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Showing posts with label Criminal. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Criminal. Show all posts
Friday, 2 August 2013
Saturday, 27 October 2012
Private sector (again) fails elderly and vulnerable: Is it a result of "political correctness" gone mad?
There have been two examples over recent days of how privatised care services can have disastrous consequences for some of the most vulnerable in our society, particularly the elderly and disabled.
In Wellingborough the elderly care provider Harmony Care (sic) has gone into administration; a clear example of "market failure" - where the local public sector/state will probably end up picking up the pieces for the provision of care for its residents. Even if another private sector provider takes over, it is likely to result in attempts to cut costs by reducing the quality of care, in order to ensure that it returns to "profitability" for its new owners.
The second example comes from Bristol where the Panorama exposure of gross human rights abuses in a care home resulted in criminal convictions for some of the people who worked there. But who has got off scot free? - the owners of the care home of course, who should be the ones getting the lion share of the blame for the culture that was allowed to develop and the failure of management. This is what the owners were responsible for but failed to do anything about (but, of course, they probably gained significant profits from running it and really care little about how they were produced).
What a condemnation of the kind of society we are living in and creating more of: where public services are denigrated, cut, closed or privatised and the private sector praised, promoted and expanded; but when the private sector fails (as it has and always will do) there is little recognition of its effects. Isn't this "political correctness gone mad": where the right wing ideology promoting the dominance of free/private markets into all areas of society is promoted and extolled, against all the evidence of it systemic failure in reality (particularly in meeting social needs of the poorest and most vulnerable). Public services may not be perfect, but there is some (there should be much more!) democratic accountability and scrutiny of what it does; and the people who work in the public sector are overwhelmingly committed to, and motivated by, serving their clients and the public - not creating profits for private owners.
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In Wellingborough the elderly care provider Harmony Care (sic) has gone into administration; a clear example of "market failure" - where the local public sector/state will probably end up picking up the pieces for the provision of care for its residents. Even if another private sector provider takes over, it is likely to result in attempts to cut costs by reducing the quality of care, in order to ensure that it returns to "profitability" for its new owners.
The second example comes from Bristol where the Panorama exposure of gross human rights abuses in a care home resulted in criminal convictions for some of the people who worked there. But who has got off scot free? - the owners of the care home of course, who should be the ones getting the lion share of the blame for the culture that was allowed to develop and the failure of management. This is what the owners were responsible for but failed to do anything about (but, of course, they probably gained significant profits from running it and really care little about how they were produced).
Wellingborough Herald & Post 25-10-12
What a condemnation of the kind of society we are living in and creating more of: where public services are denigrated, cut, closed or privatised and the private sector praised, promoted and expanded; but when the private sector fails (as it has and always will do) there is little recognition of its effects. Isn't this "political correctness gone mad": where the right wing ideology promoting the dominance of free/private markets into all areas of society is promoted and extolled, against all the evidence of it systemic failure in reality (particularly in meeting social needs of the poorest and most vulnerable). Public services may not be perfect, but there is some (there should be much more!) democratic accountability and scrutiny of what it does; and the people who work in the public sector are overwhelmingly committed to, and motivated by, serving their clients and the public - not creating profits for private owners.
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Wednesday, 11 April 2012
Guest Poem: Dear Mr. Cameron.....
I was sent this poem by a friend and I thought it worth putting on my blog. I am not sure who the author is, but would like to congratulate them for summing up so eloquently how so many people feel.
**************Dear Mr. Cameron, you say we're broken and sick
But we're just sick of being broke and putting up with this shit.
Its not pockets of society, it’s about society's pockets
This country eats its young, it’s up to us to stop it
Our Tuition fees tripled and EMA axed
20% V.A.T. and even more and more tax
Tell us Mr. Cameron, how are we supposed to cope?
Growing up with no future, no voice and no hope.
Born into a greedy, materialistic world
Money loving capitalistic little boys and girls
We looted JD and Argos, you say its 'criminal and senseless'
But MPs can take kickbacks disguised as 'expenses'
'Do as I say not as I do' is the governments call
As Banks take the piss and we ALL take the fall
Police and Parliament call us rioters and ‘moral lacking’ vandals
Whilst the Chief Commissioner AND Assistant resign over 'Hacking' scandals
Where do we find good, honest role models to follow?
When our so called should-be leaders are so shallow and hollow
So we're left jaded, misguided and ultimately lost
As we rage against the machine you're just counting the cost
Instead of examining the problem to get to the root
You ignore all the signs and turn a blind eye to truth
Please Mr Cameron don't just react to save face
Don't play Mr. Tough to make the public feel safe
Your 'Fightback' campaign and the 'all nighter' courts
May have sent out a 'message' but justice fell short
BBC and SKY News distorting the facts
Subtlety pitching the whites against blacks
But this ain't about colour, race, or aggression
It's about the corruption that caused the recession
Violence is not acceptable Mr Cameron we agree
But if it wasn't for the riots would you even see me?
Would you see the gangs or the deprived neighbourhoods
Or the fact the property ladder is off bounds for good
We regret loss of life, we regret we caused harm
R.I.P. Shazad Ali, Abdul Musavir and Haroon Jahan
Mark Duggan’s death was not the cause of the riot.
His family's protest was peaceful and quiet.
Still 333 deaths since 1998
By the hands of Police but not ONE prosecution to date
There's only so much a young nation can take.
But you squeeze and you push, and you bend ‘til we break
Then we blow leaving anarchy and chaos in our wake
So learn a lesson Mr Cameron don't repeat the mistake
You have choice wrong or right but which will you choose?
Signed: A generation with nothing to lose.
Thursday, 16 July 2009
Here is the News. Or not as the case may be.
My fellow Independent (Socialist) Councillor in Northampton, Tony Clarke, recently posted the following blog. It is well worth repeating. If you wish to see the orginal go to: http://tonyclarkeindependent.blogspot.com/2009/07/here-is-news-or-not-as-case-may-be.html
"Counter terrorism detectives investigating plots in Yorkshire have seized the largest suspected terrorist arsenal in England since the early 1960s. The haul includes over 300 weapons, ranging from rocket launchers to firearms and pipebombs.They have been found in the last six weeks during raids of over 20 properties. Some People have been arrested. Several have been charged and reports suggest more arrests are imminent.The police investigation is linked to arrests in Europe, New Zealand and Australia. The police are examining allegations that many of the guns were manufactured or reactivated, then sold over the Internet.
Detectives have also discovered maps and plans of target buildings in the the homes of those arrested.All of the above took place in a series of raids and arrest in Yorkshire in the last 6 weeks.So why hasn't it hit the media in a big way? Surely the biggest arms cache seized in nearly 50 years, including the discovery of rocket launchers is big HEADLINE news at a time when terrorism is such a national concern and obsession? And the media have not been shy in the past at exposing Britain's "Home Grown Terrorists" and the threat they pose to our country.
But the difference here is a simple albeit inexplicable one. You see all those arrested were far right extremists, the investigation was part of a campaign against Neo Nazis, and amongst the finds less dangerous but more worrying were membership details of the BNP. In addition to the finds reports of attacks on Mosques (the focus of those discovered maps and plans) are on the increase. All this points to a concentration of far right terror activity set in Yorkshire, where the BNP won a seat in the European parliament last month. A Whitehall official said: "We are not picking them up anywhere else in the country like this and it may be related to the strong support for the BNP." And it also suggests that todays conviction of NF member Neil Lewington for the manufacture of improvised bombs and last years conviction of fellow Nazi Martin Gilliiard are just the tip of a very nasty iceburg.
So why the news clamp down? why can do the media publish Lewington's conviction and yet seem keen to hide the evidence of even worst planned atrocities in Yorkshire?
The only national politician seemingly willing to speak out seems to be my old work mate and fellow once expelled Labour Party member Ken Livingstone! Ken is now chair of Unite Against Fascism and he was clear in stating his concerns when he said "It is extraordinary that the entire national media are not galvanised by the discovery of the largest terrorist arms cache in Britain since the 1960s and clear statements by the authorities that there is a rise in violent far right terrorism." This is clearly a threat to every Black, Asian, Muslim and other minority ethnic and religious group in Britain, as shown by the firebombing of Muslim targets which could easily have led to deaths. This shows the reality behind the election of the BNP to the European parliament and the effects of the drip, drip, drip of Islamophobia in the media. "We need an all-out campaign to politically defeat the extreme right, the media to expose the threat of far right terrorism and the police to relentlessly pursue those responsible for every attack."
I agree with him wholeheartedly and perhaps some need to be asking some serious questions as to how our broadcast news is selected and transmitted. It seems not a week goes by without news reports of suspected Muslim Terrorists being led away from their homes for questioning, usually set against a framed backdrop of the local community carrying out tasks that are little more offensive than shopping or playing in the street or simply going about their daily business.
If we are going to win the war against terror, and ensure that the 'Prevent Violent Extremism' agenda is successful then we need to ensure that equal attention and focus is given to the obvious dangers coming from the white supremacists and the far right in our own back yards instead of only focusing on Muslim Communities and fueling further the Islamaphobia that exists almost unhindered in our country."
Cllr. Tony Clarke
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"Counter terrorism detectives investigating plots in Yorkshire have seized the largest suspected terrorist arsenal in England since the early 1960s. The haul includes over 300 weapons, ranging from rocket launchers to firearms and pipebombs.They have been found in the last six weeks during raids of over 20 properties. Some People have been arrested. Several have been charged and reports suggest more arrests are imminent.The police investigation is linked to arrests in Europe, New Zealand and Australia. The police are examining allegations that many of the guns were manufactured or reactivated, then sold over the Internet.
Detectives have also discovered maps and plans of target buildings in the the homes of those arrested.All of the above took place in a series of raids and arrest in Yorkshire in the last 6 weeks.So why hasn't it hit the media in a big way? Surely the biggest arms cache seized in nearly 50 years, including the discovery of rocket launchers is big HEADLINE news at a time when terrorism is such a national concern and obsession? And the media have not been shy in the past at exposing Britain's "Home Grown Terrorists" and the threat they pose to our country.
But the difference here is a simple albeit inexplicable one. You see all those arrested were far right extremists, the investigation was part of a campaign against Neo Nazis, and amongst the finds less dangerous but more worrying were membership details of the BNP. In addition to the finds reports of attacks on Mosques (the focus of those discovered maps and plans) are on the increase. All this points to a concentration of far right terror activity set in Yorkshire, where the BNP won a seat in the European parliament last month. A Whitehall official said: "We are not picking them up anywhere else in the country like this and it may be related to the strong support for the BNP." And it also suggests that todays conviction of NF member Neil Lewington for the manufacture of improvised bombs and last years conviction of fellow Nazi Martin Gilliiard are just the tip of a very nasty iceburg.
So why the news clamp down? why can do the media publish Lewington's conviction and yet seem keen to hide the evidence of even worst planned atrocities in Yorkshire?
The only national politician seemingly willing to speak out seems to be my old work mate and fellow once expelled Labour Party member Ken Livingstone! Ken is now chair of Unite Against Fascism and he was clear in stating his concerns when he said "It is extraordinary that the entire national media are not galvanised by the discovery of the largest terrorist arms cache in Britain since the 1960s and clear statements by the authorities that there is a rise in violent far right terrorism." This is clearly a threat to every Black, Asian, Muslim and other minority ethnic and religious group in Britain, as shown by the firebombing of Muslim targets which could easily have led to deaths. This shows the reality behind the election of the BNP to the European parliament and the effects of the drip, drip, drip of Islamophobia in the media. "We need an all-out campaign to politically defeat the extreme right, the media to expose the threat of far right terrorism and the police to relentlessly pursue those responsible for every attack."
I agree with him wholeheartedly and perhaps some need to be asking some serious questions as to how our broadcast news is selected and transmitted. It seems not a week goes by without news reports of suspected Muslim Terrorists being led away from their homes for questioning, usually set against a framed backdrop of the local community carrying out tasks that are little more offensive than shopping or playing in the street or simply going about their daily business.
If we are going to win the war against terror, and ensure that the 'Prevent Violent Extremism' agenda is successful then we need to ensure that equal attention and focus is given to the obvious dangers coming from the white supremacists and the far right in our own back yards instead of only focusing on Muslim Communities and fueling further the Islamaphobia that exists almost unhindered in our country."
Cllr. Tony Clarke
******
Friday, 21 September 2007
Criminal Racist Stands for Election in Wellingborough
One of the candidates in the forthcoming local election in Croyland Ward, Wellingborough, is Ray Miles.
In February 2006 Mr. Miles was de-barred as a Councillor for a serious breach of the Councillor’s Code of Conduct. The full case tribunal decision in this case can be found at:
http://www.adjudicationpanel.co.uk/documents/ape_0332_final_full_decision.pdf
As you can see, Mr. Miles was debarred for the following reasons:
- He had been convicted of a serious criminal offence which was racially aggravated. The Standards Board at that time said: “Such crimes do not just injure the victim they also “erode the standards decency of the wider community”. They undermine the relationship between a councillor and the community they represent. This particular offence went to the very heart of the role and function of a councillor, which is to represent everyone within the community and to promote equality …”
- The Standards Board went on “his conviction severely impaired his ability to gain and sustain the confidence of all sections of the community”.
To put it bluntly, Mr. Miles is a criminal, a racist and should not hold public office. He brought the position and office of Councillor into disrepute. He has shown no remorse or issued any kind of apology for what he did and therefore remains a continuing danger. He stands apart from the overwhelming majority of local Councillors who seek to ensure the highest (rather than the lowest) standards in public office and to promote equality and good relations between all sections of our communities. He is not a fit person to be a Councillor!
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