Dawson Park Boy

It may be that the conditions are a bit strict but I see nothing wrong in ensuring that only those who are entitled to vote do in fact vote. Seems absolutely correct.

Your own language is not exactly exemplary. Case of ‘pot calling...............’

Do whatever your wife wants to do. If you are awkward your wife will blame you. Unfortunately, blood is thicker than water.

Thanks for that. Much appreciated.

Little assistance please from regular concert goers. Havent been to one for years (a bit ancient) but the wife and I are going to see Tedeschi Trucks Band (we just love Susan’s voice and Derek’s guitar playing)at the O2 Academy on Thursday. Tickets say 7pm but, realistically, when should we go? Also, when do shows tend to finish? We need to get a train at Queen Street.

Williamson was in the warm up yesterday.

Sunak is absolutely correct.

Well, it’s perfectly legal and loads do it. The customers are paying for the NHS and for private healthcare. Nobody would chose to do that but sometimes needs must. Fix the NHS and there will be no need for private healthcare.

What your saying is that you want to live in a socialist utopia. Life isn’t like that, not even in so-called socialist countries. There’s always people at ‘the top of the heap’. The only means of distributing scarce resources is through money whether that’s right or wrong. Whether it’s food, drink, houses, cars, material possessions etc., etc the better off always have the best. Now, you may not like this and it may go against your convictions but that’s what living in a mixed economy, capitalist country is all about. In my own case I had to go private to restore my eyesight to be able to drive...no option. Was that wrong? To some folks, it probably was. You've brought up a point which is basically insoluble. This forum contains a large majority of so- called socialists but I would contend that is merely skin deep. When the crunch comes, most people, regardless of politics, social class, wealth, poverty etc., will prioritise themselves and their own families over the population at large. Huge question you’ve posed which needs a lot of honesty and soul searching in response.

Certainly, if an NHS consultant goes abroad or goes wholly private after only a short period in the NHS then I’m all for a clawback. However, as I said earlier, if they are fulfilling their NHS contract obligations there should be no barrier to them doing private work. Thats only fair.

That’s not what picklish was saying and he worked in the sector.

Interesting take on it. Thanks. If that’s the case, why can’t the NHS get staff? On your scenario, the NHS should have no problem getting staff and private clinics would be shutting down.

Yes, and why shouldn’t they? Its a free country and presumably they fulfil their NHS obligations. Absolutely no reason for anyone not to do some extra work out with the NHS. The private sector is expanding and quite a few surgeons in specialised areas have gone wholly private. Its all down to market forces and quite correct too. If the NHS can’t function properly, others will do so.

Only because the public system is so poor that people are forced to go private. Thank goodness we do have a private sector which can offer services the NHS can’t. There should be a system whereby, if the NHS can’t do your elective procedure within a set timescale then the patient should go private and the NHS pays for it. I actually thought we had something like that but from what I hear anecdotally it only actually happens occasionally.

I'm not sure the FT journos read the Politics forum on PnB but let's see if they respond to you. Well, stats show that most other countries have better outcomes than us so that’s a good place to start. The likes of France and Germany seem to have a partly public/partly private system which works better than our wholly public system. Lets examine those systems and see if we can learn from them.

Yes, but why can’t they? Have any other countries managed this? All seems strange to me.

Yes, the NHS is useless. Rather than report something we all know, what’s your solution?

Exactly! This guy has nothing better to do with his life. Very sad.

Absolutely correct. The US, UK and the EU all have inflation rates of around 10% and all three are aggressively raising interest rates. Painful but essential although, historically, rates are relatively low. Hopefully, things should improve during 2023.

I see the police have classified the game as ‘high risk’ thus requiring the deployment of horses, dogs and drones. Seems totally over the top!!

Andy Irvine.

Strange how the big ‘independence’ centres of Glasgow and Dundee are in such a mess? Not a great advert.

Would never vote Labour but always thought Murray was one of the better ones.

Wrong Its from the same country. Absolutely no equivalence.

Good to hear. Get them in the bin!