Nursing my incredulity
So, the Tories are having a go at the SNP for nursing shortages in the Scottish NHS.
Despite the fact that the problem is worse in areas where the Tories manage the health system.
And they are having a go at a time when nursing numbers have been drastically affected by Brexit.
And that is before Brexit even happens. The post-Brexit immigration policy leaked today is going to exacerbate things even more.
This is all occurring at a time the Scottish government has produced a document that recommends, among other things, the post-Brexit transfer to Scotland of control over immigration.
However, as was brought to light earlier, the UK government don’t want to talk. They have refused to meet the Scottish and Welsh governments since February, and they don’t show much enthusiasm to do so.
The UK government isn’t interested in talking to the Scottish Government as they know they can force through any legislation they want as they hold ultimate sovereignty.
Besides Brexit the other main cause of the nursing shortage is years of pay caps caused by Tory austerity.
Pay caps that the Scottish Government is committed to ending even though they have limited control over ending austerity. Pay caps which are causing nurses down South to threaten to strike today.
This is obviously a disaster for patients but maybe not a disaster for the Tories.
It is an open secret that they have a strategy of running down the NHS in order to fully privatise it. The fact that Brexit is ringing the NHS death knell is perfect for those American companies that will be lobbying Liam Fox and Trump for access to our health system during the post-Brexit trade negotiations.
You might think that the Scottish NHS is separate and safe, but if Brexit has taught us anything it is that Scotland is powerless to stop changes if a UK government decides they are happening.
This is all happening clear as day before our very eyes. Yet most Scots would still rather take their chances, going down a route we opposed, punished by policies the majority of us voted against, with little control over our direction of travel.
Better that than risking having responsibility for our own affairs.
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