the controversial competition it would bring to the NHS.

Yesterday Simon Hughes, the president of the Lib Dems, said that Lansley had to go. Whilst Labour are taking every opportunity to attack the government on this bill.

David Cameron seems hell bent on forcing his reforms through parliament. In a move that is reminiscent of Tony Blair, he seems to be ignoring all opposition cries, and seems committed to the idea and even a bad reform bill is better than none.

What effect this will have on the Tores is not yet clear, but as they think about the next general election it is certain that the looming crisis in the NHS will enevitably be used by Labour as ‘proof’ that the Tories cannot be trusted with the NHS.

This bill could well become this generation’s poll tax, a fundamentally flawed idea which the government pursues with such tenacity that they blind themselves to the opinions of the voters.

However, after Cameron’s semi u-turn on Europe the PM getting quite a reputation for last minute cold feet. Especially when he thinks the public is against him, take bonuses for example. Perhaps he is pushing his broken bill through in an attempt to save face and restore the confidence of his back benchers.

He needs to do something to show the government won’t turn tail and run at the first sign of opposition.

Hughes attacks Lansley as country turns against NHS bill

Today The Guardian news paper has reported that Simon Hughes, the deputy leader of the Lib Dems, has come out against Andrew Lansley saying that he should be replaced after the reform bill becomes law.

On the Andrew Marr show this morning he said “I’m clear we need to move on from this bill. My political judgment is that in the second half of parliament it would be better [for Lansley] to move on.”

Simultaneously a YouGuv poll has shown that the country is strongly against the bill. A poll for the Sunday Times shows that “only 18% of people said they supported the NHS reforms. It revealed that 48% opposed them, with 34% saying they were not sure.”

The Financial Times joins growing consensus against NHS reform

Continuing the ICBs coverage of organisations against the NHS reform bill, the Financial Times has announced it is now against the bill. The FT is the latest in a long list of societies, groups, companies and individuals who are calling for the Government to drop the bill.

Though pro-reform the FT believes that:

“Dropping the bill and pursuing change without omnibus legislation looks on balance the better bet.”

FT seems to agree with the growing consensus that the government has got its priorities wrong over the bill, saying that the bill is a “mess”.

Any reform has to balance top down management, competition, and the self-determination of doctors and nurses. The FT appears to believe that the current bill is too heavily waited towards top-down management, saying that David Cameron has failed to live up to his manifesto pledge not to impose top-down reorganisation on the NHS.

The FT also notes that the bill has destroyed Andrew Lansley’s reputation, noting that:

“Mr Lansley’s position would be weakened – perhaps fatally.”

This is something that the ICB talked about here.

For further coverage of the NHS reform bill subscribe to the ICB’s RSS feed.

Many thanks to Left Foot Forward for their excellent coverage of this story.

See also:

• The complete list of organisations against the NHS reform – The ICB

• Petition to drop Lansley’s monster – Dr Kailash Chand

• Why Andrew Lansley is a convenient scapegoat for any future problems in the NHS – The ICB

Labour ahead in the polls

The latest figures from YouGuv show Labour are ahead in the polls, but only just:

“Latest YouGov/Sun results 9th Feb CON 38%, LAB 41%, LD 9%; APP -20”

This could partly be because of the Tories NHS reforms and it could partly be down to their blustering over Europe. We’ll have to wait and see if this lead still remains during the council elections in late March. Read more.

Why Andrew Lansley is a convenient scapegoat for any future problems in the NHS

The Conservatives are faltering over their NHS reform. The much amended bill has Tories are breaking ranks.

The problem is that the NHS is a beast that needs a 2% increase in funds year-on-year in order to keep it running. Andrew Lansley was faced with dealing a 4% cut to the service so whatever path Lansley took was going to be controversial.

The Bill has to make it into law by March the 28^th or the Tories could be in real trouble. If the bill is still being debated, would-be-Conservative councillors will face some tough questions on the doorstep.

Lansley’s bill was about ‘promoting competition’. Whether or not this has been watered down by the amendment process remains to be seen. However, it is still the case that American or European companies will bid for profitable parts of the NHS. It is exactly this competition that the Lords have reservations about.

What does this mean for Lansley then? Lansley been positioned as the linchpin of this bill and it will almost certainly be the end of him. If the bill doesn’t quite make it into law, an unlikely scenario I’ll agree, he’ll take the blame. If, on the other hand, it does, it will leave him exposed to any amount of criticism from Labour come the next general election. Any future funding problems, longer waiting lists, or tabloid horror stories will inevitably be jumped upon by the opposition and used as evidence against Lansley and the Tories’ maltreatment of the NHS.

The complete list of organisations against the Government’s NHS bill

There is no single list of every organisation against the Conservative’s NHS Reform bill which is currently making its way through parliament. The ICB decided to make one.

Here is the complete list of every professional body against the bill (so far):

• The Faculty of Public Health
• The Royal College of Nurses
• The Royal College of Midwives
• The Royal College of GPs
• The British Medical Association
• Chartered Society of Physiotherapy
• The Royal College of Anaesthetists
• The Royal College of Ophthalmologists
• The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health
• The Royal College of Pathologists
• The Royal College of Physicians
• The Royal College of Psychiatrists
• The Royal College of Radiologists
• The College of Occupational Therapists
• The British Dietetic Association
• The United Union
• The Institute for Healthcare Management
• Unison
• MiP
• GMB Union
• The College of Occupational Therapists
• The Community Practitioners and Heath Visitors Association
• The Financial Times

This is a work in progress so please feel free to contribute amendments, links, and contributions in the comments.

Thanks in part go to whoever did this man’s grunt work

Mostly though, thanks go to everyone who has already contributed to this list.

US holds off military action in Iran

Israeli officials claim that not enough is being done over the Iran issue, meanwhile the US seeks to calm the situation between the two states. Israel is looking increasingly nervous about its neighbour Iran’s appetite for nuclear weapons. In turn the Obama administration are digging in their heels on the use of sanctions and wants to give Iran more time to feel the bite of their financial punishment.

According to an Obama official Israel fears that once Iran has developed its fortifications it will no longer matter “whether it will take Iran six months or a year or five years to create a nuclear weapon.” A military strike will no longer be appropriate.

The Obama administration wishes to give the sanctions it and the West placed on Iran, in November 2011, more time. These sanctions are aimed at Iran’s central and commercial banks in attempt to cripple the country’s financial system. They also imposed financial restrictions on companies that facilitate nuclear production in the country and on Iran’s oil industry. So far they seem to have had little effect but the Obama administration wants to give them time, arguing that they have not been imposed long enough to take effect.

One of the reasons why the sanctions haven’t had much effect is because Iran has shifted exports from Western costumers, to costumers in South Asia. India is now Iran’s largest costumer of crude oil, importing 550,000 barrels a day. China is not far behind with 250,000 barrels a day.

For now the US seems to have stayed Israel’s hand on the matter, but the two remain in dispute as to the speed at which military action should be taken against Iran.

Another dispute is also poised to emerge between Israel and the United States, the question of what sort of military action should be taken. The Obama administration, and the majority of people in the US, believes that targeted strikes should be made against Iran’s nuclear facilities.

Next month Mr. Netanyahu is scheduled to travel to the US to settle this, and other issues, concerning the Israel question. Subscribe to the ICB for the latest updates.

Latest data suggests the world is against military intervention in Iran

The latest poll figures suggest that American citizens are more likely to seek military intervention in Iran, despite being less likely to believe Iran is enriching uranium for nuclear weapons.

• Double the number of Americans (44%) than Britons (23%) would bomb Iran
• High percentages of Americans (64%), Britons (70%), Germans (74%) and Danes (76%) believe that Iran is probably enriching uranium to make nuclear weapons

People across the world are very sceptical about direct military intervention in the form of a ground invasion. Whilst the most promising option, in the public’s opinion, is the strategic bombing of nuclear weapons installations.

This is unsurprising given the war fatigue that has built up in America over the last decade. However, the fatigue appears to be stronger still in Europe. Whilst 22% of Americans support a ground invasion, only 12% of British people do, and in Germany only 18% people do.

Lembit Opik the world’s most ill advised man?

When former Lib Dem MP, Lembit Opik debated the legalisation of drugs at the University of Birmingham last year it was clearly going to be disaster. Opik was arguing in favour of legalisation on the grounds of individual freedom. It wasn’t all that convincing. However this little stunt was nothing next to the catastrophe which is this video. For some reason Opik thought it would be a good idea to star in unsigned band The Good Suns music video.

Forward to 1.47, it’s particularly good.

This man is spectacularly ill-advised.

Stephen Hester has highlighted conservative discord

Stephen Hester’s late night decision to forgo his £1 million bonus has not only spared him a difficult and unpopular future, but it has also highlight precisely how out of tune the Conservatives are with the British public and politicians internationally.

Since the news broke of Hester’s bonus, a procession of Tories have made half-hearted attempts at defending him, in particular by dragging out the government’s long dead horse ‘our hands are tired by the previous government.’

Though the conservatives didn’t seem willing, it was clear that Cameron would have made attempts to defend Hester to the Commons if Ed Miliband got his vote in parliament.

Whatever you feel about bonuses, the government’s reluctance to take decisive action on Hester shows just how out of touch they are with public opinion and politics more generally.

The latest YouGov poll shows that 50% of the public disapprove of the Government’s record to date. Similarly Labour have lessened the Conservatives recent poll lead and the two are now level pegging, despite the public’s worries over Miliband’s leadership.

Across the channel Francois Hollande has bankers quaking in their boots with his tax and spend policies. The French presidential hopeful has the City of London worried to such an extent that he is over here next month to calm things down.

Further afield Obama has also recently reasserted his plans to make everyone, even the wealthy, play by the same rules. An attack on his likely presidential challenger Romney, this may be, but it also echoes a theme which has been played out across the globe after the financial crisis.

Of course, asking the Conservatives to join this tune would be asking them to contradict their nature, but their belated response to Hester has shown how happy they are to distance themselves from this growing political agenda. Perhaps if they had taken decisive action one way or another they could have mitigated against the worst of the damage.