Funny. I must have missed this in the LibDem and Tory manifestos ....

[non sociopath skin]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/aug/01/nhs-trusts-private-patients

The Skin

[Nihil]

1. As one of the comments to that article said ...

> Nick Clegg’s speech to the Liberal Democrat Spring Conference 2008...
> "This talk of alliances comes up a lot, doesn't it?
> Everyone wants to be in our gang. So I want to make something very clear today.
> Will I ever join a Conservative government?
> No!"

Two years is a long time in politics isn't it Nick?

Bet it feels even longer if you are waiting for an operation on the NHS ...

[non sociopath skin]

2. Ah, Nihil, but that's not what he MEANT ...

... as I'm sure he could demonstrate with ease.

"And, by the way, Sir, I also have in my suitcase some excellent snake oil which will cure all your ailments ...."

The Skin

[LeftishBrit]

4. By the way, where *is* Nick?

Every now and then, Huhne or Cable says something, but Nick seems to be practically in hiding.

[Nihil]

5. Probably in hiding ...

... from the contract that was put out on him after he admitted
at PMQs (i.e., speaking in the capacity of acting leader and
on the official record) that the Iraq war was illegal ...

Either that or he's still in the brainwashing session that is
intended to cure his occasional tendency to tell the truth.

:shrug:

[LeftishBrit]

3. In fact, our local Tory candidate (now unfortunately our MP)'s leaflets...

were full of how the NHS was her highest priority, and how only the Tories could prevent NHS cuts, etc.

There is lots of hypocrisy about; but there is also IMO some sheer incompetence, reckless lack of planning, and the (relatively) left hand not knowing what the (very) right hand is doing. I'm talking here not just about the LibDems, but about Cameron. I think he wanted to be PM; and that he doesn't care that much what his Ministers such as Lansley do, so long as they support him in the PM role. He will sit on the LibDems no doubt, but give Tories a free reign, without checking up much on them.

Also I suspect that there is a fair bit of legal but unethical bribery going on. The media are obsessed with MPs' expenses claims, but the ethics issue that bothers me far more is: what sort of incentives and funding are they getting from businesspeople who stand to profit from particular policies, especially privatization policies? It is known that a private health insurance company has given funds to Lansley's office, for example.