Defend the NHS on the 3 March

Everyone should be planning for how to maximise the impact of the day of activities to defend the NHS on Saturday 3 March.

What a shame that a downbeat approach to consultation produced the expected outcome so that the leadership of the various unions could decide not to go ahead with a national demonstration. So we have to make the most of the events which are being organised.

At the UNISON Greater London Regional Council AGM on 1 February only four delegates opposed a call for a national demonstration in defence of the NHS. That call will now go forward in the name of the Greater London Region to our National Delegate Conference. Our union needs a leadership that has the confidence to lead in a time of crisis - and to give a lead to the enormous tide of opposition to attacks on the NHS.

I was pleased that our Regional Council took the decision to call for a national demonstration, and look forward to debating this call with my opponent in the forthcoming NEC elections. I won’t mention the identity of the four delegates who disagreed with the decision, as I am sure that they were simply abiding by a branch mandate…