Year: 2020
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‘The past six weeks have been unlike anything I’ve known’: a GP on how the pandemic has changed his work
This is a “long read” article in the Guardian, written by Gavin Francis, a GP in Scotland, published 12 May 2020. It’s very moving and informative.
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Two must-read articles about the government’s incompetent and devious policies in dealing with Covid-19
If you’re confused about what’s right and wrong in how different governments are responding to the Covid-19 pandemic, the answer to the following question is a good indicator of whether they’re doing an excellent job or making a complete mess of it: How many people have died? In the UK, today, 3 May 2020, 6…
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Dear Honourable Members and Members of Parliament,
April 2, 2020 I am writing to share with you the following urgent statement by Richard Horton, founder editor of The Lancet, the most important medical journal in the world: “When this is all over, the NHS England board should resign in their entirety.” So wrote one National Health Service (NHS) health worker last weekend.…
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Anti-semitism and the Labour Party: a personal view and a resolution to the City of London branch
This issue is fraught because: I. Differing views inside the Party 1. Important information is not public, specifically the details of accusations of antisemitism against people in the Party, the content of the formal processes against them and the basis of decisions, e.g. expulsion. Do we agree this should take place behind closed doors? Court…
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Prosecution of female genital mutilation in the UK: injustice at the intersection of good public health intentions and the criminal law
by Marge Berer This article was accepted for publication on 1 March 2020 by Medical Law International. This is the pre-publication, accepted text of the article under Sage Publications’ green access policy. © 2020 Marge Berer Abstract FGM (female genital mutilation) is a harmful traditional practice and a serious public health issue in the countries…
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Letter to the Editor, The Guardian, 22 February, re Question Time, 20 February
Good on Owen Jones for his criticism of the BBC (Opinion, 20 Feb 2020) for tweeting about the hate-filled, racist rant that was allowed to go on forever on Question Time. But there is far more to say about what happened on that programme. The discussion began with a question about the proposed new regulations…
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Re: Hidden Voices UK: Circumcised Women Speak Out (revised 11 Feb 2020)
On Saturday, 8 February 2020, the recently formed group, Hidden Voices UK, hosted a theatrical performance called “Judging without Knowing” at Oxford House in Bethnal Green, East London, followed by a panel and open discussion with over 70 people who attended. It was organised in partnership with Women’s Inclusive Team, TALO, Queen of Sheba International,…
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Leaving the European Union?
I am not leaving the European Union. I am a European by ancestry and in my own mind. The European Union brought a greater level of peace to this continent than it has ever experienced in the past. I’m staying. The rest of you can do what you like.
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Letter to Rebecca Long-Bailey
On 18 January, I wrote a letter to Rebecca Long-Bailey MP as a member of the Labour Party and an abortion rights advocate, to ask her more about her views on abortion, as reported in the Guardian, Telegraph and Catholic Herald during the previous week, and to respond to them. I felt none of these…