A November 15 protest in Mexico – driven by a right-wing social-media operation – has been miscast as a mass uprising against President Sheinbaum. In reality, the march was small, elite-backed and part of a wider attempt to sow unrest, argues DAVID RABY
NHS under threat: Labour is wrong to embrace private sector
Diverting public funding to grow private-sector ‘spare capacity,’ actively undermines the funding and staff available to the NHS and results in a worse service, write JOHN PUNTIS and TONY O’SULLIVAN
2024 was the busiest year on record for emergency departments and ambulance services in England. Care in corridors and car parks has become normal. One in eight beds are occupied by patients unable to go home without community or social support. Delays moving sick patients from emergency departments to a hospital bed, caused an estimated 14,000 avoidable deaths last year. A&E overcrowding means ambulances wait outside to hand over patients and miss 100,000 urgent callouts each month.
Despite its massive parliamentary majority, the Labour has dropped previous promises, sidestepped this immediate national crisis and instead announced partnership with the private sector to reduce non-emergency waiting lists by 2029.
Why?
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Behind Starmer’s headline-grabbing abolition of NHS England lies a ruthless drive to centralise control so that cuts of £6.6 billion can be made — even if it means reducing cancer services and clinical staff, writes JOHN LISTER
A&E departments overwhelmed with minor cases as primary care sector struggles to keep up with demand



