It's Our NHS, Let's Keep It That Way

Voting Conservative next month is essentially voting to end the NHS as we know it.

As we saw tonight in the ITV debate between Boris Johnson and Jeremy Corbyn, Johnson cannot be trusted with the NHS. Labour sought a freedom of information request for the under-the-table negotiations between Johnson's Tory government and Trump's government in the US...and the almost the whole document was redacted. Despite his constant protestations that the NHS is not for sale, Boris Johnson is, once again, lying through his teeth.

Johnson also took the opportunity to lie to the ITV audience by wheeling out the 'we are building 40 new hospitals' line again and again tonight. Did I say line? I should really say lie.

The Tory government are only committing to funding six NHS trusts with hospitals in desperate need of rebuilding. A further 21 have been allocated 'seed funding', but this would not come to fruition for at least a decade. Around the time it will take Boris Johnson to secure a trade deal with the US.

But don't take my word for it. Listen to this passionate and eloquent medical student here, who dared to ask Boris Johnson a question when he arrived at her hospital for a PR stunt under a phalanx of security and secrecy.

And the debate itself? Well ITV conducted a poll immediately after it and Jeremy Corbyn came out as the most popular based on his performance by 78% to Johnson's paltry 22%.

Be part of the 78%. Vote Labour next month and give the NHS not only the future it deserves but the opportunity to care for us in that future.

I Stand With Naga

Words fail me as to why the BBC upheld a complaint about the BBC Breakfast presenter Naga Munchetty pointing out that Donald Fart, sorry Trump's comments that senators of colour should 'go back to places they came from' are racist. I am especially at a loss regarding their decision when you consider that the extremely biased, white political editor Laura Kuenssberg (ostensibly the Secretary of State for Propaganda) receives thousands of complaints on more than one occasion and yet the BBC defend her to the hilt.

If, like me you, stand with Naga, then please sign these petitions to get the BBC to reconsider their decision.

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#FuckBoris

Utterly disgusting display from the alleged PM tonight. If proroguing parliament wasn't about Brexit (yeah right) then how come the Tories are banging on about the supreme court blocking Brexit? FFS, at least Thatcher's mob were actually good at lying. 

But worse was to come. To sit and listen to the impassioned pleas to moderate his dangerous language from Paula Sherriff and Tracey Brabin, and then to dismiss the former with "I've never heard so much humbug in my life" and the later with the idea that the best way to honour their friend and colleague Jo Cox's memory is to "get Brexit done" is shameful, disgraceful, unfeeling and morally bankrupt. Jo Cox was murdered by a far right terrorist who condemned her in his tiny, sick mind as a traitor for her campaign to remain in the EU. Boris Johnson continues to call MP's who do not back his disastrous plan for a no deal Brexit 'traitors' who are intent on 'surrender'. There is a clear line here between his words and some very dangerous actions and he knows that is the case deep down, it's just that he doesn't care. How many people must die or come to harm to ensure that his dream of a hard Brexit and a subservient brown-nosing bromance with Trump comes true?

Every Tory MP who applauded their dictator tonight, every supporter out there who thinks he's standing up for them (he's really not you know) should hang their heads in everlasting shame. This man is sowing the seeds of division and hate across this land and breaking the law. Why? Because it suits him to. It is he and his privileged chums alone who will prosper from a No Deal Brexit not 'the people' they keep referencing who they actually care very, very little about. 

Putting it simply, this man was never a clown. He was never a bumbling oaf. He was never a bit of fun and he is certainly not some kind of champion against the establishment, because he is the establishment. he is Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson and he is a...

Trump's Brain Fart

"I don't know Michael" Donald Trump said today in reference to Michael Gove.

Um? You met him just two years ago *shakes head* 

What's more baffling is the fact that most TV news haven't picked up on this slip either.

The US President has also said that the NHS is on the table regarding trade negotiations, and then said that it would not be, and he has also claimed that Jeremy Corbyn asked to meet him during the state visit but that he turned him down. Really? Jeremy Corbyn, the man who deliberately boycotted the bun fight that had Trump as guest of honour last night and who led the demonstration against him today wanted to meet him? Well I know he said at the demo he wanted to negotiate a way forward from racism and misogyny but...

Trump also said that the demos were small and, wait for the old classics, 'fake news'

I know politicians lie, but bloody hell, Trump is in a world of his own. Either that, or he's just fucking stupid. Probably both to be fair.

The NHS Is Not For Sale

Trump's state visit will see him sniffing around for a trade deal...and he has his eyes on the NHS.

Yesterday, the US ambassador admitted as much to the BBC. I don't care how you voted in the EU referendum - no one voted for the end of the NHS surely? And yet that's exactly what the hard right Brexit mob, the Farage's and Rees-Mogg's of this world want. And they'll bend over backwards to please Trump.

If our next PM, whoever that may be, gives Trump the trade deal he wants, they'll be signing away the NHS to US companies who will start running the pride of our country for profit.

Please sign this petition to tell Trump hands off the NHS.

The Sobering Thought Of Our Special Relationship

With the fascist President Donald Fart kidnapping migrant children and overseeing modern day concentration camps you'd think the UK would disassociate themselves from the US but no, we're still in the 'special relationship' and expecting him to visit next month.

Not surprising really. The rest of the world may look on aghast at what's happening to immigration policy in America but we're conveniently forgetting we separate and lock up migrant families for indefinite periods too. 

Fascism is popular again, Trump's leading the way and we meekly follow. Do you ever get the feeling that, if a war was to break out now, we'd be on the wrong side?

It's a sobering thought.

Out On Blue Six: Nena/Ultravox/Frankie Goes To Hollywood

Watching the Top of the Pops repeats on BBC4 can sometimes feel very strange. We're in 1984 now, which means Nena's 99 Red Balloons, Ultravox's Dancing With Tears In My Eyes and Frankie Goes To Hollywood's Two Tribes are all big hits. Of course they are, they were responding to the fact that 1984 was a very scary time to be alive as the threat of nuclear war seemed increasingly imminent. But they seem prescient now, almost like these transmissions from 1984 are tapping into and reflecting the present world in some strange semi-conscious way, because these tracks feel just as timely now in the frightening current world climate.

End Transmission

Petition To Prevent Trump's State Visit To The UK

Please sign this petition if you do not want this fascist here. Let's make it clear to the appeasement loving Theresa May that we do not want a relationship, 'special' or otherwise, with a fascist dictator. Let's stop this rot now. Let's make a stand against Brexit Britain being reliant on cosying up to a global bully. Let's see how President Fart likes being refused entry to a country!

Cowardly May Says "The United States is responsible for the United States policy on refugees."

As Donald Trump introduces an indefinite ban on entry to the US from Muslim-majority nations and Syrian refugees (essentially a religious ban) Theresa May, back from the US with her begging bowl, failed to condemn the President's actions stating that "The United States is responsible for the United States' policy on refugees. The United Kingdom is responsible for the United Kingdom's policy on refugees"

Yeah, that's kind of the attitude a lot of nations had towards Nazi Germany. It's the attitude of 'Let's keep our heads in the sand and not upset the applecart, because I've pinned all my trade hopes on this megalomaniac' 

That it is my country that has decided to take this stance deeply saddens and appalls me. To Theresa May I say this; "all that is required for evil to prevail is for good men to do nothing" Theresa May, you and your government are not good. Shame on you all.

Demand an Inquiry into the Trident Missile Cover Up

It's becoming increasingly clear that Theresa May and her government knew full well the facts relating to the dangerous missfire of the Trident missile ahead of the Trident renewal vote in the House last year.

This is nothing short of a disgusting cover up by the Tory government and it's obvious that May and Defence Secretary Michael Fallon are willing to cower and hide behind the 'National Security' line in order to play down this monumentally dangerous event as much as possible. Meanwhile, Trump's US administration is actually briefing their media on the details of the event - so how exactly is it an issue of national security?

The Green Party MP and Parliamentary chair of CND Caroline Lucas has tabled an early day motion for parliament to call for an inquiry into the missile test and the decision to hold the information from parliament and the public. Please ask that your MP signs this motion by completing the template email letter on the CND website here

We need to poke at the cracks at the Tory Party and the establishment's reliance on doomsday weapons to topple them both.

Out On Blue Six: China Crisis

Trump gets sworn in today to become the next President of the US. Obviously we'd rather this wasn't happening, but that's just a case of this song alas

End Transmission

Wordless Wednesday: What 2017 Has In Store For Us

Let's Not Kid Ourselves About Trump

In the aftermath of last week's astounding election result in the US, I've seen an awful lot of people try and justify Trump's eligibility for office by pointing out the good things he's said, claiming that he's not as mad as we may have perhaps thought or saying that the more outlandish things he campaigned for won't become a reality because 'the most powerful man in the world' isn't actually all that powerful. 

It's understandable to do this, it's a sign of people trying to come to terms with what has happened, be optimistic and soften the blow. 

But we cannot just strip away or overlook the xenophobia, the racism, the misogyny, the disability discrimination, the jingoism that Trump has so flagrantly displayed and focus solely on his supposed good qualities. It is the attributes, both good and bad, that makes the man that is Donald Trump and we should never forget, ignore or condone the very worst aspects of his character because he may have said or done something tolerable to us. Even the very darkest hearts have some light.

After all, Hitler loved his dogs.

My Reaction To Trump Becoming President...

Well my first reaction was obviously

FUCK

My second reaction was to reach for some music, and this one seems pretty apt

My third reaction is that this is end of days stuff now for the US. It's a country that already seems to be destroying itself from within with what seems to be an outright war against people of colour and the most vulnerable in society...our own country post Brexit is terrifying enough, but these fuckers have guns!

If Trump's election win tells us one thing though it's that this is also the end of days for cosy, let's not rock the boat centrist liberalism. Sides are being picked and battle lines are being drawn and right now, the right wing are taking the most numbers. It's time for the left wing to organise and retaliate. We need to educate now before it is too late, and we need to do so in an accessible manner. Maybe it's because I'm currently reading Walls Come Tumbling Down, a history of Rock Against Racism, the Anti-Nazi League, 2 Tone and Red Wedge by Daniel Rachel, but I can't help but feel movements like that are needed again, because this feels like we're back in the '80s with a puffed up celebrity in the White House and a bitter old woman in Number 10. We need these groups again, and we need them right now. Before it is too late for us all.