We’ve given up the strike. The government have agreed to nothing. At best we’re delaying the inevitable, but we are also loosing the initiative.
Hunt’s pledge not to impose a contract is “time limited”. So he’ll do it later, when a more opportune moment presents itself.
Hunt’s statement in parliament was positively aggressive, asserting that “reforming both the consultants’ and junior doctor contracts is a key part of the mix.” Indicating his intention to expand, rather than diminish his attacks on NHS medical staff. So why have we called off the strike?
Our BMA leadership seem to have no positive program. We should not accept pay cuts. But where is our positive list of demands?
We must make the connection between the sustained attack on NHS funding, relentless cuts to staff pay and conditions (all staff, not just medics), and the bid to privatise the NHS.
Brushing this aside (for now) also leaves the way clear for the government to push for the bombing of Syria on Wednesday – supported by “Corbyn’s” Labour, because my local MP Chukka Umuna, is a veritable Blairite Hawk, and these are the people who still dominate Labour.
Was it my imagination, or did we already decide that this was a bad idea? 2 years of sustained media campaign and they think the time is right to push the war button once again? Does no one remember what pure government has just done to Iraq, Afghanistan, Libya and already visited upon Syria?
The absence of junior doctors putting the health of the nation firmly on the agenda, will allow ‘our’ MPs to talk earnestly of the need to combat ISIS (their own creation – and in reality British intervention in Syria has targeted the democratic government, not the jihadist factions set loose by Saudi and Turkey, on the instructions of the US and our governments), without the obvious questions being asked:
Why can hundreds of millions be found to rain missiles on other countries; while billions are cut from the health needs of workers at home?
What’s the common theme? You tell me. Who do these policies serve? Clearly the wealthy capitalist class – certainly not the common working people of Britain, whose interests our tabloid press, government and opposition would have us believe they hold in such high regard.