Jan 8th, 2015
General Election 2015: member poll
By Rachel Oliver
Our A&E departments are in crisis. It looks like we’re now feeling the impact of the NHS shake up that no-one voted for. And the politicians who did it are blaming anyone but themselves. [1]
The A&E crisis is just one example of how MPs’ decisions affect the lives of all of us. We only get to vote for our MPs and our government once every five years. This year, in May, we get that chance.
So what should 38 Degrees members push for at this election? What do you want to change about the UK, or about UK politics? What’s important to you right now?
Please can you take a few minutes to help decide what 38 Degrees could do during the 2015 election by taking the poll.
Politicians and their spin doctors think they set the election agenda. But 38 Degrees is independent and people powered – if enough of us work together, we can turn politics-as-usual on its head.
Together we could make sure the things we care about, like protecting our NHS or cracking down on tax dodgers, are front and centre in the race for votes.
Please help decide what 38 Degrees should stand up for during the election by voting in the poll.
During the last election in 2010, 38 Degrees members voted together to decide the plan. The key priority then was exposing candidates with links to the corporate lobbying industry.
Five years on, 38 Degrees has grown. There are now millions of us – so this time we can be more ambitious. So, what should we do together in 2015?
The decision about what 38 Degrees does during the election is a big one. As well as this survey there’ll be chances for 38 Degrees members to meet up and discuss these plans. You’ll get more details about those events in the next few days.
[1] The government isn’t talking about the real reasons for the crisis – it’s blaming people for going to A&E when they don’t need to, and pointing the finger at our ageing population. But this isn’t the whole story. Cuts to social care mean older and disabled people can’t leave hospital because they can’t get care at home. And replacing NHS Direct with a privatised 111 service run by unqualified staff has landed many in A&E who don’t need to be there.
