Archive for February 2016

The Rubio path to the Republican GOP nomination

February 21, 2016 USA 2016 Comments Off on The Rubio path to the Republican GOP nomination

GOPListening to the media over the recent days and weeks one would have thought the Republican GOP front runner was the inevitable pick for the nomination.

Many commentators marvel at the small amounts he spends on campaigning compared to candidates like former presidential candidate Jeb Bush. This is hardly surprising given the huge, or should I say yuge, wall to wall coverage for the front runner. Even in direct interviews he is afforded sometimes 10-15 minutes whereas other candidates are lucky to secure 5 minutes. There has never been a clearer attempt at a self fulfilling prophecy.

RubioThe contrast I would draw with Marco Rubio, is the performance of both leading up to each primary. Whereas Rubio has outperformed expectations in the palmetto state South Carolina. Trump under performed, yes he won, but given many polls showed 15-22% leads, narrowing slightly to an RCP average of 13%, ultimately he won by 10% points. There is an argument to be made that whilst impressive wins, that Trump’s support has a ceiling. It is worth noting that a Fox News Poll in December gave him 35%, whilst a poll close to the primary gave 32%. The significance that Trump has not benefited from nearly a dozen candidates dropping out cannot be underestimated.

Rubio2This conjecture is further supported by his unfavourable ratings increasing month on month for Trump, now standing at 40% of GOP voters stating they would refuse to support him.

Undoubtedly this will benefit lead candidates like Rubio and Cruz and mainly the former being the beneficiary. It is likely that much of Jeb Bush’s support will shift over to Rubio and provide for a close three candidate election battle.

Rubio4That said, Rubio will now have to deliver on his promise and start winning primary contests. After all by mid March over half the delegates for the GOP convention will have been awarded.

Already the start in Nevada is promising, with Senator Dean Heller providing an endorsement and the Actor Donnie Wahlberg adding some Hollywood sparkle (who will be joining Rubio on the campaign trail). The candidate also spent part of his childhood in the state. He will be further helped with the last remaining establishment candidate, John Kasich likely to focus his efforts in Michigan.

rubio5Marco Rubio has an appealing message of bringing together and expanding the Conservative base. It was noticeable that the media images of Marco Rubio campaigning with Governor Nikki Haley and Senator Tim Scott felt like the next generation of Republican’s is emerging with Jeb Bush and others retiring from the field.

I saw Rubio speak at a dinner in Washington 5 years ago, he appeared to be the future and I still stand by that assessment. One thing is for certain, the race for the GOP nomination is far from over.

Investment in mental health

February 19, 2016 Health Comments Off on Investment in mental health

DCfebThis month the Prime Minister announced that an extra £1 billion will be invested in mental healthcare by 2021.

For too long there hasn’t been enough focus on mental health care in this country meaning too many have had to suffer in silence.

MH2The extra £1 billion a year for mental health care, will mean that a million more people will benefit from mental health support by 2020. Mental health must get the attention in the NHS it needs.

The vision of a 7-day mental health service is a bold, but right one. It will mean people will get the care they need, when they need it, and will help us do much more to prevent mental illness in the first place. For the first time we will truly deliver equality between mental and physical health.

Improvements will include;

(1) Investing £1.5 million in helping to train young people to spot the signs of mental healthMH1 issues. This funding is the latest of £1.4 billion investment to improve young people’s life chances and will be used to help develop ‘Peer to Peer’ support networks, encouraging people to talk openly about mental health.

(2) Improving access to ‘Talking Therapies’ that help those with conditions like anxiety or depression. Investment of £308 million will mean 800,000 people will get the support they need through talking therapies.

MH4(3) Investing £50 million in programmes to find work for with people with mental illnesses. Individual Placement and Support Programmes and doubling the number of employment advisers will help to place people with mental illness in work, these programme can save £6,000 per person on reduced inpatient costs.

(4) Placing mental health services in hospital emergency departments. So people receive support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year we will ensure that psychiatric services are available in A&E.

(5) Introducing the first waiting time standards for mental health treatments. Most patients needing talking therapies will be guaranteed treatment in six weeks.

 

Help me raise funds for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s charity

February 13, 2016 Charity Comments Off on Help me raise funds for Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s charity

GOSHlogoCan you sponsors me for £10, £20, £50, £100 to support Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity (GOSH)? March 5th I will climb 1,000 steps, 34 floors at the BT Tower. www.justgiving.com/JamesHockney/

GOSH are a wonderful cause making a real difference to youngsters lives. The money raised will be used to help keep making extraordinary things happen for our patients and their families.

justFor example; £21 could cover the cost of one flow meter – a gadget that ensures children are
getting just the right amount of oxygen while they recover. £35 could buy chemical scissors for chopping DNA to learn more about our genetics £100 could buy a special chemical measuring tool that lets scientists find out the size of DNA molecules, vital information that could
BTtowerreveal clues about how to help more children overcome their illness. £250 could buy special chemicals, called antibodies, which act like tiny molecular torches, lighting up cells and helping our scientists think up new and better ways to treat disease. £308 could help pay for a week’s stay in our family accommodation so that GOSH Charity buildingparents can stay close by while their child is in hospital.

Donating through JustGiving is simple, fast and totally secure. Once you donate, they’ll send your money directly to the charity. So it’s the most efficient way to donate – saving time and cutting costs for the charity. www.justgiving.com/JamesHockney/ 

Reforming Strike Law – Trade Union Bill

February 12, 2016 Unions Comments Off on Reforming Strike Law – Trade Union Bill

TubeThe Conservative Government is introducing thresholds to protect important public services from strikes that lack clear support.

This is to ensure that people’s lives are not disrupted by strikes backed by only a small number of union members. Whilst Labour plan to rip up strike laws and take this country back to the days of flying pickets.backzac_big

That is why a 40 per cent support threshold for industrial action in so important in key public services such as fire, health, education, transport, border security and nuclear decommissioning. The thresholds still ensure the right to strike, but also that is fairly balanced with the right of people to be able to go about their daily lives and work. Following campaigning by Zac Goldsmith, Conservative Mayoral Candidate, this will now include Transport for London (TfL) services – because they are essential to millions of people who live and work in London.

This is a One Nation approach – balancing the ability to strike with the right of millions of people to go about their daily lives without last minute disruption – delivering a key manifesto commitment.

The Bill will address this by introducing:
(1) 50 per cent threshold for ballot turn-out.
(2) 40 per cent support threshold for strikes in the key services; health, education, fire,  transport, border security, energy sectors and TfL services (Tube and London buses).         (3) Setting a four month time limit for strikes.
(4) Requiring a clear description of disputes and planned industrial action on ballot papers,  so all union members are clear about what they are voting for.
(5) Greater scrutiny and controls over taxpayer-funded subsidies to unions (so-called ‘facility  time’), such as full-time union representatives.
(6) Creating a transparent opt-in process for political subscriptions so that union members  can make an active choice to pay into political funds.
(7) Putting in place safeguards to ensure non-striking workers are not subject to intimidation.
The provisions in the Bill are justified and proportionate, and are entirely compatible with our  international obligations.

We need to get the balance right between the interests of unions and the interests of the majority of people who rely on the services provided in important public sectors.

UK playing it’s part in Syrian Aid

February 6, 2016 International Aid, Parks & Green spaces Comments Off on UK playing it’s part in Syrian Aid

DCThe Prime Minister has pledged more money for Syrian refugees as world leaders gathered this week in London. The moving scenes of hundreds of thousands of men, women and children risking their lives crossing the Aegean or the Balkans – more must be done to address the humanitarian disaster in Syria. The £2.3 billion pledged by the UK in aid helps show the way for the international effort.

We can provide the sense of hope to stop people thinking they have no option but to risk their lives on a dangerous journey to Europe.

Action the UK Government is taking:

(1) More than doubling our international aid to Syria and the region. The UK GovernmentUKAID1 is investing an extra £1.2 billion to help fund education, create jobs and humanitarian protection. This brings the total we’re investing to more than £2.3 billion. In total, the conference has raised over $10 billion – the largest amount ever raised in one day in response to a humanitarian crisis.  

.(2) Resettling up to 20,000 Syrian refugees over five years. This is an expansion of the UK’s existing SVPR scheme and continues the use of the UNHCR process for identifying and resettling refugees. The cost to support Syrian refugees in the UK will be met by international aid spending in the first year

(3) Striking Daesh in Iraq and Syria. UK action is making a real difference on the ground as the UK represents between a quarter and a third of the international coalition’s precision bombing capability.

SyriaThe UK Government commitment of over £2.3 billion in Syria and the region makes us one of the largest donors in the world. This is helping to meet the immediate needs of vulnerable people in Syria and refugees across the region

The UK will also work with our European partners to help those affected by the migrant crisis in Europe, however the UK is also clear that the only solution is to discourage individuals from making the perilous journey across the Mediterranean.