Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
#1
Below is a link to Dan's speech at the Conservative Spring Forum for those who are interested. Dan, of course, is our MEP who made such a huge impact on thw web recently and is without a doubt a rising star.
It was a real tour de force and starts with some good old fashioned knock about and an excellent classic Churchill/Atlee joke, worth watching just for that.
The important bit, and the bit that should get people thinking in the main part of his speech, is what he says about the EU and our democracy. It is not a long speech, very well delivered and worth listening to. Pity that the headline writers focus on the knock about rather than the substance though.
http://playpolitical.typepad.com/uk_conservative/2009/04/dan-hannan-attacks-gordon-brown-for-being-unwilling-to-accept-criticism.htmlSid Pollitt
#2
There's an election on 4 June and I dont think he's standing again coz he dont like the EU or something. He was in the news last week saying that the NHS was a mistake. If he's hell bent on getting this attention he should go on a reality tv show.
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
#3
yep meps from hell,or torys are us or somthing simular sounding.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
#4
He was elected to the top of the Conservative list....
The way the left react to him convinces me that he has a great future.
Sid Pollitt
#5
Maybe he'll stand for the Westminster parliament and campaign for it to be closed down. Or he could seek election to showboat there, whatever the case he'll take the money.
I'll repeat what I posted earlier... he said last week that the NHS was a mistake. We know that the Tories voted against the formation but a mistake? The man is a liability and with Cameron trying to convince us that he's not a nasty and is a Blair-like politician Hannan will get slapped down if he steps out of line again.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
#6
We all know that you do not believe in Democracy when it comes to the EU, Sid. You think the only people who should be allowed to stand for election are those that support the idea of a EU Superstate. Somehow I think your anti-democratic opinions will have litle general approval. It is the elcetorate who will decide who their MEP's are, not you.
As for the NHS - I too think that the centralised top-down soviet style NHS system is a mistake. Its a mistake that many countries did not copy, lucky for them. What was not a mistake is the concept of free medical services for all at the point of delivery. The NHS is not the only way to deliver that. this is the point Dan was making but you, of course, will not accurately explain that.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
#7
barryw,england a democracy you got to joking,its about as democratic as stalins russia.it is now going down a dicttatership road on both sides of the house.the so called superstate as you call it is more democratic.
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,709
#8
Barry everyone who meets the qualification criteria should be allowed to stand and should be viewed on the merit of what they say and propose and their behaviour, especially when they are a sitting MEP.
As for the likes of Den Dover and Dan Hannen, I personally would not vote for them as their words and deeds do not match with my ideals or views, they are entitled to speak their words, however in DD's case his actions are contemptible (as are those of any other MEP of any party or nationality who has so blatantly milked the EU gravy train).
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
DT1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 15 Apr 2008
- Posts: 1,116
#9
The NHS has got numerous problems and does need serious reform. I think the French system has a number of benefits with regulation to ensure that inequality is not prevalent. However I think it is quite clear that Mr Hannan would favour a service offered by the private sector and personal health care insurance much like that of the United States, as opposed to one offered by a national insurance. 'Free at the point of delivery' is one of those nice soundbites that when actually expanded as a concept doesn't have to be as fair as it sounds. A 'free at point of entry' system can still heavily favour those 'with' over those 'without'.
I think Hannan is a good and entertaining public speaker, but then so was Tony Blair. I also think it would be good for him to stand as an MEP, although I don't think he would best represent my ideals. One of my strong beliefs is democracy, something that is lacking in our country.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
#10
dt1,nice but true posting my sentiments exactly.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#11
can someone please clarify exactly what the mep said about the nhs.?
it seems to have got lost in the custard pie throwing between sid and barry.
Ross Miller- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,709
#12
The French health service is effectively bankrupt
- see this from 2004
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2004/jan/24/france.jonhenley
it may well offer fantastic world class service but at what cost? It also suffers from huge over prescribing problems etc.
Every time the French government try to fix the problem the doctors and nurses go on strike...
Yes the NHS needs a significant overhaul, it is overly bureaucratic, top heavy and inefficient, however the US insurance based system has its own deficiencies including over charging (profiteering?), lack of adequate provision for those who cannot afford cover etc.
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
#13
along with ambulance chasers.
DT1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 15 Apr 2008
- Posts: 1,116
#14
Ross, I'm suprised. Yes of course it is at a huge cost, running at a loss, however Americans pay more in health insurance than anywhere else on the planet, yet still fall well below our own service (you've got to love that private sector and profit margins)
For anyone to start talking effectively on the economic efficiency of our health service we need the price for a human life. Anyone got any ideas? I think I'm worth about the price of my mortgage (which isn't much), but then I'm sure somebody who owns a semi-detached house is worth more than me and these people deserve better health care.....don't they?
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
#15
The French system works well as I know first hand. The level of service is far better than offered by the NHS. No doubt, like the NHS it has problems, health care is expensive, however it is paid for.
I want to see a health service that delivers first class treatment to all and the NHS is not capable of doing that due to its top-down structure, despite the best efforts of dedicated hard working staff. It desperately needs reform but no-one is saying we need to adopt the American system so that argument is a false one.
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
#16
A £220 million fund will be made available to encourage innovation within the NHS, Health Minister, Lord Darzi, announced to mark the launch of 'Innovation for a Healthier Future', a series of initiatives to nurture and reward innovation within the NHS
Building on the Government's firm commitment to create an innovative health service, England's 10 Strategic Health Authorities (SHAs) will each receive £2 million this year, and £5 million in each of the following four years to support frontline NHS staff in developing innovative ideas. The cash will be invested directly into a combination of projects on the ground and at regional level, speeding up the time it takes for innovative solutions to get from design bench to NHS bedside. This will benefit patients directly and increase the quality of the care they receive.
Many innovative ideas in the NHS risk not being developed due to a lack of funding. The fund has been made available to help bring these ideas about and empower the inspiration of the 1.3 million NHS staff and their colleagues in social care who make a difference each day to people's lives.
Lord Darzi said:
"This announcement is a huge step forward in implementing the recommendations set out last summer in my strategy on the future of the NHS.
"NHS staff have told me that accessing the funds to make ideas become reality can be a struggle and as a result, many great ideas never get realised. That is why I am delighted to announce that we now have a £220 million innovation fund available to get those ideas off the bench and to patient bedsides, day centres or GP surgeries.
"We know that around 40% of the world's inventions over the past 50 years originated in the UK and that the NHS is rightly recognised as a world leader in the development of innovative treatments and technologies - but we can be better at putting those good ideas into action and these funds will help do exactly that."
The Government has also announced that alongside this funding, it has put in a place a support structure on innovation for Strategic Health Authorities, with NESTA (the National Endowment for Science Technology and the Arts) and the Young Foundation acting as advisers to SHAs in bringing about a true innovation culture.
Jonathan Kestenbaum NESTA Chief Executive said:
"The pressures on delivering high quality healthcare have never been greater. Yesterday's solutions to tomorrow's problems won't work. The SHA Innovation Fund will ensure that fresh ideas and radical thinking by frontline staff can be delivered across the NHS. NESTA has developed expertise in how to encourage innovative public services and we are pleased to be able to put this into action at the very heart of public service delivery".
In addition, Lord Darzi announced further details of the 'Innovation Challenge Prizes', which will engage with innovators globally and invite them to devise exciting new ways to address key health challenges.
The prizes will be a key way in which to recognise and promote emerging best practice and the Challenges themselves will be designed to engage a wide range of NHS staff.
A panel of experts will create a shortlist of possible challenges with the exact challenges announced later this year following a public engagement process. The Panel will be assisted in its work by Trevor Baylis, inventor of the wind up radio and one of this countries top inventors.
Says Trevor Baylis:
"Britain has an outstanding heritage in innovation, from the steam engine to the MRI scanner - we are a nation of innovators who are constantly looking for new, different and better ways of doing things. The Innovation Challenges Prizes are a fantastic opportunity to create and develop ideas that can genuinely change lives for the better."
Alongside this new investment and support, England's Strategic Health Authorities will also be subject to a legal duty to promote innovation and support the diffusion of innovative technologies and solutions throughout the health service.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)