It's really grating me at this stage in the election that New Labour in Cardiff Bay think that by making last ditch statements on the health service and hospital reconfiguration that people will miraculously forget about their initial plans to downgrade services in Llandudno and the Royal Glamorgan in Llantristant, amongst others. Jane Davidson may appear all mighty on her myspace blog for declaring that Brian Gibbons has said that services at the Royal Glamorgan will be retained, but this wasn't the case a few months ago. The fact of the matter is that New Labour in Cardiff Bay are panicking about the result of this election, and are trying to get themselves out of a black hole.
They can accuse us of scaremongering on this issue if they so wish, but at the end of the day, they are the ones who have been in Government for the last 8 years. It is New Labour who proposed this reconfiguration plan without due consultation with service users or those who work in the NHS, and it is New Labour that has failed to deliver- nobody else.
As an opposition party, it is our duty to scrutinise the government, to hold them to account, and to criticise them for ineffective past policies. If we cannot take on that role head on, then I am baffled. If we wish to field candidates under the title of ' Save Llandudno Hospital' or ' Save Withybush Hospital,' it is our democratic right as a party dedicated to retaining key services locally.
Labour's actions with regards recent announcements to save key hospitals in key seats is nothing new of course. They have always managed to say one thing, and do another. For example, Labour AM's and MP's have appeared on civil service picket lines, have smiled their blairesque smiles in photo op's with local postmasters, while their London colleagues slash services. We've seen Labour ministers cry crocodile tears when there have been factory closures in their area, and AM's trying to distance themselves from unpopular Westminster decisions such as trident and the war in Iraq.
It's about time people realised that they will always be the centralised, big business driven 'New Labour' - that they can never return to the 'old Labour' past. People such as Ray Davies, a Labour Councillor in Caerphilly, stay in the party in a somewhat dream like belief that the party will someday return to its socialist roots!
They can accuse us of scaremongering on this issue if they so wish, but at the end of the day, they are the ones who have been in Government for the last 8 years. It is New Labour who proposed this reconfiguration plan without due consultation with service users or those who work in the NHS, and it is New Labour that has failed to deliver- nobody else.
As an opposition party, it is our duty to scrutinise the government, to hold them to account, and to criticise them for ineffective past policies. If we cannot take on that role head on, then I am baffled. If we wish to field candidates under the title of ' Save Llandudno Hospital' or ' Save Withybush Hospital,' it is our democratic right as a party dedicated to retaining key services locally.
Labour's actions with regards recent announcements to save key hospitals in key seats is nothing new of course. They have always managed to say one thing, and do another. For example, Labour AM's and MP's have appeared on civil service picket lines, have smiled their blairesque smiles in photo op's with local postmasters, while their London colleagues slash services. We've seen Labour ministers cry crocodile tears when there have been factory closures in their area, and AM's trying to distance themselves from unpopular Westminster decisions such as trident and the war in Iraq.
It's about time people realised that they will always be the centralised, big business driven 'New Labour' - that they can never return to the 'old Labour' past. People such as Ray Davies, a Labour Councillor in Caerphilly, stay in the party in a somewhat dream like belief that the party will someday return to its socialist roots!
....OK, so your father's grandfather was the Labour Mayor of Merthyr all those years ago, but times really have changed. How many more times will you let New Labour pull the wool over your eyes?
10 comments:
This is fast becoming an argument about semantics that will only confuse people further.
Labour say they'll "guarantee" the future of hospitals, when what they really mean is that they'll stick to the reconfiguration programme they've backed all along.
And Plaid say they are against Labour's "hospital closure programme", when what they really mean is that they'd halt that very same reconfiguration.
There's more bombast than clarity on both sides. No wonder voters are perplexed.
there can be a difference of opinion between people in the party who see themselves as 'old' labour and some of the more Blairite Policies of the Last ten years. Equally you can say exactly the same thing regarding the other parties. Does Plaid harbour people who want full independence immediately? no if's, no but's, FULL independence NOW not 'in the future'...Why do Plaid supporters who hark back to an idea of a full independent Wales still suppport a party that have been so careful to keep independence off the issues list in the elections? No party is perfect to ones needs, and all parties (even Plaid) have to be a broad coalition of ideas under one umbrella. Meta-ideologies have gone, the Labour Party has never been doctrine driven, and i believe the values at the core of the party are ones i believe in wholeheartedly. Do i want New Labour to be more bold in terms of being more 'socialist' (by the way if you can define what this means you are a greater political mind than most)? Of course i would in the same way as there is people in Plaid who want immediate movement on independence and it being at the forefront of everything i they do. Are you telling those people to leave Plaid because this will not be realised fully in the near future?
Of course the opposition is there to scrutinise, but you seem now to accept that its a reconfiguration of hospitals and not closure, this isnt what other people are saying in your party to the media...Make up your mind please. Of course i believe consultations should be deeper and more widespread, but that is more a case of communication rather than policy. Plaid are scaremongering by saying that such and such will close, without allowing for the reasoning behind it (that different services can be provided at different locations and in most cases close to the communities they serve).
I totally disagree.
Labour proposed the reconfiguration, we are against it. Nothing is clearer from our behalf. It is Labour who are trying to back tack on their decisions. How can we be associated with this? we are merely opposing such plans as a party.
marcusian. Plaid are in favour of Independence. We are now campaigning for a full legislative parliament. Independence is a long way off but it is our goal.
Socialism can be defined in many ways, but in my opinion, it certainly doesn't mean asset stripping, cash for peerages, centralisation and privatisation a la New Labour! That is why I am not a member of the Labour Party.
On the hospital issue, we are not scaremongering. We are merely providing the alternative to voters who are against Labour's health plans of hospital downgrades.It's as simple as that.
I agree on privatisation, i am more than happy to go against the new Labour grain on that. Are plaid going to reverse privatisation in all aspects of public society? Is it really necessary? Could you win seats on this platform? Are your laptops going to be provided for by PUBLIC companies? Or microsoft or apple? Is it right for private companies to have such priviledged access to Wales' youth through an assembly sponsored programme?
I suppose entering ANY government with the tories IS socialist then? Tell me one socialist government that can include the tories? Any coalition relies on give and take, will the tories roll over and go 'yeah ok we chuck our lot in with you guys so you guys can turn Wales into a socialist society'? I dont think they will
Does it mean voting with the tories on policies that i would call 'socialist' in their outlook? Can we now judge all Plaid's policies under the banner 'is this socialist'?
Centralisation? Surely a criticism of socialism is the very fact it relies on a strong state that intervenes in many areas of life? havent all the different views in your party on independence and coalitions been centralised to speak with one voice? Why does Adam Price have a say as a westminster mp? Plaid were quick to have a go at Peter Hain when he spoke on Assembly Coalitions, yet Adam Price, who wants a different thing to Ieuann Whinge Jones is quite happy to stick his nose in.
With regards your independence point, you must admit that there are those in your party that believe that Plaid Cyrmu's very being is about Independence, no 'in the future' about it? Much in the same i want a more socialist society now, but filter those ideas through the political reality. If Plaid could win an election on a '100% Independence- Now' manifesto then would it be happy to do that? Im pretty sure it would. The political reality of it is that unless Plaid win seats and elections it cannot even begin to move towards 'independence'.
Means and ends wouldnt you agree?
With regards your independence point, you must admit that there are those in your party that believe that Plaid Cyrmu's very being is about Independence, no 'in the future' about it?
There's this thing called "democracy" Marcusian, along with another thing called "responsible government". What on earth are you trying to suggest, seriously? That a Plaid led government would call immediately for independence? What kind of fantasy world is it that you live in? Of course, you're plainly just being facetious, and your pursuit -like a dog chasing its own tail- of the so-called "independence question" only highlights the lack of substance in Labour's "vision".
Labour are planning to close Abergele, St Asaph and prestatyn Hospitals. To accomodate the services rovided in these hospitals other services provided at ysbytty Glan Clwyd are being cut.
We have been very careful never to say llandudno is being closed. The only people to say it was under threat of closure was Amicus who claimed Labour saved it from closure (i kid not) and now Labour are claiming they will save Llandudno by taking away key services.
Im not going to even reply in depth to you Sandeff because you have missed my point entirely.
Marcusian,
It may be a little unfair for a Labour supporter to attack plaid for a possible coalition with the tories, when you're happy to be in coalition with Tony Blair, Chris Bryant and David Hanson Tories one and all. In favour of trident, PFI, anti union legislation, colonial wars and big business.
With Hattersley on the far left of your party, it's very difficult to paint yourself as anything other than conservative.
I'm sure Plaid would shy away from nationalising anything if they ever got close. But credit where credits due - at least THEY are talking about it.
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