Media articles on Westminster debate June 2018

Sly Saint

Sly Saint

Senior Member (Voting Rights)
For years dismissed as 'laziness', but now cruel disease is finally getting attention it deserves
Rochdale News:
"Now a three-hour Westminster Hall debate on Thursday afternoon (21 June, 1.30 to 4.30 pm), supported by the ME Association and other charities, will discuss treatments and research into the disease, which is estimated to cost the UK economy around £3.5billion in lost taxes, healthcare and benefit costs."
"
The debate, led by Carol Monaghan MP (SNP, Glasgow NW) and Nicky Morgan (Con), has had cross-party support and will be attended by local MP for Middleton and Heywood, Liz McInnes, who confirmed she intends to speak during the debate.

Rochdale MP, Tony Lloyd confirmed that due to his role as a Shadow Cabinet member, he cannot participate in the debate, but will be watching closely.

He said: “Unfortunately it is a Westminster Hall debate, I cannot participate as a member of the Shadow Cabinet. However, I will of course be watching the debate closely and with interest.”

Ms Monaghan will call for more funding for medical research into the causes and mechanisms of the illness, which affects all ages, races and genders, and speak of the absence of effective treatment programmes."

full article here:
http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/new...ease-is-finally-getting-attention-it-deserves
 
Sly Saint said:
For years dismissed as 'laziness', but now cruel disease is finally getting attention it deserves
Rochdale News:
"Now a three-hour Westminster Hall debate on Thursday afternoon (21 June, 1.30 to 4.30 pm), supported by the ME Association and other charities, will discuss treatments and research into the disease, which is estimated to cost the UK economy around £3.5billion in lost taxes, healthcare and benefit costs."
"
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Is that per year?
 
alktipping said:
still being very polite about the abysmal pace trial why are journalists so reluctant to show this pseudo science is pure fraud with malicious intent.
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English libel laws.

If the journalist did make that claim in an article, and was then taken to court over it by somebody who could reasonably claim that they were defamed by it, the journalist would have to prove that the claim was correct, and being able to prove that 1. actual fraud took place, and 2. there was malicious intent would be very difficult to do.

A defamatory statement is presumed to be false, unless the defendant can prove its truth. Furthermore, to collect compensatory damages, a public official or public figure must prove actual malice (knowing falsity or reckless disregard for the truth). A private individual must only prove negligence (not exercising due care) to collect compensatory damages.
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English defamation law puts the burden of proving the truth of allegedly defamatory statements on the defendant, rather than the plaintiff, and has been considered an impediment to free speech in much of the developed world.
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https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_defamation_law
 
CAMPAIGNERS are celebrating after it was announced that Parliament is to debate the treatment of patients with a debilitating and highly misunderstood illness this week.

Loughborough MP Nicky Morgan supported calls for the three-hour discussion of Myaglic Encephalomyelitis (ME), a condition which affects more than 250,000 people in the UK – 20,000 of them children.

The debate is expected to take place this Thursday (June 21) and is expected to have wide-cross party support, with one MP suggesting it was necessary to ‘shine a light’ on the illness.
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https://www.loughboroughecho.net/news/local-news/parliament-debate-treatment-patients-14801745
 
Andy said:
English libel laws.

If the journalist did make that claim in an article, and was then taken to court over it by somebody who could reasonably claim that they were defamed by it, the journalist would have to prove that the claim was correct, and being able to prove that 1. actual fraud took place, and 2. there was malicious intent would be very difficult to do.



https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/English_defamation_law
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This in a nutshell. Note that you can also technically be sued for this if you say the same on Twitter, but journalists are a more obvious target. UK libel law is a nasty mess.
 
alktipping said:
still being very polite about the abysmal pace trial why are journalists so reluctant to show this pseudo science is pure fraud with malicious intent.
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Sadly, and quite apart from libel laws, that is the smart position for them to take at this point. They cannot be seen to prejudge it, which I agree with. I would do the same in their position at this point.

The media have a lot to answer for over this whole shit show, but now is not the time to be holding them to account for their part. They can be your worst enemy, but they can also be a powerful ally.

One step at a time.
 
Press release from the MEA
MP’s demanded more funding for research into a cruel “death sentence” disease affecting 250,000 people in the UK – and the immediate end to NHS-recommended treatments that are making patients worse.

Carol Monaghan, MP for Glasgow North-West, led the debate on M.E. in Westminster Hall.

Less than £1 is spent each year on people suffering from the devastating invisible illness M.E. (myalgic encephalomyelitis), a condition which leaves tens of thousands bedbound, housebound and unable to work.

Parliament heard in a landmark three-hour debate of the chronic lack of funding for medical research and how many doctors still don’t know how to diagnose or manage the condition.
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http://www.meassociation.org.uk/201...or-cruel-death-sentence-disease-22-june-2018/
 
Compare and contrast the level of media coverage we've got so far with the media coverage for say a BPS brigade paper falsely claiming we can recover by merely changing thoughts and a bit of exercise or about vexatious patients harassing doctors who are bravely struggling against the odds to save these patients from themselves.

We need the media dam to break big time.
 
From FB:
"Luke Pollard
Yesterday at 03:29 ·
Hello #Plymouth - yesterday I spoke in the debate on Myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME), in Westminster Hall.

First of all, I want to thank each and every one of you that sent me your experiences on ME ahead of the debate - we received countless emails, Facebook and Twitter messages.

I did not have time to read them all out but I hope that the ones I read out reflect your views. In my speech I spoke about the need to address the invisibility of ME. That means better funding of research and education, an end to the PACE trials and more genuine effort by health professionals and Government to correctly diagnose and support those people with ME and their families. I used some of my speech to talk about ME in young people as many people shared with me their experiences of their children with ME.
A common message interpreted when it comes to this illness is that individuals feel invisible and partly unfulfilled by the Government’s ignorance in relation to ME. This is why I believe we must do more and fight for the individuals that are struggling with Myalgic encephalomyelitis.

The ME debate was really important and I was left in no doubt having sat through all three hours of it that this is a subject where there is cross-party pressure on Ministers to do the right thing. I will continue to stand up for people with ME in Plymouth.

Can I thank you again for taking the time to send me your views, thoughts, experiences and suggestions. Keep in touch."
 
Thank you very much Luke Pollard and to everyone who got their MPs on board with the debate, sadly mine wasn't interested and just came out with the usual government type garbage.

It's very heartening to hear Luke is wanting to continue to help too.

Is it the case that we can't write to other MPs, that it is only our own MPs who we can correspond with? Or is that wrong?
 
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