Maybe these chickens need a new home

THE chickens have come home to roost. Our public services have been underfunded for over a decade.

We are now witnessing the results. A winter of discontent is upon us with public sector workers being prepared to demonstrate their dissatisfaction by withdrawing their labour.

It should come as no surprise to the government that nurses have announced their willingness to strike. The NHS has been particularly affected by the lack of proper funding. Even the House of Commons Library documents show that NHS funding has increased by an average of 3.8% per year since 1948, yet, in the decade from 2010 to 2019 funding dropped to only 1.4% per year. It is almost as if ministers have taken a political decision to run down the service so that it can be seen to be ripe for privatisation.

Lack of proper funding in other public services is now being seen across the board. Social Services, police, railways, mail, colleges and ambulances are all now seen to be struggling. Perhaps the chickens need a new home.