Tag: tony delahoy

Letters: The Coming Attack

Dear Editor

At the end of the war in 1945 the population, including the armed forces, were exhausted, many having also lived through the 1930s of unemployment and poor living conditions. The population were determined to change things after six years of war.

The main thing to tackle was the formation if a National Health Service. In 1948 this would tackle the poor state of the nation and provide an example of how the nation could be organised for the people.

Now, more than seventy years on, the foresight of setting up the NHS has been experienced and it is paying off, particularly in the circumstances of the Covid 19 epidemic.

Millions of people have expressed their gratitude for the NHS, for it’s originators and for all the people who work within it.

But now, a danger looms over our NHS. The Conservatives, who voted AGAINST the formation of the NHS, feel they are able to start ‘reorganising’ the service to allow the private sector a controlling role in it.

This infiltration is the first step by the Tories in a plan to kill off the NHS as a service for all.

TONY DELAHOY

Letters: The Coming Attack

Dear Editor

THE COMING ATTACK

At the end of the War in 1945 the population including the armed forces were exhausted, having also lived throught the 1930s of unemployment and poor living conditions. The population were determined to change things after 6 years of war.

The main thing to tackle was the formation of a National Health Service. In 1948 this would tackle the poor state of the nation and provide an example of how the nation could be organised for the people.

Now 70 years on, the foresight of setting up the NHS has been experienced and it is paying off, particularly in the circumstances of the Covid19 epidemic.

Millions of people have expressed their gratitude for the NHS, for its originators and for all the people who work within it.

But now a danger looms over our NHS. The Conservatives, who voted AGAINST the formation of the NHS feel they are able to start ‘ Reorganising’ the service to allow the private sector a controlling role in it.

This infiltration is a first step by the Tories in a plan to kill off the NHS as a service for all.

Tony Delahoy

by email

Letters: This Is Not Living

Dear Editor

Over seventy years ago the people of the UK decided the NHS was a necessary public service to be owned by the public and to be publicly funded.

Many struggles tok place to maintain this principle. Today, people take great pride in this social way of organisation. We owe a great debt to all those past and present who foresee the future.

From January to May 2020 the population has taken a hammering from the coronavirus.

In order for people to ‘stay at home’ and not go to work unless they were key workers, a Government scheme was launched to pay companies money for up to 60 – 80% of their employees wages. At best this was approximately a 25% reduction in income for most people.

As we know the kindness and generosity to others has been amazing, as with the recent recalling of the end of World War II, when the prevailing mood at that time in 1945 was that we, the people, will make changes in how our things are run and organised for the benefit of all.

Today, the people are are realising that the kind of society that has been created over this past century is a massive apology for living.

The daily chase to work on packed buses,trams and railways or packed in traffic jams of thousands – whatever transport is used, it eats up eveyone’s time, pollutes the air and dmages the climate. This is not living. There must be changes.

More and more people whilst having to deal with the coronavirus have also been aware that things have to change, making our lives more in harmony with the world and not in the interests of money makers and investors.

People have seen that investors control which industries operate, whom they employ and under what conditions – be that full time working, flexi work or zero hour contracts – all of these are decided by the companies.

Wealthy investors’ ownership of major parts of the economy as ‘theirs’ cannot be justified in any way.

As happened with the formation of the NHS, rail buses and trams must be brought into public ownership. Now people are recognising how indispensible the NHS is, so too are rail, buses and trams – they are an essential part of normal society, not an investment for greedy individuals.

During this lockdown major lessons have been understood, people appreciating a calmer environment with less traffic, cleaner air and being able to hear the birds sing.

Major changes have been taking place in our daily lives. At this moment in time working people are in great danger, even worse than the last six years of austerity.

Even the subsidy to wages that the government borrowed for the employers to hand out will be clawed back from the working people: in taxes, longer hours, cuts in services and raised prices.

These same working people will ‘pay back’ the investors and gamblers, banks and city corporations who will fight with all their guile and strength to recoup every penny of their wealth – and continue to amass fortunes and control the lives of the population.

Tony Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens

 

Letters: Austerity – Never Again!

Dear Editor

When the banks crashed through mismanagement and greed most were bailed out by the government, using public money to do so.

People were told that everyone was ‘in it together’.

But as we know from thise years, the government embarked onn what they called Austerity, in whih wages were frozen for years; prices were rising; major cuts were made in services of all kinds;unemployment and zero hours contracts grew.

The years of tremendous sacrifices made by the people in their lives have now been forgotten by employers and government alike.

In fact there is an indication that both of these are preparing the repeat of austerity, more severe than the last – and that will last much longer.

The people must not allow this to happen again!

The investors and financial institutions are intent to make everyone pay and once again decimate the lives of all people.

Tony Delahoy

 

Letters: Public services more vital than ever

Dear Editor

The National Health Service has always been valued as a people’s organisation. This value has always been appreciated – but never more so than today.

This lesson on the importance of people’s services shows the way our society must be run. If the NHS is vital, so are gas, electricity and water. As are the railways, buses and trams. Make them public services, too – serving the people.

The value of the NHS to the people is immense: a publicly funded service, available ever day.

Also ever day, 30 million people travel to and from their places of work using rail, bus and tram.

Work, in order to live, is a necessity. These transport industries must also become part of a fully funded, publically owned service with the NHS. It can be arranged and organised as a public service.

The NHS has been our lifeline. People have always guarded the principle of a service of the people.

How right that is!

Tony Delahoy 

The 75th Commemoration of VE Day, 8th May 2020

Dear Editor,

I hope my words will be printed to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of VE Day.

As a D-Day veteran of WW2 I felt – and still feel – we all must protect peace for all and co-operation between nations.

Tony Delahoy

In May 1945 the longed-for Peace came to Europe.

The joy, happiness,relief and sadness overtook Europe.

From that date there was a determination that the people of Europe co-operate in building an organisation to represent all peoples.

An agreement was reached on the formation of the United Nations, at which issues and policies could be agreed.

As a worldwide organisation a tremendous amount was done ro help people.

The formation of a European organisation became necessary to solve problems that were arising. The European Union has followed and developed this spirit of co-operation.

The greatest achievement of the EU is that Europe is, and has remained for decades, united in peace.

The people of Europe will defend the peace they have created.

Tony Delahoy

 

Letters: Thanks,NEN

Dear Editor
May I say the social importance of NEN keeping in contact with the community is so helpful. With the isolation being felt by so many having a negative effect.
When this awful plague is over the community must come together and Public Services are an absolute priority for all Councils everywhere, fully funded and protected.
Tony
Tony Delahoy 
(by email)

Letters: We must act NOW to save the environment

Dear Editor

The destruction of the world’s forests is leading to vast areas of barren earth. The destruction of trees reduces the amount of vital oxygen needed to combat CO2 gasses and support life everywhere. Excess CO2 in thr atmosphere is now driving climate change.

Everyone should be alarmed by what is being done by private companies, their investors and the financial institutions and governments behind them.

The continued large scale extraction of coal, oil and water to boost the profits of these investors is a crime against every living being who also share this planet.

People must call for an immediate ban on the destruction of the world’s forests as the situation of our climate is now at a critical point. The current rate of extinction and exploitation must be reversed before it is too late.

A. Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens

Letters: Mutual appreciation society!

Dear Dave

Thank you for your NEN reporting of my birthday and my letter. It was quite a surprise and very pleasing to read the good words written.

But Dave, without all your work very little that is spoke or written about would not exist.

So Dave, congratulations to you and many sincere thanks. I too wish that ‘Lang may your lumb reek’!

Very best wishes for all of 2020.

A. Delahoy

Silverknowes Gardens

Thanks, Tony – much appreciated! – Ed