This posting picks up on a most bizarre and appalling trend in vandalism – attacking/vandalising ambulances of all things!
The vast majority of folks will look upon an attack on an ambulance, or indeed ambulance staff, with utter disbelief yet such attacks are happening and far too often. The link below to the BBC website illustrates the problem:-
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-46511576
With thanks to Roy Connell for the lead to this posting
That Teresa May’s failed Brexit (and now withdrawn) ‘deal’ would have been bad for jobs, the economy, employment rights etc. etc. is a given simply because it’s a poorer deal than we presently have as EU members. Here’s what the TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady had to say about it:-
www.tuc.org.uk/research-analysis/reports/deal-will-threaten-uk-workers%E2%80%99-rights
But of course, every form of Brexit deal will only deliver a worse outcome than we presently have so no one can ever promise one that will meet, never mind better, our present situation as EU members. The TUC knows this better than most because it’s the millions of trade union members across the UK who are at risk from us leaving the EU under ANY deal.
However, I fear that Frances O’Grady has to be careful what she says with TU leaders like UNITE’s Len McCluskey trying desperately to stop Labour from adopting a pro-EU stance. Sadly there’s always been a wing of the trade union movement who have been anti-EU despite it being a really positive force for good on things like employment rights and protections. How on earth they can call themselves trade unionists beats me. As a life-long supporter of the TU movement, I’m ashamed that it has Little Englander’s in its ranks.
Reuters has the story on its website – see link below:-
For Corbyn, who leads a completely dysfunctional Labour opposition, to say that the same is true of the Tory Government beggars belief. Of course, Corbyn is not wrong about May’s limping leadership but he makes his comments from a bubble all of his own where the major fault lines between his Brexit leaning Labour leadership and the Party’s MP’s, members and supporters don’t exist!
Have we ever had a situation in the past when the Government and Official Opposition are in such a terrible mess?
Some very rough weather at Speke Hall yesterday did not put off local community choir SoSo (Sing Our Socks Off) from entertaining visitors with Christmas songs during a very busy day for the National Trust property and this despite bursts of heavy rain. Here’s some shots of the choir:-
The choir has a number of active Lydiate and Maghull members.
The lead photo is amongst my Flickr photos at:-
www.flickr.com/photos/86659476@N07/
Click on the photos to enlarge them
The BBC has the story on its website – see link below:-
www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-merseyside-46499143
Well, what can I say other than I have never been taken in by the Northern Powerhouse, referred to as Northern Poorhouse by those of us who have always thought it has been nothing more than political spin. So my query is why’s it taken you so long to realise this Joe?
If the appalling rail service offered across the north by Northern Assist has not been enough to show that the Northern Powerhouse is a waste of space, in terms of influencing decisive outcomes, I don’t know what is.
With thanks to Keith Page for the lead to this posting
I went along to the still new Maghull North Station (on Merseyrail’s Northern Line to Ormskirk) today to have a look at the just installed piece of artwork which celebrates the work of the former Moss Side Hospital and its pioneering treatment of shell shock. Of course, the hospital is long gone and the new Poppy Fields Housing Estate now occupies the site.
Here are some shots of what I think is a quite striking piece of artwork which is sited adjacent to the station ticket office:-
It was unveiled by local historian and former Maghull GP Dr John Rowland who has published a number of books on the history of Maghull and Lydiate.
A fine tribute to Moss Side, its staff, doctors and indeed patients who benefited from its pioneering treatments during and after World War 1.
The 3rd photo is amongst my Flickr shots at:-