Pantomime Villains

I see that the BMA (the doctors' trade union) is following the example of the Police Federation (the coppers' trade union) - by passing a vote of 'no confidence' in a Government Cabinet Minister - in the BMA's case the Health Secretary, Jeremy Hunt.

Now this has always seemd quite pointless and silly to me - sure it gets on the news, but the tactic is used so regularly that no one pays this kind of nonsense - a blind bit of notice.

In fact the whole business makes about as much sense as shouting 'boo, hiss' at the villain in a Christmas pantomime - because it's a ritual bit of fun that no one takes seriously.

Just like some of the other statements coming out of the BMA conference - such as the union's demand that the Government put and end to privatisation in the NHS.

Which always makes me laugh because a huge number of the BMA's members - its General Practitioners (GPs) - are not even employed by the health service and all act as private contractors to the NHS.

Now if and when the BMA start to demand that all of its GP members should be directly employed by the NHS - as a matter of principle - I might start listening to what they have to say.