SOLOMON HUGHES explains how the PM is channelling the spirit of Reagan and Thatcher with a ‘two-tier’ nuclear deterrent, whose Greenham Common predecessor was eventually fought off by a bunch of ‘punks and crazies’
NHS deaths at work are political
Health workers are becoming unwell, being refused testing and are dying due to deliberate decisions by our government. We must never forget this, says nurse and Labour councillor IAIN MOONEY
NICOLA SARAH HAWKINS explains how an under-regulated introduction of AI into education is already exacerbating inequalities
Susan Galloway talks to ASH REGAN MSP about her “Unbuyable” Bill, seeking to tackle the commercial sexual exploitation of women in Scotland
What began as a regional alliance now courts Australia, Japan and South Korea while preparing three-front warfare — but this overreach accelerates Nato’s own crisis as member states surrender sovereignty to the US, argues SEVIM DAGDELEN
While Hardie, MacDonald and Wilson faced down war pressure from their own Establishment, today’s leadership appears to have forgotten that opposing imperial adventures has historically defined Labour’s moral authority, writes KEITH FLETT
TUC Midlands marks 20 years of celebrating the 1910 chainmakers’ victory with a festival that connects historical lessons to modern struggles — because working-class history should inspire action, not just nostalgia, writes STUART RICHARDS
WHILE claps and “thank yous” are plenty, PPE and workers’ rights are scarce.
This government and the media are quick to shut down political opposition and criticism, claiming we all need to work together — but what happens when it’s only us left working?
As we approach one month since the government implemented a partial lockdown of Britain, still we see hundreds of daily deaths and conflicting guidance from the government.
Sadly, we are also seeing daily increases in front-line healthcare workers dying as well.
When questioned on this less than a week ago, Heath Secretary Matt Hancock claimed that there had been 19 NHS staff deaths.
Despite this claim being wrong, he stood by it and went on to lay the blame at the feet of NHS staff for what he stated was “misuse of PPE” and claimed that there was no link between the deaths and inadequate supply of PPE and testing.
This negligence and incompetence is not new, of course.
During my 10 years as an NHS nurse, I have seen first-hand the destruction of our beloved NHS at the hands of the Tories.
These are the same people who are quick to ride on the current pride in our healthcare system and class us as “heroes,” while voting down pay rises and workers’ rights and continuing mass privatisation of services.
Capitalists love to refer to emergency workers as “superheroes” and larger-than-life individuals.
They use this as a way of projecting that we can apparently deal with anything, while adding pressure continuously, failing to provide adequate protections, necessities and safety standards.
However, we aren’t “superheroes,” we are human beings, with families, mortgages, rent and everyday life issues.
This is the problem we are seeing currently, the depoliticisation of our society through this mantra.
Suddenly, “now is not the time for politics” and “the government are doing the best they can under such pressure.”
Meanwhile, my colleagues are becoming unwell and refused testing, and NHS staff are dying.
All this due to political decisions made by our government.
The memory of this pandemic will live on once it has passed. It is our duty to make sure the memory of this government’s disastrous response also remains.
Iain Mooney is a Labour councillor on Barrow Borough Council in Cumbria and an NHS nurse.
More from this author
Labour promised change but delivers the same tired formula while private firms pocket millions and staff exodus continues — now workers must lead the fightback through their unions, writes IAIN MOONEY
IAIN MOONEY reports on Unison members’ reaction to government proposals to put nursing staff in different pay categories
It boggles the mind that those Tories responsible for our low pay would try and use it as a stick with which to beat the RMT and its demand for better wages — NHS staff must stand in solidarity with all striking workers, writes IAIN MOONEY
