Craig Mackinlay MP: Stroke services, Carillion and live animal exports

Craig Mackinlay

I should know when to keep my mouth shut. I took part in the second reading of the Financial Guidance and Claims Bill and was promptly put onto the team to take the Bill through its Committee stages. Despite the dryness of its title, the Bill aims to consolidate government funded advice bodies, particularly on pensions into one new entity – the Single Financial Guidance Body.

Additionally the Bill allows for mandatory breathing space for those facing pressure from lenders, and further adds controls over Claims Management Companies so that their fees are more closely regulated and cold calling techniques curtailed. And so this is a Bill that affects us all in one way or another.

Google maps and errant sheep

Another recent parliamentary appearance was in the closing stages of the Automated and Electric Vehicles Bill. If you’d like to hear me weave Google maps, errant sheep, a drunken cyclist and Arnold Schwarzenegger into a five minute speech in the Commons, then do look it up.

Carillion

Carillion

I got involved in the debate about the failure of Carillion which raises questions as to the effectiveness of current Insolvency rules upon corporate failures. Too often, those smaller companies down the supply chain find themselves unpaid and potentially facing ruin. This has to stop and I am calling for change.

Live animal exports

The fight to stop live animal exports out of Ramsgate took a huge leap forwards. I hosted a hugely successful event in advance of the Rt. Hon Theresa Villiers’ second reading of her Bill to ban the trade. It was good to invite local campaigners from Kent Action Against Live Exports as well as a sprinkling of celebrities including Joanna Lumley, Selina Scott, Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Frederick Forsyth and Jan Leeming. Following assurances given by the Secretary of State Michael Gove MP, Theresa has stood her Bill down for now. I honestly believe we are on the cusp of success in getting this cruel trade banned for good.

Abuse

I am increasingly concerned as to the militant nature of the new Labour/Momentum campaigning style. The abuse and threats heaped upon my good friend Jacob Rees-Mogg MP at Bristol University were truly shameful. There are reports of increased anti-semitic and other hate crimes across Kent over the past year. The link between Labour’s new blind eye to holocaust deniers and terrorism supporters in its ranks and encouragement of direct action against anybody with whom it disagrees can hardly go unnoticed. We need to be vigilant against this new style of politics, it is insidious and evil.

Stroke services

Locally we are seeing Labour activists stoking up fear amongst the vulnerable about potential changes to stroke services in Kent. Whilst we all want everything, everywhere, increasing specialisation of medical procedures means that centres of excellence will increasingly emerge with better outcomes at the heart of any change. I prefer to keep an open mind on these matters during the consultation period. I may be wrong, but I am fairly sure that clinical professionals know more about stroke services than Momentum activists.

14 Comments

  1. You are a disgrace Craig , we need a stroke unit in east Kent, the 3 stroke hospitals proposed are in the tn , da, and me post codes , none in the ct areas , this is a postcode lottery and legalised manslaughter.

    • When is your forthcoming fraud trial?
      You wouldn’t be trying to divert attention away from it would you?

  2. Why do the NHS promote F.A.S.T. for a Stroke that is a medical emergency that requires IMMEDIATE medical attention but then want to increase the time for treatment to over 1 hour away at Ashford when it is already in place at Thanet. What a backward step!

  3. I watched the video of Jacob Rees-Mogg’s event. The incident was robust, even aggressive, but the violence only took-off when a man in a white shirt came from behind and shoved(punched?) a young woman. Later investigations showed the man in the white shirt to be a martial arts instructor who is a keen follower of (who guessed?) Jacob Rees -Mogg!
    Craig Mackinlay is engaging in classic smear tactics in his article.”There are reports of anti-semitic and other hate crimes across Kent” he says. Yet we all know that it was the narrow win for Brexit that sparked off increased threats and violence towards anybody who dares to be different. Lets not forget that Jo Cox , the Labour MP, was murdered by a neo-nazi, NOT a Labour supporter. Darren Osborne, who murdered a man outside a mosque in London, was another nazi openly seeking to murder prominent Labour leaders. And even more recently, a neo nazi in Cumbria is accused of plotting to murder gay people. THOSE people are the real threat, yet Craig Mackinlay witters on about unsubstantiated bad behaviour by Labour members.

    • Mr Mackinley, why lump Momentum with Labour. In my opinion, you are one or the other Have you nothing else to say about the stroke unit being moved to WHH Ashford? Look at the map showing all the proposed “hubs” and Thanet is out on a limb with only WHH miles away. the rest are in a group to make them easier for south London and East Sussex to use facilities that are supposed to be for Kent. Look after the people who put you into office or you might find yourself out of office at the next election. No i am not Momentum nor and I making threats, its down to you to look after the people who voted you in, I wasn’t one of them , you have done very little for your constituency .Must do better !

  4. We do need Stroke services in Thanet as the residents who live here would not arrive at Ashford within the golden hour if a stroke happens. We all know it is speed of treatment that saves. These professionals that have always told the public that getting to hospital as FAST as possible and within the hour makes all the difference in recovery now tell us it is alright to arrive much later, this because it suits them when planning to move those emergency services out of reach. This is just a precursor to other emergency and urgent treatment services being taken away. One bit at a time until there is no urgent services left at the QEQM hospital. I would have thought if Craig Mackinlay is worth his weight in salt he would be campaigning to keep our hospital services intact in Thanet. Same with Sir Roger Gale, instead of blaming the Labour Cllr for stirring up our attention over this. I can see clearly who is prepared to fight for this area and who can’t be bothered.

  5. Craig Mackinlay, fantasist, liar and virtue signaled.

    When are you declaring you Ramsgate property on the Members Interests?

  6. The reason I have become more politically active, and a member of the group Momentum that Craig has smeared in this piece, is because of people like Craig. As our MP he does not understand local issues, nor does he fight for us locally, but promotes the Tory agenda, which isn’t conducive to the social situation in our area. In the week of the 100th anniversary of women’s suffrage where women resorted to violence to get their wish, and Tories still haven’t learned to listen to the voices of the people they are supposed to represent, I will be waving my placard vigourously and will fight the good fight to get our voices heard.

  7. Craig if you cared about your constituents you would be lobbying for more funds for the NHS in this area . Why aren’t you horrified that our wonderful hospital staff are struggling with an enormous work overload? Why aren’t you lobbying Jeremy Hunt to increase funding for the NHS? Why are you inventing stories about Momentum activists and non- existent anti-Semitism in Kent? Distraction?

  8. It is irresponsible and undemocratic to suggest that it is not for the public to question or contest the STP’s plan to remove emergency stroke care from Thanet. The public consultation is happening NOW – this is when people should speak up, this is the window in which to question, interrogate the facts and protest. Craig says ‘I prefer to keep an open mind on these matters during the consultation period. I may be wrong, but I am fairly sure that clinical professionals know more about stroke services than Momentum activists.’ I feel this should be reported as a failure in his obligations as an MP. The period in which to have an open mind was during the pre-consultation. Now the facts are all presented, why keep an open mind? What is he waiting for? Or perhaps he just doesn’t understand the process, which is very worrying for someone in his position.

  9. Our Tory MP, under whose government Thanet is being starved of funding in all areas, is doing nothing to defend Stroke Services at the QEQM hospital. He doesn’t give a damn if his constituents live or die. He is not fit to represent us. I hope he loses his seat at the next election.

  10. I don’t know how you can be so blase about stroke treatment being moved all the way to Ashford Craig. It will happen at the end of this ten weeks unless the people of Thanet say no, and put up a good fight. It’s your job to represent us, not ‘wait and see’.

    • It’s clear to me Craig that you aren’t interested in the fate of your constituents because you’re all right Jack. You don’t live in your constituency, but in Medway, where you aren’t going to be 40 plus miles away from your nearest Stroke Unit. Do you still seriously expect Thanet people to put you back into Parliament at the next General Election

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