GREAT BRITISH VALUES...AN OCCASIONAL SERIES

There a seemingly endless list of things we can't find the money for in the UK, many of them relating to the welfare of the poor, the sick and the old. But one thing we can always allow is that the super-rich can get away with whatever kind of crap they want to.

"His Grace" wouldn't miss £3.6 billion, but I guess there are people suffering for horribly illnesses who could, with that kind of money, be given treatment.

I suspect then, that one of the Great British Values, about which they never cease to go on, must be GREED. 

RANDOM THOUGHTS

Well, we know that at least some of this is true...

Not sure they are worth THAT much, but the kids aren't going to be hard up  

Bang on. And it doesn't. It turns out people like Cameron.

Another atrocity from IDS's cack-handed DWP.

I take it that you're human being and not a Daily Mail reader then, Sir?

And that is a great pity, don't you think?

Ah, why would you bother with these silly wee details.
They spoil the story

Cameron is a man with a plan...
Little does he know it's being pinched by Ms Dugale.

Gideon: the man who never fails to disappoint.

Dick Cheney? Tony Blair? Any other guesses?

Disaster, I tell ye. We're all doomed! DOOMED!

Damn, did I take a snooze and miss that?

RANDOM FOTOS ON FRIDAY

Brave decent man.

Let's be honest, neither of you gives a damn...

Oh my.... would you look at the state of that nonsense? I bet Chic was tempted with that sword; I know I would have been. This is how the other half lives, while the rest of us are worrying about the electricity bill.

No wonder the Brits wanted them on the Human Rights Council. When they bring in their English Bill of Rights for those with titles, the Saudis will rubber stamp it.

Eh Cameron?

LETTER FROM MUNGUIN

To the BBC

Teaching the Libations a few chords before my big number

London 
England

Dear BBC,

We know that you are based in England, and that most of your staff are English.

Given the respective sizes of our UK constituent  countries, this is only to be expected. It's quite fair, and we have no problem with it. We just wish you would spend a little more of your money in our counties, instead of the bulk of it being spent in London and Manchester.

But it is important as a news organisation to remember that what you are broadcasting, although mainly for consumption in England, does go out in other countries too. You know, that is not unfair, given that citizens of the other countries pay licence fees at exactly the same rate as the English do.

It is, therefore, very important for you to distinguish, in your reporting of a news item, which countries you are referring to.

In many cases your failure to make it clear is little more than an irritation; a discourtesy, and what minor misunderstandings your misreporting of events cause are of no real significance. 

However, your reports about junior doctors' intention to take strike action, do not come into that category.

There are in fact four NHSs in the UK. The English one is the biggest of course, but in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, thankfully, Jeremy Hunt is NOT the Health Secretary. 

Mark Drakeford is Minister for Health and Social Services in the Welsh Government. In Northern Ireland Simon Hamilton is Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety, and in Scotland, as seen above talking about junior doctors,  is the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Well-being, Shona Robison.

Mr Hunt has badly handled the dispute with junior doctors and strike action applies only to his fiefdom In the other countries more mature and sensible heads have prevailed.

 MEDIASTORM Retweeted

Nicola Sturgeon ‏@NicolaSturgeon  14h14 hours ago

Nicola Sturgeon Retweeted Kay Burley

This is a massive vote for strike in England. NHS Scotland open to junior docs who want to be valued by government.

Nicola Sturgeon added,

Kay Burley @KayBurley

BREAK: Junior doctors vote overwhelmingly in favour of strike action. 98% in favour on a turnout of 76%

431 retweets320 likes

 

 

 

It matters so much this time becasue those who are ill, or expecting to be taken into hospital for routine procedures, or have outpatients appointments, or indeed friends or family of these people in the Celtic countries of this union, should not be alarmed by today's news. It doesn't apply to them.

When things are geographically specific, you should report them as such. You wouldn't, for example, warn everyone across the UK to evacuate their houses becasue of an unexploded bomb in Brown Street in Bristol, would you? 

No, because even if the bomb went off in Bristol, people in Cardiff or Derry or Aberfeldy wouldn't be affected. 

Same thing then with cancelled appointments in Scotland. They are not going to happen.

Now for heaven's sake it's not that difficult, BBC. 

Britain is not England is not Britain.

Try saying it over to yourselves a few times and see if eventually it sinks in.

Oh, and one last thing, before I go. If you seriously think that you can address the democratic deficit in your reporting in Scotland by appointing Sarah Smith, another of you Labour Party friends to be your Scotland Editor, then please, think again. We're not impressed, in fact we are howling with laughter at your ineptitude.

It's a bit like trying to fight a fire with paraffin. And we are beginning to wonder if you are doing this on purpose.

Kind regards

MUNGUIN

DEAR JEREMY HUNT... WORDS YOU MAY NOT OFTEN HEAR TOGETHER...

Dear Jeremy Hunt MP,

I am a newly appointed NHS Consultant and receive £313.54 for my on call supplement per month. My on calls per month add approximately 120 hours of work in addition to my normal working week. This is made up of being on call one day per week and one weekend in 5 - 5pm on Friday to 8am on Monday. Simple maths says that works out as £2.61 per hour - significantly less than the minimum wage let alone the living wage.

I have never looked to opt out, even though financially it would make sense. I am genuinely offended that you have openly questioned my professionalism and vocation or that of my colleagues. I am no different to the thousands of Consultants, Junior Doctors, Nurses, Physios, Pharmacists, Secretaries, Speech Therapists, etc. We don't go on strike, we don't hold the country to ransom, we don't compromise patient care because we were meant to go home 2 hours ago, instead we go above and beyond, understanding the true meaning of professionalism and being exemplar to any health service in the world. Without this silent and diligent commitment, the NHS would have crumbled many years ago.

Would you mind enlightening me as to the percentage of Consultants within the NHS who have actively opted out of weekend work? I have looked on the Department of health Website, on NHS England and can find no details on this, or further information regarding your plans for implementing 7 day working.

It is self evident that either your expert advisers are missing or your speech writers incompetent. As a workforce we are very understanding and forgiving. We are often verbally and even physically abused by people who are confused and clearly don't understand how they got into such a state; we forgive them and do our best to fix them. I would urge you to simply apologise for the language you have used, and look to engage in a conversation rather than an ultimatum.

I,  my colleagues and the Royal Colleges and agree with the principle of the NHS working efficiently every day of the week. The NHS has spoken clearly that the current proposals do not address the problem, and are not a viable solution.

Yours sincerely

Karan Kapoor

ENT Consultant

****************************

For further information on how completely inept Hunt is, see this coverage of his history in government.

SO...ERM, WHICH IS IT?

Eh?

SNAPS FOR SATURDAY

Painstakingly made by reader, Arthur and sent to Munguin.
Proud!

Which one would you trust?

Better get him a bigger tin then...

Here's yer choices.

What colour is his hair today?

Kind of explains some of the legislation.
Tony Blair admitted a drink problem, and Maggie was
rumoured to be a drunken old lush.

No wonder they made it illegal to die in the Lords
It's like an old folks home without the telly

All the time banging on about transparency  and deleting their past.

It's far from perfect. But it's improving,
 and it's better than the rest of the UK.
We have a first rate, utterly committed Cabinet Secretary and she'll
continue to make it better.

I wonder what the Tories get in return?

We're ordering him some Brasso for his neck, Stewart.

Nobody thinks it's a good idea.
The military top brass would rather the money was spent on troops.
Blair even admitted it was just an entrance ticket to the top table.

Not surprised he's got a thing for IDS.
They have a lot in common.

Jim's past is somewhat unclear too.
Some of what he says doesn't add up;
most of what McTernan says makes no sense.

Jackie, bless her, thinks that £383 million is less than £100 million.
She's nearly as good with numbers as her mate Gideon.

Two car crashes in the same picture.

Well, you really can't tell the difference any more.

SNAPS ON SUNDAY

Notice on door.

Because we are all one great nation ...

The Alexander BOTHERS

Lazy bitch. Get down the food bank and help out
if you don't have a job.

So... they might as well not bother publishing Chilcot.

What kind of inhuman society is responsible for this?

Ah, yes, the plague that is IDS.
Just think, starving this kid will probably save £5,000.
As ye sew, so shall ye reap, you bastards.

That's why all four nations must agree to withdraw
before any action is taken.

Just as well that I'm not in charge.
They'd freeze before I gave them a cent.

Easy. She doesn't matter, and being big shots does.

But you don't get Congressional Medals for feeding
hungry kids, do you Mr Blair?

Bunch of profiteering scum.