38 Degrees Voting Poster in My Window

Yesterday the poster I ordered from the internet democracy organisation 38 Degrees finally arrived. As you probably know, the Tories have introduced legislation which they claim will stop electoral fraud by demanding that voters must have photo ID before they can cast their ballots. This could disenfranchise very many people, who don’t have driving licenses or passports, for example. The group has therefore produced a poster to make people aware of these laws and to encourage them to get the necessary ID. I’ve ordered one, and have put it up in one of my front windows, as you can see.

Don’t let the Tories steal your right to vote. Get the photo ID.

38 Degrees Launching Pin against NHS Privatisation

I got this email from the internet petitioning organisation 38 Degrees yesterday. They are launching a pin as part of their campaign against the Tory privatisation of the NHS. They say it’s free, but they’re asking for donations to fund the campaign. I don’t object to this as it is in a very, very good cause and have donated and ordered one for myself.

‘David, we’re planning the next steps of our NHS anti-privatisation campaign and we need your help.

Since we launched our petition warning the Government not to listen to the likes of Sajid Javid and Ken Clarke’s ideas on charging the sick for being sick, over 103,000 of us have added our names. [1] Thanks to you, our strength is growing.

Over the next few weeks, we want to drive home this message to the Government: don’t you dare privatise our NHS! And together we’ve come up with the perfect plan. Thousands of us said we’d help shine a spotlight on the issue by wearing a pro-NHS pin in a recent survey. [2] So, we’ve been working hard behind the scenes to make it happen.

Now, here’s the exciting bit – we’ve designed a striking limited edition pin that we can all wear to send a clear message: the British public demand an end to the creeping privatisation of our NHS, and are proud of this cherished institution. We’ve already sourced a UK based ethical producer to bring this vision to life.

But if we’re going to send our pins to production on the scale needed, we’ll need your help. To do this, we need to raise £32,000. That’s a lot, but if just 3,721 of us chipped in an average donation of £8.60 today, we’d have the money we need to hit go right away!

So David, will you help us make this exciting plan a reality by chipping in today? After you donate, you can sign up to reserve your own pin.

Chip in £1

Chip in £2

Chip in £3

Chip in another amount

Imagine walking along your high street – and seeing the people you pass wearing this pin with the same message as you. Our strength is in our numbers, David. No matter what the rich, powerful and connected might think, they won’t get away with charging for NHS services if we – the people who use it – fight back. And we could even get pro-NHS MPs to wear it too!

We know public pressure works. Last year we turned a disused ambulance into a huge advertising van and drove it across the country, while Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak battled it out to become our next PM. [3] In her first speech as Prime Minister, Liz Truss said the NHS was one of her top priorities. [4] And Rishi Sunak has been forced to promise he’ll bring down waiting lists. [5]

Together, we’ve held our politicians to account, and reminded them of how much ordinary people like us value our NHS. If tens of thousands of us show our support publicly, nothing will be able to stop us.

So, David, will you be one of the special people that helps make this happen by chipping in whatever you can afford today? After you donate, you can sign up to reserve your own pin.

Chip in £1

Chip in £2

Chip in £3

Chip in another amount

Thanks for being there for our NHS,

Jonathan, Mike, Veronica and the 38 Degrees team

PS: 38 Degrees is a campaigning organisation with a small office team and so doesn’t have the facilities of an online giant like Amazon. Please be patient with us after you make your order, we will try our best to get orders out to you as quickly as possible! To ensure as many households get a pack we’re limiting orders to one pack per household. Please also note, packs will not be shipped outside of the UK. You can find out more on our FAQs page here.

NOTES:
[1] 38 Degrees: Charging the sick for being sick? Don’t you dare
The Times (paywall): Sajid Javid: We need to agree a new NHS future or 1948 dream dies
The Guardian: Gordon Brown: Mark my words: this will be the end of the NHS if the Tories have their way
The Independent: Wealthy Britons should pay fees to use NHS, suggests Tory peer Ken Clarke
[2] 38 Degrees: Thanks for saying you’ll share your thoughts on NHS Privatisation
[3] Express & Star: Ambulance protest greets Tory Party members at hustings
BirminghamLive: Protestors voice anger at NHS delays and costs crisis outside Truss v Sunak hustings at NEC
[4] Sky News: The economy, the energy crisis and the NHS – Liz Truss sets out three key priorities in her first speech as PM
[5] BBC News: Rishi Sunak: Hold me to account if NHS waiting lists don’t fall ‘

Metro Mayor Dan Norris’ Reply to My Letter for 38 Degrees on Bus Franchising

As well as getting people to upload videos about their experiences with terrible buses in the area, 38 Degrees also encouraged them to write to their local authorities. I did so, and received this kind reply from the Labour party West of England metro mayor, Dan Norris. Norris explains that they are already considering the franchise system, but this on its own is only part of the solution. The services also need much more funding.

‘Dear David,

Thank you for your email asking the councils in the Combined Authority to discuss introducing bus franchising into the region. I have a great deal of sympathy with what people are saying in the videos the campaign is sending me every day.

People rely on buses to get to work, school, social events and for shopping, and the bus service is not working as well as it needs to. I completely understand that. You are asking for the idea of franchising to be on the table at the next West of England Combined Authority meeting on March 17th. I have said publicly quite clearly that franchising is already on the table and remains under ongoing review. But it’s not a silver bullet, nor is it public ownership.

Franchising campaigners refer to other Combined Authorities like Greater Manchester, which has franchising but also has a tram system which offsets some of the more immediate problems that their bus services are facing. They too are experiencing an acute bus driver shortage, reduced passenger use post-Covid and increased costs of running the services. I am watching closely to see how my good friend and colleague Andy Burnham is addressing these issues in his region. But you will also no doubt have heard recent news reports that the situation with bus services is a nationwide one.

Less money has been invested in West of England bus services than elsewhere. It works out at £20 per head here but £36 in Manchester and £63 in Liverpool.

I am enormously proud to have secured the highest amount of cash nationwide – half a billion – for transport services more widely. I have repeatedly been told by Government that that funding can not be spent shoring up existing services, though, but must be spent on new ideas.

We need innovative thinking to look at the problem and I am confident that between us we can work towards providing the kind of bus service the region needs and deserves.

I understand the goal of your campaign and will continue to consider franchising along with all other suggestions that come forward, because franchising itself would take years to put in place and we need solutions now. Once again thank you for contacting me,

Yours sincerely,

Dan Norris
Metro Mayor for the West of England

I don’t know what kind of innovative thinking is required, nor how this can improve services. It looks to me that the government’s strings against using it to shore up existing services prevents their improvement and will prevent the creation of new bus routes. At the same time, it seems that any support for bus franchising or nationalisation is quite tepid. But hopefully I’m wrong and something can be done about this.

My Video Supporting 38 Degrees’ Call for Videos about Bus Franchising

A few days ago I got another email from the internet democracy organisation 38 Degrees calling on their members and supporters to make and post to them their videos telling how terrible the bus services are in the area. 38 Degrees are pushing for the introduction of franchising to stop the endless cuts to bus services. I posted the video below to them, which I’ve also uploaded on my YouTube channel.

In the video I explain how the cuts to the bus services in my part of Bristol has meant that local people are no longer able to travel to the centre of town, nor to the city’s hospitals. We also cannot easily travel to the neighbouring towns of Keynsham and Bath, where many people from Bristol go to work. The changes have also had an impact on local businesses. Since the services were changed a few years ago, the buses have gone past local shops and shopping centres but do not stop at them. This has very obviously hit them, especially at a time when many small businesses have been struggling due to the lockdown and the increase in people shopping on line.

Not everybody has a car, and taxis are expensive. This is why we really need a bus franchising system and proper funding to support it.

We Own It Letter Writing Campaign to MPs Against NHS Privatisation

I got this message earlier this morning from anti-privatisation, pro-NHS group We Own It, requesting me and their other supporters to send a form letter to our local MPs calling for an end to the privatisation of the NHS. I’ve had absolutely no problem doing so, and it’s actually very easy. The letter is already written and all you need to do is add your name, address and a ‘Yours sincerely’ at the end. As I’ve said before, my local MP is Karin Smyth, who became a Labour politician because she so despised what the Tories are doing to the Health Service. However, she is also a Starmerite and I honestly don’t know what she will do if he continues the Blairite privatisation of the NHS. I sent her an email a little while ago offering her one of my self-published books against NHS privatisation, and haven’t received a reply. I don’t know if that’s significant. If you’re as worried and angry at the destruction of the Health Service as I am, please respond to We Own It’s message and send a letter of your own.

Here’s their email, giving their very strong reasons for opposing privatisation. Not least is the fact that it kills.

‘Dear David,

What an incredible action on Saturday!

Hundreds of people like you sent a powerful message in the heart of Westminster: NHS PRIVATISATION KILLS.

Now you can increase the impact of that message all around the UK by sending a message to your MP.

Regardless of which party your MP is from, or whether they support or oppose NHS privatisation – they need to know you that you are saying “NHS PRIVATISATION KILLS”.

Take just 3 minutes to make sure your MP gets the message

You’ve already had an impact in your fight against NHS privatisation:

• Pictures and videos from Saturday’s action as well as your pictures of taking action at home with the hashtag #NHSPrivatisationKills have been seen almost a million times across social media
• Your action made it onto the front pages of the Morning Star
• We went on GB News and LBC Radio to talk about your action and make the case to an audience who would normally not hear that message
• Stephen Fry’s message in support of your action received coverage in over 100 local and national press outlets before Saturday.
• Our new polling has shown that two-thirds of the public are WITH YOU in being concerned by NHS privatisation and wanting the NHS reinstated as a fully public service
• Because of your action, we have now established an open line of communication with the office of the Shadow Health Secretary, which will allow us to put the case to him that opposing NHS privatisation is popular with voters, cheaper and safer for patients

Now let’s take that impact even further by making sure our MPs get the message.

It doesn’t matter whether your MP is Labour, Conservative, Lib Dem, SNP, Plaid or independent. They need to hear about this action and know that you are saying that NHS PRIVATISATION KILLS.

Send your MP the email now

Saturday’s powerful action was only the first step in our game plan.

We’ve known for years that NHS privatisation is wasteful, costly, inefficient and bad for patients.

But now with the Oxford University study that links NHS privatisation to 557 preventable deaths between 2013 and 2020, you’re raising the stakes and showing that NHS PRIVATISATION KILLS.

Getting the message that NHS PRIVATISATION KILLS out there will put politicians that support NHS privatisation on the defensive.

They will have to explain to the public why they continue to push for privatisation when they know that it leads to deaths.

And we all know that there are no good reasons to privatise services in our NHS.

The key is to make sure your MP – whatever their party and wherever you are in the UK – knows that you are saying NHS PRIVATISATION KILLS.

Send your MP the email and let them know

You have consistently stood up for our NHS and opposed NHS privatisation. We simply can’t thank you enough!

Cat, Johnbosco, Matthew, Kate, Michael – the We Own It team’

Open Britain On Its Campaign to Get People to Vote

I got this email on Saturday from the internet pro-democracy organisation, Open Britain. They’re organising a campaign to make people aware of the new laws demanding photographic identity before people are allowed to vote, and to get them to get that ID.

‘David —

Too many people in the UK don’t use their greatest democratic weapon, their vote. There are a lot of reasons why this could be, but sadly a good number of people are just disillusioned. 

We’re frightened that the next elections could be the worst election yet. Changes in the rules means that people who want to vote may be turned away. The new rules have been rushed in, so people must make sure they plan to vote.

This doesn’t just impact those without ID for elections, it also impacts those who don’t carry formal ID with them every day. Do you even carry around an ID every day? It’s never been a requirement to do so and many don’t. This is why we will be rolling out a campaign encouraging everyone to vote. 

We want to reach everyone. Open Britain, and its partners, have a plan. We will take our message to people where they live, work and relax. We will go to the people most at risk of losing their vote because these people won’t come to us.

We will be developing a new cutting-edge campaign utilising new and old methods to reach deep into communities. We will be using local volunteers and modern digital techniques backing that up. 

People will be the core of our campaign, we see this as a real national campaign driven by our communities. 

Making sure every voter in the UK knows to bring ID to vote will be a challenge, but we won’t hide from challenges. I bet you have friends, family members or colleagues who forget to vote. Let’s remind them.

If you have any ideas that you’d like to contribute please get in touch by replying to this email. Together we will get people voting.

Best

Joel’

This is, unfortunately, a very necessary campaign. There’s precious little voter fraud going on, so the legislation demanding proof of identity with a photograph is unnecessary. But that’s not why it was passed. The Tories are just following the Republicans in America, who passed it as a way of covertly disenfranchising the various groups that vote for the Democrats – the poor, the young, students and Blacks. The same people, who in this country are more likely to vote Labour.

As for dispelling disillusionment, that’s a far greater ask. And Starmer is no solution. Novara Media put up a piece today talking about the less than enthusiastic vision of a Labour victory held out by Emily Thornberry and Angela Rayner. One of the two said that they weren’t going to promise all that they’d like, and a Labour victory at the next election wouldn’t be like the excitement she felt, dancing home with two red flowers in her hand the night of the 1997 Labour victory. But the important thing is to get the Tories out. And then things would be better. Not great, but better.

Michael Walker and main woman Ash Sarkar pointed out that the enthusiasm that inspired millions to join the Labour party and support Corbyn didn’t come from Corbyn as a person, but because he stood for the reforms they believed in. And when Blair’s Labour entered office, they just carried on with Tory business as usual, but with the addition of an imperialist war that destabilised the entire region. Corbyn stood against all that. If he had got in, working people would have been empowered and there would be no more wars like that from Labour.

But any kind of vision seems to have been abandoned by Labour, who are just telling us that they’ll be better managers than the Tories, but won’t tell us what kind of state they’ll manage. And, oh yes, it’s still going to be crap.

It seems it’s not just George Bush senior who doesn’t have the ‘vision thing.’

And unfortunately, cynicism and disillusionment, because politicians are all the same, is just as corrosive of democracy as gerrymandering and stupid, unnecessary ID law.

Open Britain Launch Popular Campaign to Raise Awareness of Voter ID Laws

You may well have seen the adverts telling us on TV that the laws have been changed so that photo IDs will be demanded as proof of identity before you can vote at elections. This is supposedly to prevent electoral fraud, and was introduced by the Tories on the back of similar legislation in America. That was criticised by the American Left, including The Young Turks, because the most likely sections of society not to have photographic IDs are the poor, Blacks, the young and students, precisely the sort of people that vote for the left. And one Republican politico even admitted that it was done to keep the Dems out.

The pro-democracy group, Open Britain, have issued this message to their supporters informing them that they are staring a campaign to make sure everyone is aware of the changes and has such identity documents so that they can vote.

‘Dear David,

Did you know that millions of eligible voters may be turned away from the ballot box at May’s local elections? The government rushed through new voter ID requirements ahead of this year’s May 4th local elections – and it’s going to impact you. 

For the first time in England, voters will be required to present photo ID to vote—and not all photo IDs will be accepted. If you show up to the polls with an 18+ Oyster card or a student ID, for example, you may be denied your ballot, while IDs like 60+ Oyster cards will be accepted. 

It doesn’t seem very fair does it? 

While the Electoral Commission has launched a public awareness campaign, many fear that the new law will harm our democracy with voters unaware of the requirements. The [rushed] enactment of these restrictions is meant to target voter fraud (with very little evidence that this is an issue in the UK ) and will cost millions in taxpayer funds, while the public still faces an urgent cost-of-living crisis. 

Similar laws have been enacted in the American South to suppress votes, particularly those of society’s most disadvantaged. We cannot go down this undemocratic path in the UK. Any eligible voter denied this May is unacceptable, so we must act to ensure that everyone is able to plan to vote ahead of time. 

The Electoral Commission simply can’t do enough on its own, so we must take direct action to spread the word to our family, friends, and communities. The most effective thing we can do is to ask those around us if they know about the new rules, have proper ID, or if they need help applying for a Voter Authority Certificate. 

Everyone deserves a fair shot at having their voices heard, and Open Britain remains committed to ensuring that this is the case. This May, you, your loved ones, or your communities could be unjustly disenfranchised, so we all need to set out a plan to vote. Open Britain has launched a Plan to Vote campaign, and the hard work begins now.

Sign up to follow

Best,

Joel’

Open Britain Launches Stop Farage Campaign

I had this email from the internet activist group Open Britain yesterday. They’re concerned about the rising popularity of Farage and the Faragist parties and tendency in the Conservatives, and so are launching a campaign to stop him. This is accompanied by another campaign to encourage people to vote, as they’re also worried by low voter turnout and increasing demoralization among the voting public. I think this may be too much for me to get involved with, but I’m putting it up here for anyone who’s interested.

‘Hi David

You’ve heard a lot from us in previous weeks about the tragic state of British politics. We have some good news for you today, Open Britain has a plan. 

How we’re fighting back in 2023

We can’t sit back and watch the fate of Britain struggle. While many are looking at a future general election with great favour, this is not the time to only sit and  watch. Remaining vigilant is not enough in these turbulent times which is why Open Britain is proud to launch two very different but two incredibly impactful campaigns. 

Stop Farage

Farage and his damaging ideology are back. He never really went away but the Reform party, set up as the Brexit party by Farage and led by his pal Richard Tice, is doing better and better in the polls day by day.

We need to end the myth that Farage is an honest man supporting every day Britons. His ideology is driving a stream of inconsiderate and dangerous policies and is empowering the far-right within the Conservative party. We’re campaigning to reduce his influence.

Find Out More

Plan to Vote

Too many people in the UK don’t vote, their vote. This is for many reasons, sadly a good number of people are simply disillusioned. 

We’re frightened that the next elections could be the worst election yet. Changes in the rules means that people who want to vote may be turned away. The new rules have been rushed in, we want to help people plan to vote.

Find Out More

Help us help everybody

While these campaigns are ongoing we will of course be continuing our usual activities. You will still receive regular updates about democracy and still see us pushing other campaigns to fix our country.

Support Open Britain

Kind regards

Matt”

Megaphone Urges People to Join Protests Against Sunak’s Anti-Strike Legislation

Rishi Sunak, our unelected Prime Minister, has pushed through parliament his wretched anti-strike legislation. Put working people are organising to push it back. I got this message from Megaphone, the internet campaigning branch of the TUC. There’s a wave of protests planned for tomorrow, and the Megaphone is naturally keen for people to get involved.

‘David,

Last night, the government rammed its shameful anti-strike bill through the House of Commons.

Instead of tackling the cost of living crisis, the Prime Minister is attacking key workers and clamping down on our most basic rights. 

The campaign to protect our right to strike does not end here. The Bill will now be debated in the House of Lords and there is still time to have these laws scrapped. But that will only happen if we take to the streets. 

On Wednesday February 1st (tomorrow!), working people are coming together at rallies and picket lines up and down the country to defend our right to strike. 

We now have more than 80 events registered on Megaphone, with more being added every hour.

With close to half a million workers on strike tomorrow, it’s the biggest day of industrial action in a decade.

Let’s march together to show our teachers, firefighters, civil servants, rail workers, NHS workers and countless others that we support their action to defend pay, jobs and services. Let’s send a clear message to the government that we will not be ignored. 

Defend the right to strike:

Find a Feb 1st action near me!

Enter your postcode to find your closest event. 

It’s so important that we can strike for fair pay, safe conditions and to protect each other. Without this, we have no right to choose.

As the cost-of-living crisis continues to hurt workers everywhere, we need to be able to stand together and choose to strike when we must.

Join an event near you on Wednesday, February 1st.

In Unity,

Anthony

Megaphone UK’

The protest in Bristol starts at 10.45 am and is at Defra Horizon House, BS1 5AH. I really don’t know where that is, and am unable to attend due to sickness. But I am full square behind the protesters in Bristol and elsewhere in the country.

Get Sunak and the Tories out!

Breaking News from Arise: Firefighters Vote Overwhelmingly for Strike Action

Just got this from the Arise Festival of Left-wing Ideas:

‘BREAKING: Firefighters deliver emphatic mandate for industrial action

Hello David

We are writing to share the breaking news that Firefighters have delivered a decisive mandate for strike action, with 88% voting Yes on a 73% turnout. You can:

• Read the FBU news release here
• Watch & share Matt Wrack explain the result here
• Hear Riccardo La Torre of the FBU on what the results mean and how we can offer our solidarity at #BuildingtheFightback online this Wednesday (Feb,1) at 6.30pm. Full details are below.

Yours in solidarity.
The Arise & Labour Assembly volunteers.‘

This is so overwhelming that the vote would still be valid and binding even under Sunak’s proposed cruddy legislation to stifle strikes. We’ve seen the firefighters before lock horns with the government over pay and redundancies. This is shows how massively discontented they are, and with good reason.

So maximum support to our firefighters, and out with Sunak and the Tories.