Saturday 16 July 2011

Southern Cross, CQC's and PCC's

Responding to a letter that I sent to Paul Burstow MP, Minister of State for Care Services before the closure announcement, Paul Burstow said reassuringly: “The Government is determined to maintain continuity and quality of care for all care home residents across the country.
Mr Burstow also said: “We consider the private sector should be fully capable of resolving this issue”. 
I wish I could share his confidence but residents of Southern Cross have no grounds to be confident in the performance of the private sector as they have learnt to their cost. If Government’s continue to abandon large areas of social provision to the private sector without adequate oversight vulnerable members of our society will continued to be viewed as tradeable assets - much to the delight and profits of private equity funds -  and not people.

The performance of the Quality Care Commission (CQC) has been worse than lamentable in this respect as has the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) in the case of Murdoch. It seems that all you have to do is put 'Complaints Commission (CC) in a title and you are guaranteed ineffectiveness.

Sunday 10 July 2011

Roger Godsiff wishes Salma Yaqoob a speedy recovery

Responding today to the news that the Respect Councillor, Salma Yaqoob, was stepping down as a Councillor in Sparkbrook due to her worsening health Roger Godsiff said “I was very sorry to hear about Salma Yaqoob’s deteriorating health problems.  It is perfectly understandable that she should concentrate on regaining her health and she will have the love and support of her family and friends in achieving this.  I wish her a speedy recovery.”

Wednesday 6 July 2011

NoW Phone Hacking Scandal

Speaking today after the latest revelations of phone hacking from the News of the World employees, Roger Godsiff MP said: “These events will have disgusted most people. The idea that a newspaper and its owners could access the mobile phone records of victims and relatives of terrible crime is utterly contemptible”.
Mr Godsiff went on to say: “What is needed is a full and independent judicial enquiry with the ability to subpoena witnesses and take evidence.
In the light of allegations of large amounts of money having been paid to sources within the police for stories and the poor record of police investigation in this matter to date, the Metropolitan Police or any other police force is not an appropriate body to conduct this investigation. Nor is the Press Complaints Commission (PCC) which has shown itself to be toothless and serve the interests of newspaper proprietors and not those of the general public.
With regard to Jeremy Hunt’s decision to give Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation the go ahead to acquire BSkyB, I can only reiterate what I have said previously that I am totally opposed to this take-over. I share the views of many others that the assurances which Murdoch has given about the independence of Sky News is not worth the paper that any such assurance was written on. Recent events have only served to confirm my worst fears in this regard”.