Readers Rants

Sick NHS

While the Tories devote all their time and energy to fighting one another, our NHS and emergency services are imploding. Last month I was at an event in West London, when a distinguished academic in his late seventies had a bad fall on leaves outside the venue. It was clear he was in agony, most likely with a broken leg or hip, and could not be moved without medical help. I held his hand while another guest called emergency services and I was surprised by how long it took for him to be connected to ambulance handlers. He explained the severity of the situation and the fact that my friend has bone cancer and is very frail and was lying shaking on wet tarmac, only to be told there would be a six-hour wait for an ambulance – even though we were minutes away from Charing Cross Hospital. We called back four times and, in the end, had to ask a doctor who was also at the event to talk to the call handlers and make it clear that in her professional opinion my friend was at severe risk of rapid deterioration (he was cold, clammy, in acute pain and having trouble regulating his breathing), to the point he might have a heart attack. They then prioritised his case. As it was, he lay on wet, cold ground for an hour and a half before an ambulance arrived and two brilliant, kind paramedics saw to him. The wonderful doctor who helped us used to work for the NHS, but now lives in Scandinavia. She was appalled by the deterioration in our ambulance service, saying to me with bewilderment, “But ambulances used to come in ten minutes in London.” No greater indictment of our sociopathic government.

Angry, Cambridge

Tory shit show

The prime minister with the shortest period in office was George Canning, whose sole term lasted 119 days from 12 April 1827 until his death on 8 August 1827. That record is now broken. It’s no longer about who can lead this country out of this shit show but who can win the next election for the Tories. Says everything about them. It’s about what’s best for them, NOT what’s best for the country.

Allan Davis,
Fulham

Inspiring humility

Fantastic interview with a humble but inspiring man (The Interview, Perspective October ‘22). Leyla’s own health challenges give her a deep understanding of Marsh’s battles.

Heather McNamee,
Online

No time to celebrate

In 36 years of living here, I never thought I’d see the day when someone who is a descendant of immigrants would as Home Secretary “dream” of sending a plane full of refugees to Rwanda (her own words). As if that’s not bad enough, she now has the full backing of the PM, who is also of immigrant stock.

Contrary to all the hoo-ha in the media about how amazing it is that we have a leader who is from an ethnic minority, I don’t think there is anything to celebrate.

As an immigrant to this country myself, and also from an ethnic minority, I can say this without fear of being accused of being racist: this sort of hypocrisy is morally reprehensible and utterly disgusting.

It’s interesting how the actual racist phone-ins on popular radio shows make no mention of this cruel, ultra-right wing immigration policy, with callers pretending they don’t like the new PM because [insert any rubbish reason you like here]. This country has come a long way in terms of racial equality and diversity in positions of power and if there is one thing you’d hope for is that those who do make it to the top try to remedy racism, not fuel it.

Jamal Kareem,
Southall