Newspaper Column – The Voice – 10/02/25

• The World’s wealthiest billionaire now wants the World’s poorest billion to struggle, starve, die. 

This Robin Hood in reverse policy is driven by the US’s new far-right government, who believe the more than 60-year-old foreign aid policy is just a “woke-liberal-leftie” project which undermines US interests.  

Elon Musk – appointed head of Trump’s nascent Department of Government Efficiency – is rampaging through government departments sacking staff and stopping anything which doesn’t help the super-rich get even richer.  

Now cutting USAID and sacking/cutting its staff from 10,000 to less than 300. 

A government of billionaires for billionaires and (strangely) put in office by the least wealthy and marginalised.  

We must call this out. 

• Pleased to show Party Leader, Sir Ed Davey MP, around West Cornwall Hospital at the weekend. On such a small and landlocked site, it’s remarkable what the hospital does and achieves for our local community. I was reminded that in April 2001 we led a march with more people than live in Penzance along the streets of Penzance as a demonstration of people power against the then plans to downgrade the hospital. There have been many battles since.  

Of course it’s great to see the £9.6m newbuild outpatients department progressing well at the front of the hospital. Having modern and more accessible facilities will improve matters immeasurably. Though we need more clinics too. 

We also need to build resources there so we can finally re-establish a clinically safe and supported 24/7 Urgent Treatment service there. 

Ed was very impressed with what he saw and supports our campaign. 

• We remember this week Ruth Lewarne who died recently, aged just 69. Ruth was a talented, gutsy and passionate local councillor and campaigner. I first met her when she had a leading role in the successful protest to save Bolitho hospital in 1987, including through a women’s occupation of the building. She was an active Councillor from the early 1990s, on Penwith District, Penzance Town and Cornwall Council till 2013.
  Ruth was bright, sharp-witted, well-informed, articulate, and had outstanding political intuition. She was driven by a keen sense of her responsibility to combat social, gender and environmental injustices wherever she confronted them. Ruth was always prepared to speak up when others wavered. She naturally engaged her audience through her passion and values.  

She was also admired for her beautiful singing voice. 

• Scores of local households have been mis-sold poor and defective quality home insulation services. Some under various government schemes and others were duped by unscrupulous cowboy contractors falsely masquerading as government supported. Government ministers have promised to address this. Householders needs assurance and, if the service is defective, they deserve full redress. 

I’ll be following this up with government ministers. Though I doubt we can put right the mess left by the last government, I’m determined that lessons are learned.