1 December - An inevitable change of political direction
Two months ago BiB reported on former
Councillor Dave Putson’s Cost of Living
crisis meeting. It wasn’t at all what I had expected and whether the
pro-Putin anti-West agenda
of one attendee and his mate added to the entertainment value of the meeting is
debatable. Nevertheless I thought it interesting enough to go to Dave’s second meeting.
I was a little puzzled by
the invitation which
headlined an address by a
Consultant Paediatrician. Fearing a diatribe on ULEZ I took the back row seat
nearest the exit prepared to make use of it if the theme was the evils of the
motorized economy which our Mayor is so keen to see killed off.
How wrong I was, Jessica, for that is the Consultant’s name never once mentioned
the dreaded P word and instead delivered a devastating insight into local living
conditions and the effects on children’s health.
She was very worried about children’s breathing problems and said the infamous
case of Awaab Ishak in Rochdale is very far from being unique. It is all around
us in Woolwich and Plumstead and Erith and Abbey Wood. All the areas served by QEH.
It is down to mould in poorly maintained rented houses that are too expensive for the occupants to
heat. Half the score or so children in her care right now are there solely
because of poor living conditions.
Cases of rickets are rife and scurvy is not unknown. Breastfeeding mothers are
so undernourished that their children become undernourished too.
Children are taken to A&E to take advantage of the long waiting times because
they get a meal and it is the best way of seeing them fed properly.
Some young people attempt suicide when their parents’ inability to buy a new uniform for a
growing child results in bullying over their appearance.
Housing conditions are occasionally so poor that children requiring care cannot
go home because their houses are deemed too dangerous for the health of visiting carers,
and so they are forced to remain in hospital.
A patient survey in the paediatrics department showed that 38% of them were being
treated because of poor housing conditions, 42% had no heating, 22% could not
afford to buy nappies, 32% were eating unhealthily and 19% had missed
appointments because they had not got the money for the bus or train fare.
When challenged on damp the Council’s reaction is to advise the opening of
windows and less use of dryers. Nothing else. No real help. It was alleged
(maybe by an audience member) that they simply don’t care.
Once again Thamesmead East Councillor Larry Ferguson showed a degree of humility
and intelligence that did him credit not often seen within Bexley Council and slowly but surely the debate moved
around to ULEZ. As I suspected, no one was wholly for it and most absolutely
against it. The best argument was that it was another [not so] small step in the right
direction which began with the Clean Air Acts of 1956 and 1968.
No one disagreed when I suggested that an extended ULEZ was no longer needed as
‘polluting’ vehicles are disappearing at a rapid rate anyway. I also asked the
medic how it was that I breathed a yellow smog as a youngster and lived opposite
the gas works which consumed hundreds of tons of coal daily and suffered no ills
and wouldn’t more lives be saved if Khan spent his £250 million ULEZ
implementation costs on improving cold and damp homes? The latter produced only
a wry smile but the smog question was answered by an erudite Dave Putson.
His highly technical response might be summarised as sulphur is a very different
and relatively harmless pollutant and burning diesel fuel produces nasties that
combine with something or other to produce something even worse. Well beyond my level of comprehension.
There was also talk of micro-plastics getting into
everything so presumably if the discussion went on long enough someone would
have brought up the subject of tyre
dust, but the end of the meeting was nigh.
In a room filled with people who at one time would have been solid Labour no one
suggested that that party is the answer to all our ills. In fact Tony Blair’s
excessive use of PFIs was blamed for the level of interest payments currently
emptying the public purse.
No one said anything to alarm this former Tory voter and whilst it is
difficult to see how such a small group can change government policy or better still
bring Sunak crashing down their efforts are welcomed and may grow into something
bigger. Such is my discontent with Sunak and his cronies I made a five pound donation to their
fighting fund. (I suspect most of it goes on hall hire.)
As you will have gathered, Boris Johnson slowly strangled my Conservative
inclinations and Rishi Sunak killed them stone dead. Something to bear in mind
perhaps when reading these meanderings. And while I am about it, I am no longer a
Royalist either thanks to that prat who calls himself the Prince of Wails.