Pensioners, Health and Publicity

Another busy weekend. On Friday night I was on an Iranian Television current affairs programme here in London with a speaker from Stop the War Coalition, speaking about last week's nuclear arms reduction treaty between Russia and the US and the impact of this both globally and for UK defence spending etc. On Saturday I spent the day as a member of the Green Party's Regional Council agreeing last minute candidacies from around the country, and dealing with urgent disciplinary matters within the party, as well as other urgent issues attached to the election. I really wanted to go on the national demonstration to protect public services and the NHS but duty called and there is a legal and administrative side to this election as well as the actual campaigning aspect.

I am also busily answering emails from many charities and campaigning organisations asking for my views on various issues, as well as requests to attend hustings. I have agreed to attend the Lambeth Pensioners Action Group hustings Monday 19 April 2010,Assembly Hall,1.30pm to 4pm, Lambeth Town Hall,Brixton Hill, London SW2 1RW on behalf of the Green parliamentary candidates in Lambeth. The Green Party's Pledge to Older People will stand us in good stead at this event and I am curious to see what the other parties are offering pensioners in this election - we should know by this week with their various manifestos finally being released.

Caroline Lucas appeared on yesterday's Andrew Marr show and gave a brilliant performance cutting through the hypocritical cant about cuts from the other parties. You can see it here

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHoUNVnwcvI

Tonight I am attending the London Ambulance Service Patients Forum meeting at Waterloo at London Ambulance Service NHS Trust HQ at 5.30pm, where I am the Vice Chair. We are expecting a presentation from the Care Quality Commission about monitoring ambulance services across London, I have been centrally involved in pushing for a list of quality demands for patient transport in London, where the current system allows taxi companies to run very substandard services for patient transport out of some London hospitals. The Forum is putting a list of demands to every LINk (Local Involvement Network) in London about this.

I am out and about helping our team in Lambeth but also ensuring that I get my nomination papers for Vauxhall in on time to the Town Hall.