Twee

[maggiebee]

This popped up on my FB page today. Think it's a tweet but not 100% sure as I don't use Twitter.

Philip Pullman
@ PhilipPullman

Saying this as clearly as I can: Boris Johnson
is removing the Covid restrictions because he
WANTS the NHS to collapse, so that he has a
political excuse for privatising it. Nothing else,
not even stupidity, can explain what's going on.

I'll probably be accused, as before, of being a leftie but I can live with that. Have been called worse in my life and no doubt will be again.

[jno]

Boris has done quite well out of the NHS, nursed through intensive care (one of the nurses later left in disgust); but he knows if it wasn't there, he could afford commercial services run by old Etonians who would probably treat him for free anyway in return for featuring his kind comments in advertisements.

Not everyone is in this happy position, but I doubt he's much bothered except at election times.

[Ken4155]

Is that Phillip Pullman the author, Maggie?

[aelmpvw]

i don't think for a minute that the health secretary has contracted covid, it's just a cunning plan to try and make us cautious when the floodgates open tomorrow . . .

[jim360]

I don't use twitter either, but:

https://twitter.com/PhilipPullman/status/1414510194080505859

https://twitter.com/PhilipPullman/status/1415026505743282177

[jno]

I've cencelled my visit to his garden party anyway, just in case, aelmpvw.

[naomi24]

Absolute bunkum! Every political party is well aware that the one that privatises the health service is signing its own death warrant. Apart from that, what makes anyone think that Conservative voters, most of whom are not multi-millionaires - would - or could - accept that. We all need the health service. More destructive propaganda - and the leftie's are still gleefully lapping it up. You'd think they'd have learnt by now - but they haven't.

[maggiebee]

Now why did I just know you would jump in with a response like that Naomi. Ah my crystal ball is working perfectly today.

[naomi24]

Something wrong, maggiebee?

[bobbinwales]

I agree with naomi on this one maggiebee

[jno]

it's already being privatised, naomi. The last figure I could find was that the NHS spent £9bn on private sector contracts in 2019, doubled in less than a decade.

More recently Covid contracts were awarded to people with government connections, like Hancock's pub landlord chum

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/26/matt-hancock-former-neighbour-won-covid-test-kit-contract-after-whatsapp-message

and party donors (with their names blacked out, of course!)

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-56667960

Nobody's going to say "We're privatising the NHS. But they're doing it anyway.

[bhg481]

Me too. With the current state of the opposition the Tories can do ALMOST anything they want without fear of losing their majority. That's ALMOST; selling the NHS would be one step too far.

[vulcan42]

naomi is right, no crystal ball needed.

[naomi24]

//it's already being privatised, naomi. //

When was the last time the NHS sent you a bill for treatment, jno?

[jno]

that's what I'm saying, naomi: sending me a bill would be an admission that they're doing it. So they just take more out of my tax instead and don't mention it.

But I get plenty of bills from my NHS dentist, alas.

[rowanwitch]

We can't afford the nhs we want, that can do everything we ask its never been viable on that basis so it makes sense to have a private option alongside. I have been an NHS patient in the Priory. ( varicose veins not rehab). I would like to see more affordable health insurance and maybe the options of more affordable private
or part funded care for minor problems. This would leave the health service to do more of what it does best

[naomi24]

jno, Are you suggesting that all funding for the NHS should remain within the NHS? What do you suggest they do in order to obtain the necessary services and equipment. Set up factories and go into manufacturing? Utterly ridiculous.

[jno]

when the NHS issues contracts, it should be a competitive process, not one which hands the deals straight to party donors. Its duty is to us, not to Hancock's mates.

https://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/covid-contracts-raise-corruption-concerns-report-says-b931041.html

[naomi24]

Would that make it less 'privatised', jno?

[Canary42]

"Privatised" doesn't necessarily mean not getting bills. It means more public money being trousered by rich shareholders, instead of going towards providing good public services. We've seen this borne out with the railways, utilities, etc. And parts of the NHS of course, privatisation by stealth.

[ToraToraTora]

what a load of old pony maggie, If I was you I'd worry more about what the Wee 'un is doing to Scotland.