dell12

Agreed. Healthcare is a human right, not a commodity to be bought and sold.

Wonderful! What about those who can't afford to pay?

I'd settle somewhere between 10 and 100. Probably about 20-30 times. While I accept it would not work in the UK, I think it would offer a much fairer alternative to the system we have now whereby we simply accept what the market pays is "right".

Nothing to do with the Tories privatising utilities then? Or Thatcher's right to buy? (Which was continued by Labour).

True, but if we believed that he was to be overthrown (and hence our supply of oil interrupted) it's probably better to be seen to be on the side of the revolutionaries to secure oil in the future. I don't claim to know all the answers, but it seems to me that in recent times we only get involved when oil is involved.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oil_reserves_in_Libya

Since when has a popular uprising been the criteria we use on which use to decide whether to invade or not? Of course I agree its for strategic reasons as you say, which is why I find it slightly galling when people try to use a humanitarian argument when trying to justify our action.

Where are we in Zimbabwe, Saudi Arabia and Israel?

It also ensures that Tarquine doesn't have to play alongside 'rif raf'. Kids get into trouble as they don't have enough to do so it's a sad day when the start charging for a park.

As an ex student of the city who arrived in 2006, I can say it changed beyond recognition while I was there. Outside the station was a car park, the bottom end of West Street was dead, much of the University was a building site and Devonshire Green was a mess. Someone, somewhere does deserve alot of credit for the work done during my 4 year stint in Sheffield. It's very easy to knock the council, but for me Sheffield was a better place when I left than it was when I arrived. Who claims the credit I don't know....

In 1986 the wealthiest 1% controlled 29% of the wealth in the UK. In 2003 that figure was 34%. In 1986 the wealthiest 5% controlled 46% of the wealth in the UK. In 2003 that figure was 58%. Money is becoming concentrated in the hands of fewer and few people.

You're a troll right? The hospice, not the shop costs 45k to run!

Are you really advocating that no-one should ever protest about anything because we have to pay £x to police it? You might have a point if the protesters were smashing up the city centre, but it has been entirely peaceful.

It will be a sad day when Sheffield is the same as Manchester is the same as Liverpool is the same as Birmingham. A little bit of what made Sheffield Sheffield has just died.

I reckon a fair few are student houses. You get get alot of students in a tower block!