Protecting the NHS
A damning poll has revealed that a
majority of people do not believe
Boris Johnson's promise to keep
the NHS out of a trade deal with
Donald Trump after Brexit. The
poll by Survation found only 31%
believe his pledge on the NHS and
a US trade deal. How safe is the
NHS from Brexit, privatisation and
US Drug Giants?
DRUG DEALING
In 2013 the Conservative Health
Secretary privatised Plasma
Resources UK, the blood plasma
supplier NHS patients rely on. It
was sold for £200m to a US private
equity group, Bain Capital. Bain
promised to invest in the company
to make it a "life sciences
champion". Instead they sold it to
a Chinese company just three years
later for a cool £820 million. The
Conservative Government did not
protest.
If we leave the EU, Boris Johnson
has made getting a trade deal with
the US a priority. US drugs
companies are demanding "full
market Access" to the NHS' £80m
annual drugs' spending. At the
moment drugs in the US cost nearly
six times as much as the same drug
sold to the NHS.
WHERE ARE OUR NURSES?
The NHS has just published its
highest ever vacancy levels for
nurses. With 43,000 nursing roles
unfilled there is a shortage in most
NHS Trusts. Since the 2016 Brexit
vote nearly 5000 nurses have
returned home to their EU
countries.
In 2017 the Conservatives cut
bursaries for trainee nurses. Since
then applications have declined
significantly. After years of
underfunding Boris Johnson says
the NHS is safe in his hands.
Evidence suggests the opposite.
Local Election Results May 2023
A spectacular set of elections both nationally and locally here in Newark and Sherwood!
Overall Lib Dem gains were 405 nationally, which posed a problem for Sky News, whose swingometer apparently was not able to contemplate a set of gains of this magnitude. We exceeded 'Exceeded Expectations'!
Our local gains at the district level saw the addition of our third District Councillor with the victory of Keith Melton in Trent Ward. We also kept 2 of 3 councillors for Southwell, now Karen Roberts and Peter Harris. We were encouraged to see the increase in our share of votes in other seats where we were able to field candidtes. Congratulations to everyone.
We had a very good performance in Southwell Town Council, gaining 10 of the 14 seats for which there were candidates, with 6 of these won in elections and 4 being uncontested. Two Conservatives, one Labour candidate and one Independent were also successful. One place on the council remains to be appointed to.
The Conservatives had a terrible set of district and parish elections, losing about half of their district councillors and many PCs. The final DC result was Conservative 14, Labour 11, Independents 11 (8 for Independents for Newark and 3 for other Independents) and Lib Dems 3. Discussions will take place for some time on the composition of the new administration, which is unlikely to include Conservatives for the first time since 2007.
On behalf of the executive, we are extremely grateful to everyone who stood as candidates, as well as everyone who performed the various roles which were necessary for the campaigns. We are a small party and many of you worked very hard.
We are very grateful for their past work to councillors who have stood down at this election, including Peter Scorer and Stuart Thompstone. Malcolm Brock has stood down from the District, though continues to serve on Southwell TC.
We welcome new members to the party, who were motivated by this campaign. This phenomenon was particularly marked in Trent Ward. Upton support has to be singled out, evidenced for anyone who drove through, by the huge number of LD stakeboards and posters.
Philip Barron
Chair, Newark Liberal Democrats
7 May 2023