The decision to close the stroke unit at QEQM in Margate in favour of three HASUs (Hyper Acute Stroke Units) sited in Dartford, Maidstone and Ashford is a slap in the face for Thanet residents. This is an undemocratic decision as the CCG (Clinical Commissioning Group) are not listening to the concerns of many thousands […]
Category: Opinion
Crossrail to Thanet Parkway – integrated planning required
The announcement this week that Crossrail will now not open for another year will be a major blow for Sadiq Khan. His policy has been to freeze Transport For London (TFL) prices on trains, tubes, buses and trams in the capital. However, 150 year old infrastructure needs considerable investment and, with ridership on TFL decreasing, […]
Fighting Farage round three?
Oh dear. Might nasty Nigel Farage be heading back to Thanet? Writing in the Daily Telegraph on 17th August, the former leader of UKIP and Parliamentary Candidate for South Thanet in 2005 and 2015 said “I’m back”. Although his piece was very much in relation to the disastrous Conservative government BREXIT negotiations, this is very […]
Kent wheelchair users greatly disadvantaged by Millbrook Healthcare
The plight of wheelchair users came before Kent County Council Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HOSC) meeting on Friday 20th July. As the County Councillor for Ramsgate I was absolutely incensed by the abject failure of the private company, Millbrook Healthcare to deliver a much needed wheelchair provision contact. I am equally angry at the […]
Social housing – dithering is not an option
I have never seen such a bad housing situation as the current crisis in Thanet. I meet rough sleepers on a daily basis. Many people visiting our isle comment on the number of occupied doorways and individuals begging in the town centres. This is the visible homeless. I’m fighting to raise the profile of the […]
Thanet’s homeless need government action
There are a considerable number of local parents dealing with the impacts of homelessness in Thanet. As local authority housing stock has decreased and the number of private landlords who will not accept tenants on benefits increases, families are getting caught in calamitous housing scenarios. Homelessness in Thanet is on the increase. As a local […]
Happy Birthday to our NHS
I have been involved working in the NHS for about 25 years. My first job as a GMB union organiser in the East Midlands meant working in Kingsmill Hospital in Mansfield (among others) representing the cleaning staff. I was called in when the employees had been TUPE’d to a private cleaning company. In other words […]
Appearing on Paul on Politics
It was a pleasure to accept another invitation to appear on KMTV’s political discussion show, Paul on Politics. On this edition we covered recent news topics including Theresa May’s announcement about additional funding for the NHS, the possibility of decriminalising cannabis, waste management in Kent and, of course, the football World Cup. With studio guests […]
Fund schools. Tackle poverty.
Right across the country primary school funding is being systematically cut back. This means a freeze on recruitment, fewer teaching assistants and heavier workloads for staff. It means our children aren’t getting the education they need and deserve. I’ve checked out Newington Community Primary school which is in my Thanet District Council ward of Newington. […]
Sainsbury’s and Asda – protecting the workers
Over the weekend news was circulating about talks between Asda and Sainsbury’s supermarkets. Today it has been confirmed that the two retail giants plan to pool resources and become bigger than Tesco. With over 350,000 employees between them and most of those on the shop floor, those of us with the interests of workers at […]