Ministry for Fair Play

New army hospital plans unveiled...

Defence Under Secretary Dereck Twigg is getting ready to unveil plans for a new military hospital ward for injured soldiers. If the plans are to go ahead, the Birmingham New Hospital, part of the University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, which manages the city's Selly Oak Hospital where the Royal… read more…

Written by Oli Anderson on 4 Jul 2008 2:06 PM. There are 0 comments so far. Permalink

Meedja on the Insanity Pills

10 reasons to keep on truckin'...

More than 50% of people surveyed said that they would support the proposed 'opt-out' scheme for organ donation. BBC. The Government has offered a £20,000 prize to anybody that can think of an innovative way for them to use the public data that it has amassed over the years. BBC.… read more…

Written by Oli Anderson on 3 Jul 2008 8:33 AM. There are 0 comments so far. Permalink

Meedja on the Insanity Pills

10 reasons we might not be...

Nelson Mandela has been removed from the US list of terror suspects. The Telegraph. Strikes by truck drivers in India suggest that we're not alone in this crazy, messed-up world. BBC. The European Commission has announced plans for cross-border healthcare system that would allow UK residents to seek treatment overseas.… read more…

Written by Oli Anderson on 2 Jul 2008 10:43 AM. There are 0 comments so far. Permalink

Meedja on the Insanity Pills

10 reasons we're all fucked...

Barack Obama has said that he would continue to back Bush's scheme of involving religious groups in government initiatives. BBC. The Government's targets to build three million new homes by 2020 may not be enough to meet demand. ePolitix. Rising food prices have meant that one in five UK residents… read more…

Written by Oli Anderson on 2 Jul 2008 10:12 AM. There are 0 comments so far. Permalink

Meedja on the Insanity Pills

Tesco goes political...

Tesco has stated that it is to stop sourcing products from Zimbabwe, due to the political crisis. BBC. Gordon Brown's 'once-in-a-generation' reform plans will make the NHS one of the best health systems in the world. ePolitix. Four Iraqi men are planning to sue U.S. military contractors after being tortured… read more…

Written by Oli Anderson on 1 Jul 2008 8:35 AM. There are 0 comments so far. Permalink

Ministry for Bets Being Off

White guys finish last...

Home secretary Harriet Harman has announced controversial new plans that require companies to favour ethnic minorities and women when it comes to taking on new employees. The new Equalities Bill will also seek to stop pensioners being witheld NHS treatment because of their age and allow mothers to breastfeed their… read more…

Written by Oli Anderson on 26 Jun 2008 12:17 PM. There are 1 comments so far. Permalink

Meedja on the Insanity Pills

Bad teeth on the rise...

Due to a government shake-up of the system, fewer people are visiting NHS dentists than they were a few years ago. The Times. A senior adviser of Barack Obama has stated that Britain must lead the world on prevention of bioterrorism. The Guardian. Shadow leader of the House, Theresa May,… read more…

Written by Oli Anderson on 6 Jun 2008 7:51 AM. Permalink

Meedja on the Insanity Pills

UK tourists most popular in Europe...

A German newspaper has printed a guide on how to avoid British tourists when travelling abroad. BBC. Private firms could be called in to help a failing NHS if new plans unveiled today prove fruitful. BBC. MPs have warned that something called 'crash-for-cash' insurance fraud is on the rise. ePolitix.… read more…

Written by Oli Anderson on 4 Jun 2008 7:57 AM. Permalink

Meedja on the Insanity Pills

Labour Party worried about lack of Scots...

Labour are starting to panic about the dearth of Scottish ministers in their party. ePolitix. Gordon Brown is still convinced that 42 is the magic number when it comes to all things terrorist detention. BBC. One of David Cameron's key campaign advisers has decided to emigrate to California. ePolitix. Australian… read more…

Written by Oli Anderson on 2 Jun 2008 7:51 AM. Permalink

Meedja on the Insanity Pills

Brown goes down...

It's another lugubrious day for the Prime Minister as new YouGov polls show that Labour's popularity is at its lowest since 1943. BBC. Further compounding Mr Brown's gloom is the news that consumer confidence has also sunk like the Titanic. The Guardian. It was revealed that UK life expectancy is… read more…

Written by Oli Anderson on 30 May 2008 7:54 AM. Permalink

Meedja on the Insanity Pills

Parliamentary wages not as high as expected...

According to recent figures, MPs only get paid £61,820 a year. So stop complaining. The Guardian. China and Taiwan are to start talking again for the first time in a decade. BBC. The company responsible for computerising the NHS, Fujitsu, has lost it's contract to do so. BBC. It seems… read more…

Written by Oli Anderson on 29 May 2008 7:50 AM. Permalink

Department for Waiting Lists

Scottish ambulance service: knackered

Upon hearing - after falling off a ferris wheel and shattering your face, knees and spine - that the paramedic coming to get you is en route in a 'rapid-response' vehicle, you may be forgiven for expecting some siren-whirring superhero to burst forth from the clouds on an NHS… read more…

Written by C J Davies on 22 May 2008 9:33 PM. Permalink

Meedja on the Insanity Pills

Bin Laden to release new video..

Within the next 72 hours Osama Bin Laden is expected to release a video message about his thoughts on Israel's 60th birthday celebrations. Reuters. A Pakistani man who stabbed his racist BNP neighbour to death is currently undergoing trial. The Times. The high court will today rule whether or not… read more…

Written by Oli Anderson on 16 May 2008 7:51 AM. Permalink

Meedja on the Insanity Pills

Still hope for Labour...

It has been said that Labour 'can still win the next election'. The Guardian. The NHS has claimed that the public are in favour of the government's proposed 'polyclinic' scheme. The Guardian. New rules regarding the number of skilled migrants allowed to work in the UK are to be announced… read more…

Written by Oli Anderson on 6 May 2008 7:47 AM. Permalink

Meedja on the Insanity Pills

Brown gets tough, the Dalai Lama speaks, and Doctors are pissed...

Mugabe is shaking in his army boots after Gordon Brown states he is 'appalled'. BBC. Channel 4. The Guardian. The Dalai Lama has stated that he does not advocate the Olympics boycott that people keep getting excited about. Reuters. Saudi Arabia's objections to the SAE investigation have caused some confusion.… read more…

Written by Oli Anderson on 12 Apr 2008 8:13 AM. There are 1 comments so far. Permalink

Our American Cousins

American Politicians Unsure Of What 'Healthcare' Means

Ask any Brit to define the term 'healthcare' and you'll no doubt get consistent answers - albeit ones that revolve around MRSA, underpaid nurses, filthy hospital bedding and good old fashioned drunken fistfights in Saturday night A&E. For our American chums, though, things may seem a bit more difficult. Health… read more…

Written by C J Davies on 30 Mar 2008 10:04 PM. Permalink

Meedja on the Insanity Pills

Tories to cut tax. No, wait...

Westmonster is confused. Not 3 weeks ago, the Telegraph headline read "Tories look to tax cuts to help economy." Yet today, in a piece about the Conservatives' plan to raise spending on the NHS at the expense of other services, the Telegraph seems to be saying rather the opposite: "It… read more…

Written by Andrew Levy on 28 Feb 2008 8:32 AM. Permalink

Ministry for Re-Runs

Best of the Week 7-11 Jan 2008

At Westmonster, we've celebrated our biggest week ever, and we'd like to welcome all of our new readers. Whether you've been following along or not, here's some of the best Westmonster's had to offer this week: Conservatives are setting the agenda these days, and we asked where the differences are… read more…

Written by Andrew Levy on 12 Jan 2008 11:34 AM. Permalink

Ministry for Turn Your Head and Cough

Where are the differences on NHS?

Fuelled by a quadruple espresso and a six pack of Red Bull, Westmonster set out to carefully read through the past week's NHS speeches by both the Prime Minister and the Right Hon. Leader of the Opposition. It's been hard to follow the narratives between cat naps, but as best… read more…

Written by Andrew Levy on 7 Jan 2008 4:45 PM. Permalink

While You Were Sleeping

Hey El Gordo, where ya been?

Guess who's crawled out from under the (Northern?) rock. Why, it's the Prime Minister! Yesterday he stopped in with Andrew. Today he's got an extended interview in The Guardian. Tomorrow, Westmonster expects to see him in New Hampshire moderating a debate. And what's Gordon on about in his new… read more…

Written by Andrew Levy on 7 Jan 2008 7:03 AM. Permalink

While You Were Slacking

Bottler bottles bottle reform

No rush to drink up as the government slams the brakes on reversing 24-hour licensing, according to The Times. Apparently the Gord prefers you reflect on his recent "successes" whilst inebriated. The average council tax bill will reach £1,380 this year, with a corresponding increase in services while funding… read more…

Written by Andrew Levy on 2 Jan 2008 10:45 AM. Permalink

Points, In Order

To the backdrop of the Moody Blues...

BONG! More trouble for Ian Blair as news filters through that his hypothetical resignation would not be accepted, in advance of another report on the Stockwell shooting. BONG! David Cameron's apparent love of gas-guzzling, environmentally unfriendly, carbon footprint-creating, large, posh vehicles to follow him around as he delivers lectures on how… read more…

Written by Lloyd Shepherd on 3 Nov 2007 6:30 PM. Permalink

Ministry for Paper Waving

LIVE! PMQs for 17/10/07

Westmonster provides live coverage of Prime Minister's Questions every Wednesday at Midday, when the House is in session. Below is the coverage of Prime Minister's Questions for 17 November 2007. 11:57 AM: Here we go again folks, and the Ministers responsible for the Department for Handing Out Lots of Money… read more…

Written by Lloyd Shepherd on 17 Oct 2007 11:57 AM. Permalink

Ministry for Paper Waving

LIVE! PMQs for 10/10/07

11:59 A couple of minutes to go until Welsh Questions winds up, and Westmonster would like it noted that it appears to be House of Commons Loud Tie Day, with both Peter Hain and Jack Straw wearing eye-watering confections. Looking good, gents. 12:00 Here we go. Harriet wrestles aside the… read more…

Written by Lloyd Shepherd on 10 Oct 2007 11:38 AM. Permalink

Live From The Carlton Club

LIVE! Cameron speaks

Westmonster provided live coverage of David Cameron's speech to the Conservative Party Conference in Blackpool. The transcript appears below. Westmonster would especially like to note that she called the Jimmy Cliff song more than 3 minutes before it came over the loudspeakers, and wasn't just reporting it had already happened.… read more…

Written by Lloyd Shepherd on 3 Oct 2007 1:48 PM. There are 2 comments so far. Permalink

Westmonster: “NHS”