Author Archives: GovWorldMag

What a Guest editor of the Today programme could do for the audience

Prince Harry did well setting out his causes and campaigns as Guest editor of the Today programme.  He made good use of his slot.

The choice of some of the other Guest editors has left a feeling that the whole week is yet again unbalanced, and designed to prevent any Guest Editor being appointed who might try to shine light on topics and viewpoints the BBC prefers to ignore or criticise.

Here’s a few that might make for good radio.

  1. A piece on why and how the economic establishments of the Treasury, IMF, World Bank and others could be so wrong in their economic forecasts of the consequences of the Exchange Rate Mechanism, the big build up of credit and derivatives prior to 2008, and the short term impact of the Brexit vote on the UK economy. This could include interviews with representatives of  the  handful of experts who did get all three of these big issues right.
  2. A piece on security and price of energy, and the impact EU and UK policies have had on both this century. Can the needs of plentiful and cheap energy to deal with fuel poverty, keep people warm and ensure a decent manufacturing  base be reconciled with other policy objectives? Is current US or EU energy policy more helpful to the world economy?
  3. A piece on whether the Trump Administration is serious about promoting peace by means other than constant military interventions in the Middle East, and whether the consequences of less military involvement over the last year have been better or worse than the Bush/Obama wars
  4. A piece on the damage high taxes can do, and an examination of when and how revenue increases when rates are cut
  5. A piece on what is a reasonable rate of migration to allow the provision of decent accommodation, school places, health  care and the rest to the new arrivals and the settled communities they join.
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John Redwood MP •

Half of children’s intensive care units dangerously full as Labour warns of New Year slump in care – Ashworth

Labour’s new analysis of the latest weekly winter data released today by NHS England reveals that half of England’s paediatric intensive care units were over 85% full last week.

In the period 18th December to 24th December, over one third of England’s children’s care units were 100% full, with not a single spare bed.

Labour’s analysis further reveals:

·        On Christmas Eve, one third of children’s care units were running at dangerously high levels.

·        On 19th December, the worst day last week, 55% of paediatric intensive care units were running at over 85% capacity, and 47% were 100% full, with not a single spare bed.

Responding to Labour’s analysis of occupancy rates in children’s care units, Jonathan Ashworth MP, Labour’s Shadow Health Secretary, said: “Despite the very best efforts of our brilliant NHS staff, our findings today reveal a distressing picture of the unprecedented pressures on paediatric intensive care units across the country.

“To run a children’s care unit above 85% occupancy places patient safety at significant risk and is an entirely intolerable situation.

“With the New Year fast approaching and demand likely to further increase, the Government must urgently explain in the New Year how they will avoid another appalling slump in care this winter.”

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Labour •