General Election 2019 : Let's get caring onto the agenda

[Harry_1812]

There is one aspect of the election that I agree with and that is "GET BREXIT DONE" however that is a discussion for another time as that one policy has sucked out all the life out of political discussion, therefore I have decided that when the candidates
come a knocking (and if they do not I will go to them) I will tell them that my vote will depend on the following:

1) If you become the MP for Ceredigion, will you table a private member's bill calling for the Carer's Allowance to match the National Living Wage and be index linked to RETAIL inflation instead of CONSUMER inflation?
2) If you become the MP for Ceredigion, will you hold regular Carer's Surgeries where carers groups can hold one to one discussions with you so that the key issues involved with caring and support for carers?
3) If you become the MP for Ceredigion, will you commit to holding a Westminster Hall debate on caring in the United Kingdom?

Therefore I would be very interested to know what other people are doing in other parts of the country and if they want to ask their candidates the same questions as me, perhaps we can create a Carer's Alliance and endorse candidates who genuinely believe that Carers should have a voice at Westminster?

[Chris From The Gulag]

And pigs might fly ?

Since carer forums first came into existence ... the old PRT , now Carers Trust , in 2004 ... good ideas have appeared around general election time.

The closest we ever came was in 2009 ... those halcyon days inside CarerWatch :

https://www.carersuk.org/forum/news-and ... hilit=2009

( Makes compulsive reading for any readers not around in those days ... when there was actual HOPE. )

Rest assured that most mps will continue to allow the system to make virtual slaves of the 8 million odd family / kinship carers out there.

After all , raising taxes to pay for anything associated with CarerLand is NOT a vote winner !

( NHS perhaps but ... as we CHOSE to care , why reward us ??? )

Why upset the gravy train we provide ???

( No political party currently exists which would prioritize us.

Pressure group perhaps ... as CarerWatch was ... but a one trick pony ??? )

[thara_1910]

There is one aspect of the election that I agree with and that is "GET BREXIT DONE" however that is a discussion for another time as that one policy has sucked out all the life out of political discussion, therefore I have decided that when the candidates
come a knocking (and if they do not I will go to them) I will tell them that my vote will depend on the following:

1) If you become the MP for Ceredigion, will you table a private member's bill calling for the Carer's Allowance to match the National Living Wage and be index linked to RETAIL inflation instead of CONSUMER inflation?
2) If you become the MP for Ceredigion, will you hold regular Carer's Surgeries where carers groups can hold one to one discussions with you so that the key issues involved with caring and support for carers?
3) If you become the MP for Ceredigion, will you commit to holding a Westminster Hall debate on caring in the United Kingdom?

Therefore I would be very interested to know what other people are doing in other parts of the country and if they want to ask their candidates the same questions as me, perhaps we can create a Carer's Alliance and endorse candidates who genuinely believe that Carers should have a voice at Westminster?

I concur. We need new policies and new training for paid for carers. I am thinking of setting up my own care business for those with purely physical impairments. What about a petition?

[Chris From The Gulag]

A petition ?

What about the ongoing CARERS STRATEGY ?

https://www.carersuk.org/forum/news-and ... 20strategy

Have a good , long , read.

The heading of the thread ... an appropriate choice of words ?

Who out there is listening to our concerns ... our supporting organisations ... have they asked for our views ???

[Harry_1812]

( No political party currently exists which would prioritize us.

I had a look online for the phrase "Carers Political Party" and could only find one reference (which says a lot)

https://nhaparty.org/our-policies/our-2 ... cial-care/

However, (although this will be formally confirmed tomorrow afternoon when nominations close) I cannot see any sign of them fielding a candidate in any part of the country.

[Chris From The Gulag]

At least they share one part of a policy with us ... GREEN PAPER , SOCIAL CARE THREAD ???

Shame about Dilnot ... a contradiction if ever there was one ???

A Party that advocates free social care ... and also endorses Dilnot ???

https://www.carersuk.org/forum/support- ... read-32659

Free personal social care and integration with health

Introduce free personal social care and increase funding to meet the needs of vulnerable elderly and disabled people.

Implement the Dilnot Commission recommendations, even if the level of the cap needs to be reconsidered in the light of fiscal policy. The Dilnot Commission recommended that social care costs be shared by the whole community. We say that this would be fairer to all, and would not result in a new industry for lawyers and accountants in seeking to avoid the large and draconian costs that are in the Conservative manifesto.

Prioritise streamlined planning for housing-with-care schemes and clarify as a matter of urgency proposed changes to how supported housing is funded through the benefits system to put an end to uncertainty about the future of existing schemes and new developments.

[Honey Badger]

I think when you aren't sure about who to go with, you have to look beyond the national picture and focus on what difference your MP's make locally. The trouble is when you feel apathy on both a national and local level.

I feel the same way as Chris, and he knows my manor (was once his after all, lived here before) as a tory stronghold.
God knows why or who keeps putting them up each time the vote comes but it is what it is. Sadly labour as opposition and just about any opposition that pops up is just incompetent.. its too bad the monster raving loony party have nothing down here - now I could see myself getting behind something like that.

Thats not without saying I would never in my life vote for the tories, but aside from the caring issues, which I am immensely passionate about, something else I care about personally is free speech in this country, which none of the big hitters even touch upon.. in fact it seems like the only party giving it the day of light is UKIP (not a fan of them either)

Politically the boomers inside government have us by the balls, and I can't say it will get better when they are spent/out of the game because they have done a good job of brainwashing the younger generations into the same old rhetoric

One thing I do know, the last decade the overall decline in this country has been so visible... the state of the health service is just shocking and I am fearful we have become so accustomed to being dumped on from a high altitude society will have forgotten just how far we've fallen/gone backwards and simply accept the dire times we live in as the status quo.

Much like many of the so called boosts to various services we see articles about, aren't actually news worthy as they were forecast years ago, but tarted up to make it look like they just announced it yesterday (such as the political football with nhs funding)

I mean look at the people running this country... BJ kept saying he would resign on the 31st if we were still in Europe, that seems to all had been swept under the carpet like it didn't even happen as he runs for election.

Politics are broken in this country.. and you don't realise how censored we are till you speak with people that are better travelled.

[Chris From The Gulag]

[Helen_1801123]

Last Thursday, I was interviewed for BBC Look North - at 10, Decimal Place, instead of 10, Downing Street!!
A group of us were invited to ask questions to pose for candidates for the election.

Mine was "what will you do to support artists (which is my profession) and carers?"
Although the question I meant to ask was "can you pay carers a proper wage?"

As far as I know, as Labour have dropped their manifesto today, they are planning a National Care Service: https://labour.org.uk/wp-content/upload ... ervice.pdf

I have no idea what the other parties propose for carers. (And artists).

If you're in the Look North BBC region, it will be aired on Sunday, 10.00a.m.