Best Of

Doctors reject government offer and strikes will go ahead

Time to bring in Badenoch promise to outlaw strikes by doctors, same as police

The NHS already has massive monopsonistic power in the UK - it's why drugs are so cheap and why NHS wages have been cut by 20% in real terms in the last 20 years. 11% of GDP v 18% in the US.

Banning strikes will turn the stream of doctors to Australia into a flood, and it's your demographic that will suffer the worst.

I simply do not accept that

As Badenoch says minimum levels of service would be required

Ultimately the country cannot be blackmailed by vested interests

Imagine if the police went on strike

Tough. You can't coerce people into working in the NHS - you have to pay them a fair wage.

NHS productivity has grown by 5%* since 2010, and their wages cut by 20%. If it were a free labour market they'd be paid much more than they are now.

*14% before 2020.

Indeed, if they don't like the wage, they're welcome to resign and let someone else fill the vacancy.

Striking is not the same as resigning.

I'd have thought a libertarian like you would have been all for the right to strike.

You are surely not saying we should legislate to limit such an individual liberty?

No, I am not.

But I equally think any employer should be able to terminate, without notice, anyone who goes on strike.

If you don't want the job then feel free to not work, but don't complain if your employer then offers that job to someone who does want it.

To strike, not work, but also bedblock that job so nobody else can do it permanently either is not liberal either.

Grumble: Just discovered that from 31 December I can't pay in cheques (for Lloyds) at the banking hub. Apparently it's not worth their while serving customers who don't have smartphones.

Some cheques you cannot pay in on a phone either.

Can one post cheques to one's bank or does one need to travel to walk in through the door (assuming one can walk, of course)?

I thought Post Offices will bank cheques for you. (As a bonus, you could end up with a double credit if they use Horizon.)

Edit: According to Gemini: "Yes, you can bank cheques at thousands of Post Office branches across the UK, provided your bank offers this service. Most major UK banks participate in this service, but you should confirm with your specific bank. Note that some banks like Halifax and Lloyds are ending this service from December 31, 2025"

Ooops

I've just put a couple of cheques in the post for Christmas presents. 😒

one way of making sure you don't spend much at xmas

That Reiner post from the President of the United States. I mean c'mon. This surely isn't tolerable for much longer. It's beyond bad, it's just wrong. There has to be a way. If it gives us Vance so be it.

If it was anyone but Vance I would agree. But Vance it would be.

At least, Trump in his narcissism and suggestibility can be played both ways even if, fundamentally, he's malignantly egotistical.

Vance, on the other hand, encourages all Trump's worst instincts when it comes to foreign affairs. It's his influence Starmer, Merz, etc, are trying to counter. It would be frying pan into the fire for us in Europe if JD takes over.

I see that. But for me the monstrosity of Trump is worse. This person should not be in any position of power let alone the WH. It's absurd and it's pure drip drip poison. It's like he's seeking out everything decent in this world and shitting on it. And what a damaging role model. Emboldening and validating all the wrong things and all the wrong people. It's no choice at all but I'd rather have a straight up 'hate his ideas and his policies and everything he stands for' politician as president.