eurealist.co.uk

Euroscepticism is dead and the possible demise of the leading EU Sceptic blog EU Referendum.

Through these coming weeks, I intend to run a series of posts exploring why we are about to be confronted with a corpse, why euroscepticism failed and what we need to do about it (interspersed with our usual fare). Then, at a suitable moment, we may consider winding up EU Referendum.

I really hope the Dr North reconsiders as do many of his readers.

Sad news.

Perhaps the cavalry will arrive in the nick of time as in the best westerns.

I am sure that many appreciate your efforts to expose the horror that calls itself the EU. Your blog will be sadly missed.

You are even more indispensable here in the US, where facts and opinions about the EU, should they get published at all, are filtered through yet another layer of PC. Please keep up the good work.

The concept of democracy at the EU level is very much like the EU itself a top down arrangement, the leaders of the EU do make a big noise about democracy they claim it for the EU and demand it in member states and other states worldwide. It is a truism that if the EU applied to join the EU, its application would have to be rejected because of it lack of democracy.

Yet if you look at the make believe world that is the EU there is in reality no democracy. They simply invent organisations without any reference to what the people actually want and then demand that those organisations become the seat of popular democratic expression. And if the people do not accept the designations then it is the people who are at fault not the basic organisation.

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Perhaps it is right that I begin with a debate headed “Family Doctor Services” in the House of Commons on our St Georges Day, 23 April 2008 where the vote they passed reads:-

The current changes being imposed across NHS primary care by Gordon Brown are leading to the meltdown and eventual destruction of general practice in this country.

That this House welcomes the fact that the Government is providing £250 million, in addition to existing GP services, for 152 new state-of-the-art GP-led health centres open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week; notes that these will offer a wide range of health services including prebookable GP appointments and walk-in services; further notes that where patients previously had trouble seeing their GP or had to make numerous visits to a variety of health professionals, they will now be able to see a doctor more quickly, collect their prescriptions, get their eyes tested, have a variety of diagnostic tests or see a physiotherapist in the same building and at times convenient to the patient; further welcomes the additional centrally funded 100 GP practices to be located in the most deprived areas which will have a strong focus on promoting health and reducing inequalities; acknowledges the landmark agreement with GPs to extend surgery hours in evenings and on Saturdays and agrees that extended access will benefit hardworking families; further welcomes the extension of the role of pharmacies to be able to prescribe for and deal with minor ailments on the NHS, as well as promoting good health, supporting those with long-term conditions and preventing illnesses through additional screening and advice; recognises that the Government is on the side of patients; and agrees that extending access to GP services through extended hours and new GP health centres can have a real impact on health inequalities.

It sounds really good doesn’t it? So why are so many people against this “reconfiguration of primary care services” as they call it? Why are so many doctors against it? Why is the British Medical Association (BMA) against it? I can understand why ‘opticians’ and Pharmacies are against it except for those that might have the franchise for manning the Polyclinics
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