Support for legal Aid

P of M has been mostly busy writing more letters (and hopeing for a postive result) - this one is for my local MP... but dont hold out much hope, since he is a Tory (well what do you expect i live in kent) ;)



Dear Sir:

I am writing to you as a concerned local constitute and also as a volunteer for local community legal aid advice services. My concern is the current Legal Aid Bill and proposed budget cuts which are going through parliament at this present moment of time.

I enjoy my volunteer work because it allows me to put something of myself back into the community in which I live; but I also find myself frustrated when I come across members of the public and I cannot help them with their particular problem, because current funding does not exist beyond giving some basic initial advice from an unqualified volunteer such as myself.

Often, very basic advice is all a member of the public needs to resolve a particular issue such housing, debt, consumer, family welfare or perhaps employment problems; however sometimes, needs can be of a more extensive nature which goes beyond my knowledge and experience and indeed remit as an unpaid volunteer.

This is a problem because it creates a legal justice deficit that goes to the very core of living in a civil society with a strong rule of law. This evidently does create a bad undercurrent in our society which results in members of the public losing respect in the legal justice system, as a fair process of redress, and perhaps also goes half way to explain why so many people (especial young people) feel much disengagement and apathy towards politics in general.

As an extreme example, I would refer you to the independent report, by the Riots Communities and Victims Panel, into last summer’s disruptions.

What I am basically saying is that this government cannot continue to rely on the good will of people such as myself, if the government in turn, continues on its present course and cuts an estimated £350 million from the legal aid budget.
I volunteer approximately 10 hours of my free time every week, and I also hold down a busy full-time job as an NHS nurse – I can only perform well in my volunteer role because I fully rely upon people who are (not unpaid volunteers) and work full time as paid managers, case workers and legal aid lawyers.

I understand the current policy to make budget cuts, but the current proposed legislation is also poorly thought out using blanket measures to cut costs at the expense of something which corrodes the very fabric of our civil society – the real expense in legal aid is the vast and complex bureaucracy used to administer funding, this is totally inefficient for the tax payer and results in lower levels of good legal advice and advocacy reaching the people who need it most.

Finally, as a member of parliament who holds consultation with local constituents, I would strongly urge you to at least read the executive summery of this document written by the Young Legal Aid Lawyers (YLAL) – see document attached – since I feel the repercussions will directly effect you as a member of parliament.

YLAL REPORT

kind regards

P of M

My New (ish) Guitar Faith Saturn

Seems to be a bit of fuzz with the sound recording (((((Click Link)))))), but I wanted to sit close, so the camera could get a good Lookey at my lovely new (ish) Guitar! Had absolutely no intention to get this guitar, I was just mucking around in the music shop as you do… then suddenly the clouds parted and I spied this beauty from afar shying behind a big old hunk of a Tanglewood; so I picked her up and my god! The tone !!… I could just feel its depth and we instantly bonded.

I would only expect this type of performance from a Taylor of a Martin guitar at three times the price! And even then you still cannot be certain.

I will have to make some more recordings with better equipment, so the sound can be fully appreciated – this recording is a slapped up number from Janis Joplin, going through a Blues thing at the moment, just got some Mr Scrapper Blackwell Blues recording from the 1960s… exquisite to say the least..

And The Outcome…

No Unison did not do much to help me; they asked if I had a contract of employment and the answer was no… I have never formally been given a contract - and if I did, I would have no hesitation in striking out a clause that gave my employer the discretion to pay me what ever they wanted!

I wrote a letter back informing them that my employment rights were therefore implied under statute… I think the 1996 or 2006 Employment Act – under which an employer is not allowed to change an employees pay without informed consent (yes good old EU legislators again looking after the average Joe… since the Great English government is so very very piss poor on human rights)

Alas! the brain washed masses will still deplore the great institutions of the EU because they regulate bendy bananas?!?! (I am sure there is a culturally positive argument for closing down the Daily Mail and indenturing Richard Littlejon as an eastern European XXX gay porn star fluffier… ) our culture would be Greater.

Anyhow… so no further replies from Unison and a bigfat legal deficit in terms of accesses to legal justice… almost makes me want to smash in the windows of my local JD Sports!

P of M

Anti-copyright music! copy left not right ;)

its a Sunday and i have (some)* time on my hands... so i decided to sing an old Dubliners number "whisky in a jar" you will have to excuse the forth verse as i lost the chord (i am far to slap dash to make a second recording) and my fake plastic irish accent! (my apologies to Irish speaking people) - and of course all the other excuses of bad workmanship... poor recording equipment, bad toothpaste and not much coffee... etc... etc... yadder yadder



*yes - what should have taken a few minutes actually took many hours - had to convert the audio back into video. Used every trick in the book and then some... not as easy as it sounds! in the end (2am Monday morning to be precise) had to splice with some video editing apps on my I phone! The lesson learnt - always record onto the right format to begin with ;)

Let War Begin...

I have calmed down (a very small amount) and have decided that i am not taking this lying down like a Patsie! Step one: contact my trade union - i have written a letter see below (i doubt that there is a claim under public law, but it is worth mooting the point) - Step two: contact my work mates, see how far we can push the issue as a pressure group. Step three: might have to think about some direct action! DIY stylee ;)



Dear Sir/Madam

I am writing to you as a member of Unison to ask you for some advice and help regarding a letter I received concerning a cut in my salary by my employer NHS Professionals (NHSP). I have included the letter NHSP sent me with this cover letter.

In essence the letter informs me that I am taking a pay cut from the 1st of August 2011, with no consultation and agreement on my behalf or indeed by any of my colleagues. The spurious reason being to save the East Kent NHS Hospitals Trust Budget; I have not been informed by any other employees (i.e. not NHSP) that they are also taking a wage cut in this NHS trust, indeed the received wisdom is that this Trust has a budget surplus.

Could it really be the case, that NHS management, are cynically using the media panic of public sector cuts to squeeze people on the lowest wages and in the most and insecure forms of public sector employment? If this is the case, then it is both despicable and morally wrong.

Legally I am not sure that they can do this? I consider myself a public sector worker; I pay into an NHS pension scheme and NHSP is a public sector organisation set up by the Department of Health – however they have tried to push their status as a private company, but as far as I know, they are not a private company with shareholders, so I don’t think that they can just make these types decisions using their own fettering discretion.

I would like to know if there is a case for judicial review? This pay cut would seem to be unlawful on the following grounds:

 The decision-maker does not have power to make that decision, or is using the power
they have for an improper purpose;
 the decision is irrational;
 the procedure followed by the decision-maker was unfair or biased;
 the decision was taken in breach of the Human Rights Act; or
 the decision breaches European Community (EC) law.

Would it be possible to forward this correspondence to a legal firm that works with Unison, such as Thomsons. And perhaps get a second opinion if there has been a breech of law and if this is the case, then should it be corrected? However, if this is not the case, then is there another option to appeal under employment legislation?

On a personal note, I think that this would be a good issue for Unison to get behind; this pay cut seems extremely cynical and unfair to me; this pay cut effects a significant number of hard working Health Care Assistance (HCAs) that work in the East Kent hospitals Trust (Some on full-time contracts with the Trust using NHSP to help supplement their low incomes). Perhaps next time when I discuss with colleagues the importance of joining a trade union I can cite this a positive reason for joining.

In the meantime, please contact me with any other ways in which this wrong can be corrected. I have not contacted the people from NHSP about this grievance, I would prefer to meet with yourselves (Unison) and discuss how best to bring this issue forward; and as it says in the letter, it would seem that NHSP and the East Kent Hospitals Trust have already made their decision regardless.

Kind regards

paulofmedway

I will keep the blog updated on developments...

East Kent Hospitals Trusts and NHS Professionals are... C*nTs!

Excuse me ladies for using the ‘C' word! But I really don’t know how much more I can tolerate from my employers!

I have just received a letter from my employers informing me that “workforce efficiency group” which incidentally sounds like a made up title for a bunch of morons who earn far too much money making up farcical names to justify their own bloated existence to the tax payer! Have just decided in their infinite wisdom, that (me), earning Just above the minimum wage, needs to take a pay cut, to help East Kent Hospitals reduce their budget deficient. Is it possible to get much more blood from a stone? I can think of a few ways to save money and I would not start at the very bottom; I.e. the people who work in the same trust as myself, but get paid such hideous amounts of public money that the HR department thinks it is much wiser not to disclose the salary and benefits when vacancies get shuffled around at the top.

Really not good timing today! I have just awoken from a twelve-hour night shift on a heavy and busy orthopedic ward - I did not have time to take a break last night (that’s twelve hours on my feet, which is extremely illegal especially when looking after post-operative high dependency patients and major trauma cases.) The management response is to fill out a clinical incidence form when these occasions arise, which we all know is a load of old bollox because…

1) We don’t have time – not all of us can afford to employ a private secretary at work; (well thats not our problem you need to make the time sunny jim?) No, we really don’t have time you fecking twats, because we work like slaves for (feck all money) to make your budgets balance! As long as it all looks pretty and good on the surface? Yes, that’s what really matters.

2) We have it on very good authority that these forms just get chucked into the bin and so nothing ever gets done – so I have better things to do with my time at work… like (try) to care for patients. You know? Real Patient care (a novel concept) Not all of us in the NHS sit around board rooms and cynically put our snouts into the troft!

I doubt very much that the people in the ‘orwellian workforce efficiency group’ come to work on an average day and have to put up with disgusting and understaffed working conditions that exist in this farcical place that tries to pass as a hospital! I doubt very much that the ‘orwellian workforce efficiency group’ has to constantly apologise to patients and relatives (at the coalface) for a continually failing NHS trust, supporting a top-heavy bloated plutocracy. And no, I am not talking about the contrived statistics from an agreeable and clueless private sector marketing company such as ‘Dr Foster’, but the real angst and frustration of the people I work with everyday who just want to do their job well.

Rest in Peace Brian Haw

After a battle with lung cancer, a good man with a big heart has passed away - The UK Government and London Greater Authority should hold their heads in shame.

I doubt it was the first time that the dirty old mare had been Prodded with a stick!

However the question remains, who exactly would want to touch her, even with a very very long stick?

Police inquires continue…

Wanted Dead or Alive!! €6 billion!

This little shit was spotted in the early hours of a Monday Morning at a Hull job Centre goading and gobing off to single mothers and disabled people with lies and taunts concerning Budget deficits and cuts to benefits. Staff at the job centre challenged Mr Osborne asking him to leave quietly, since they were very busy! At this point Mr Osborne chucked his can of special brew at staff and let loose a whole torrent of abuse at both Staff and Job seekers… “you wait and see ya Fecking peasants! By the time me and my mate Dave are finished with ya pubic sector pensions and benefits! you will all be indentured and chained to a Tesco fecking work house and we will be eating cake with me Banker Mates in the city! …”

Mr Osborne was last spotted Tuesday afternoon wearing a ginger afro wig and speeding down the M1 towards London in his red Porsche blasting out Brian Ferry’s greatest hits on his pimped up car stereo system.

Members of the public are urged to approach Mr Osborne with extreme caution, if in doubt contact your local economist or statistician.

Blast! Clegg you twit! now we have a Tory government!

perhaps some art therapy for these troubled times...

Dear Nick Clegg

If you form a coalition government with the Tories then it just goes to show what a farce our political process has become. How can a pro European party join with these right wing fanatics? and i have yet to meet a liberal Democrat who is not to the left of New Labour... feeling isolated now? wait until the next general election... if you do not form a coalition government with labour your political party will decline as your core supporters finally lose their voice and the political landscape in the country takes a nasty lurch to the right... i am not a nationalist...but even i understand that this is not in the national interest!

However, you really need to understand the political and indeed the legal interests of May the 6th 2010. At present the Murdock media is being white washed with hollow jingoistic spin about forming a strong government on all sides…is the UK really under siege? Or is this just the last chuck of the dice from a desperate Tory party that has lacked any type of substance apart from a desire to gain power and keep power? They have no values only self-interest … the government they would form is moribund. There simplistic endemic mentality has already proven they are a plump and easy target on the European and international stage… they are an absolute liability if anything.

George Osborne as chancellor of the exchequer! Does this bode well in the mind of the average Liberal Democrat voter? “get real” Nick, he is child and hier to Thatcherism. You have a legal obligation to look closely at the people who voted for you in this election and not to reinforce the dysfunctional first past the post Victorian voting system by giving it further legal legitimacy and forming a Tory anti European pro war government … and who knows… it might turn out best for the national interest?

If you are serious about proportional representation and taking the real (legitimate) narrative of this election…then you know what must be done... time to show some steal.



Paul of Medway

Is this the Blandest and most Non-Imaginative man in Milton Keynes?

I have had a good chuckle today (I will latter whip myself for penance) Reading the Guardian Articles by David Cameron on Progressive Conservatism – I thought at the very least he was a political researcher and might have some gravity on the ‘policy thing’, well I am comforted to find that ‘Progressive Conservatism’ has about as much whack as…

Yes plenty of sound bites in Mr Cameron’s speech; looks like we can expect ‘Massive Redistributions of Power’ as politicians and Whitehall officials are going to be whipped into place for the honest British public; And I thought he wanted to be elected into Government, but he might be running for editor chief at the Tory Telegraph? Hmm, I wonder if Mr Cameron has been watching the re-runs of ‘Yes Minister’ on TV Gold, because he sounds like Jim Hacker at the Ministry of Administrative Affairs, bloated and farcical.

And yes, we can also expect the ‘End of the State Monopoly on Education’ Ohh Goody Goody Gum drops! Obviously it is the mad neurotic parents obsessed with league tables who have a clear understanding on the issues involved in education and ergo should be making all of the important decisions, not some pragmatic and objective local government educationalist who might have both knowledge and many years of experience in these matters – am I going mad? Surely it is reasonable to any sane person (i.e. not parents obsessed with school league Tables)

Most parents actually don’t have a clue about education! In fact, Local Government should educating Parents how to be Parents; because Half of all cohabiting and married different sex couples (only have kids) because the other half of all cohabiting and married different sex couples are having kids! And they don’t want to feel missed out (its pathetic! and I do feel really sorry for kids today... how do they deal with parenting egos?) – well at least in the Victorian days…they sent them out to work ;)

Then (he) goes on to say… ‘ Any parent who isn't happy with the education their child is receiving can send their child to a new school ‘ – So Pushy Parents can knock their kids piller to post whilst they dabble with their fancy about what constitutes education? Excuse me, has anyone stopped to think how the kids might feel before they are ripped from their friends and peers and displaced into “any suitably qualified organization” what? like a Ronald McDonalds School Mr Cameron?

Viva La Reviotion!! Dark days ahead...

Back to the Planet Blog!

Reader! Has it really been a year since our last love affair? I have Given Paul of Medway a new Face and colour coordinated shoes to dance; I hope the appearance is pleasant to the eye and the dialog tuneful to the mind.

I Have been a studious law student for the last 12 months, hacking away in the library and clocking in the 12 hour Night shifts at the local District General Hospital – Alas, absolutely no time for living and certainly no time for Bloging either. But as my days grow lighter and my academic study becomes shorter, I now find that I may have some extra time on my hands…

Instead of doing something really usefull and positive like reinvigortae my twice dead social life or start up a sanctuary for poorly hedgehogs with tunnel vision and vertigo – I thought I would coil up back into my warm hole of a Blog, and then vent some merry spleen onto the crule world, in which we are all born... violently, bloody and clueless.

Paul of Medway also has a new agenda, it looks like the UK might be (done in) for a real Tory Government (the last decade of Neo Labour has been a mere warm up) the gates of Mordor are finally about to open – all good creatures must take up arms against the dark towers of Notting Hill – lets Do some Class War!

A few good bargains were struck to get Neo Labour into power – one of which was the minimum wage; Arch Tories have not so easily forgotten that bitter blow! And the subsequent unfruitful lies about UK plc becoming dysfunctional have not come about since a red line was drawn under exploitation. But the chess pieces have now began to start moving on the board again…

The introduction of the Employment Opportunities Bill by Tory Christopher Chopes reveals the draconian wheels that will always turn in the Tory party mindset – this vile legislation would seek to undermine the minimum wage under the guise of some liberal pretence about offering flexibility and choice to employers during the economic down turn! The Private members bill was defeated on the second reading on the 17th of May, but it is still disheartening that the legislation even got this close to the statute book. The ball will start rolling again, this was only the first round.

I still remember the early 1990s, leaving school with worthless qualifications and entering into a melted down industrial employment market, to work for money grabbing agencies in factories and warehouses, earning below £3.00 per hour! Go on Tories, pass your crappy legislation and polarize this generation, in the next ten years when we have you on your knees again, it will be the guillotine for the old relics of the Twentieth Century.

Wage Concern

The problem with this country is....

That it is filled with people who write books about how to avoid paying property tax ...

And the people who buy these books and then write raving reviews on Amazon.co.uk about their dishonest dealings...

its about time the gutter press (Daily Mail) stopped attacking people on low incomes who get small amounts of social security. And yet we always hear from chorus of middle class Twats whaling about how it's the people in the middle who PAYE for everyone else! Best not mention the tax breaks, free education and wonderful National Health Service the (old) middle classes of England have benefited from over the last 60 years! And still they do not like paying for these state subsidised services (anyone for some cake?)

Rearrange this phrase into a logical order...

troft! your snouts Pigs get out of the

As the following reviewer likes to articulate about her purchase of... "how to avoid property tax?"

This book really has been indispensable for us over the last few months. My husband and I made the decision last year to buy several properties, with the hope that eventually these would provide a good income when we retire. After seeking some advice we went ahead but neither of us knew much about the tax side of things.
How to Avoid Property Tax has helped us out on so many different matters, and must have saved us a fortune already in consultancy fees and tax. Particularly useful, I found, was the large amount of information explaining all the expenses we can claim against our tax - the list is huge.

Thankfully we have now got all our affairs under control, and running smoothly. We are considering venturing into commercial property to a limited extent, and again this book has proven hugely helpful.

It really does come very highly recommended, due to the wide range of tax issues covered and the high level of detail the author has crammed into each chapter. It is very well written and easy to understand - which is always good for people like me who have no prior experience in these matters!

Many Thanks.

They have no honor…

politics aside and back to nature...

Thinking about the sea a lot lately, so i decided to write a poem, ahem...

The Seas-End

Ripped ruined and rexed the sea was a red eyed wreck roaring in its floundering debt it split up over the trenches knelt bent and gushed up against their dent sending crushed cement straight though the many vents leaving thunder shunts to howl in carved out giant spheres deep within the sea cavity walls. The red eyed wreak breathed in again to gather in its Kraken sized nets for another pointless upward assent. Hundred mile high long waves darker than the unborn son of Gun lashing up coiled out claws with pincers shifting on grips moving along the hundred-mile high sea wall rotating tiny white razor nips far high above and over the distant falling and finally declining line of the utterly disappearing and submerged seashore no more.

Still time to turn again ken?

After a Few hundred years of gaining the vote it would seem that we are still being ruled by the same old Etonians, they do have a remarkable ability to stay in power? I thought the well-read people of London town might be clued up enough, but no, it seems that many are suckers for a little bit of media showmanship over the most genuinely good Politico this country has ever produced, Ken Livingstone. Well, London might have a heavy toll to pay yet? I hope not.



This one goes out to Boris and the evening standard (once a Tory always a Tory)

One law for the Rich and One law for the Poor

Following on from reading an interesting article in this weeks excellent Schnews about fox hunting in the UK after the 2004 ban, I decided to do a bit of investigating into the subject matter myself; after all, could it be true that the respectable Lords and Ladies of the hunt are flouting the rule of law? I expected that I would have to delve deep into the electronic resources of the internet to uncover the incandescent truth. Imagine my surprise however when looking at the homepage of the main UK pro-hunt website and the appearance of a web-link to the following letter found in the Independent Newspaper…by Henry Master of the foxhounds, west country…

During the autumn, we pretend we're on hound exercise; now the season's begun properly, we say it's drag hunting. But that's total rubbish. It's business as usual. We are killing almost as many foxes as ever.

I would say we are now bagging 25 brace in a season, all of them illegally. Someone always carries a duster and some oil in their pocket, so we say we're drag hunting but I haven't actually laid a trail for more than a year. Before the ban came in, we'd kill 35 foxes in a season. Now it's slightly less. The reason is we are no longer digging foxes that have gone on the high moor, which is owned by the Duchy of Cornwall. We don't want to embarrass them.

Among the other hunts, a small minority are behaving themselves, particularly those who use National Trust or Forestry Commission land, and can't afford to lose their licences to go there. The other 95 per cent are breaking the law big time. In fact, everybody is getting a bit reckless, and I wouldn't be surprised if people start getting caught.

Recently, the police had a quiet word, saying basically be careful and we'll leave you alone. The only time they'll really crack down is if there's trouble with 'antis' and someone gets thumped. Public order, rather than fox welfare, is their main concern.

Business as usual? jolly good Henry! Perhaps I should start breaking a few laws? Somehow I don’t think the arresting officer would be sympathetic towards me; since they do have an invested interest in keeping the lower economic classes firmly under the rule of law.

Can you spot the terrorist?

The Thuggish Gangs of Home Counties Commuters

The middle classes have been harassing me on public transport again! Its ironic, the crack smoking kids on the Medway valley line never give me any hassle! But if I get on a train pointing towards London, Monday to Friday office hours, then I am guaranteed to get my feathers ruffled by middle class thug in a suit.

This particular “Twat” had the jimmy cheek to tell me to remove my “dirty” DM vegetarian boots off the seat! To which I replied “No” and “my boots are clean thank you very much”. Gobsmacked that someone should put him back in his cage! The delusional monkey stopped making the ape sounds and then grassed me up to the conductor (quickly retreating back behind his Times Newspaper). They have absolutely no honour.

Of course, a reasonable person might point out that someone else has to sit on the train seat; does a reasonable person also believe that the average commuter is capable of performing an unselfish act? No! What riled this particular "Freak" was an evangelical belief in his own upwardly mobile position in society, he was snob. What is it with these “professional” middle class people and their incessant need to impose themselves upon innocent members of the public? I could never imagine a working class person outwardly telling me how to behave in a public space. It would be considered extremely rude.

14,979,243 + 1 UK donor's

I Became a donor today...a bit of strange experience to think that my bodily organs might end up in another person one day; I always took it for granted that these limbs of mine would always be mine and of course the little wiggly worms in my grave; but this might not be the case anymore? I hope my hands are transplanted to a sexy lesbian super model; although knowing my unfortunate luck! I will most probably get half by brain transplanted into a lobotomised Tory.

It is a very un-ceremonial experience becoming an online donor; simply type in your name, address and just one tiny click of the mouse and you are whisked away to a “Thank You for becoming a donor webpage” with a picture of a leering Gary Liniker; Talk about an anticlimax to my altruistic deed for the day! Despite this, becoming a donor is actually very very (very) important; after seeing patients in need of liver transplants in hospital and not being able to get matching transplants, I really had no excuse.So...

Become a donor

Redistribute the Bricks

More doom and gloom predicted on the UK Plc horizon as an estimated 103 houses will be repossessed on average day in merry little England (I don’t think its going to be a big Feature on Location!, Location!, Location!). I remember the last time the Market developed these teething problems at the beginning of the 1990s; houses (i.e. people’s homes) were repossessed in the thousands every week whilst the Major government stood idle, many were subsequently made homeless and trapped in negative equity.

If housing repossessions are going to increase over the coming months then surely it’s the responsibility of a good government to underwrite the risk and buy back the repossessed houses at auction, with the objective aim to rent back to the previous owner-occupiers at cheaper affordable rents. Furthermore, Local authorities would not have to re-house homeless families into expensive private bedsits, thus insuring the social fabric of society remains, as the doom and gloom rumbles back over the horizon and jam tomorrows return again.

Of course, many of our continental cousins do not have to contend with these types of problems, because firstly they appreciate that a house is a home and not financial investment; secondly they also understand housing should be equally distributed across many different sectors, i.e. owner-occupiers, voluntary, private renting and (public sector).

Report a benefit fraudster