Allan Smith

We are very lucky in this country to have a National Health Service. Before the NHS was founded the only way to get healthcare was to pay for it directly. That meant many families simply could not afford treatment.  On July 5, 1948 Labour set up a free healthcare scheme which continues to grow and, 60 years on, is now better than ever.

I have needed health treatment a number of times in recent years and I have nothing but praise but for doctors, nurses and everyone involved in my treatment. I have been able to choose the hospital I wish to attend and I have often been told that my appointment has been brought forward as waiting list times have been slashed.  NHS funding has trebled since 1997 and we have more hospitals than we have ever had.

I often find those who criticise our hospitals and the staff who work within them are ones who, luckily, have not needed to receive treatment. But I have - and I could not be more grateful.  I am very proud of our NHS and I would like to thank all of the wonderful staff who look after us, and our families, when we need care and attention. I hope that in the next 60 years the NHS will continue to go from strength to strength.

Just a few months into Boris Johnson's reign as Mayor of London and we can already see the chaos a Tory government would bring. Not content with slashing half-price bus and tram fares for 75,000 Londoners on income support, his team are now advocating the full-scale privatisation of our local schools.

Boris' senior planning advisor, Sir Simon Milton, told a national newspaper schools should be sold to private companies who would run them for profit. While private and voluntary groups can run schools under the academy programme, all incomes go back to the schools. Under the Tory plans companies would cream off all profits into their own coffers.

This move is an absolute disgrace and shows the Conservatives are not at all interested in public sector services or our children's education.  We should be looking after the vulnerable and disadvantaged and giving our children the best possible start in life - not cutting and selling off to suit shareholders.  Teachers work very hard, often through long hours, to give our kids the best possible education - would this stop if schools were run for profit?

In North Lincolnshire the Tories got rid of public sector housing and it was up to the Labour group to stop them flogging off leisure services.  I do hope we are never in the situation where the Conservatives would get rid of our schools to the highest bidder.

May I say I was delighted to see Nelson Mandela on the TV this week in preparation for his 90^th birthday celebration. He is such an inspiration to a great many people and I am very pleased at the recent full council meeting North Lincolnshire Council agreed to mark the occasion on July 18.

I would just hope, however, the Conservatives nationally do not turn out to support it as it would show them up to be the hypocrites they are.  The ANC wrote to all councils at the time asking them not to trade with South Africa but the Tories on Glanford Borough Council ignored it - they wanted to carry on slave labour.

I am a huge jazz fan and it should be known that if the likes of Oscar Peterson, Ella Fitzgerald and Nina Simone were born in South Africa at that time we would never have enjoyed their talents. I attended marches in the 80s to protest against it and I attended a Labour conference in 2001 where Nelson Mandela stood and told us all the Conservatives supported Apartheid.  I never once saw a Tory marching against Apartheid.

I just hope Mr Mandela can be remembered as the inspirational man he is and those who failed to support him when he needed it most do not try and jump on the bandwagon.

As the summer season is now upon us I would like to thank everyone involved in Alkborough Church's garden party last weekend. I attended with my partner and granddaughter and we had a thoroughly enjoyable day.  All of those involved should be congratulated on organising such a fantastic event. If this is the standard of fetes and events this summer we shall be in for a brilliant couple of months!

Nelson Mandela, one of the most important political icons in history, is to turn 90 this July and a special concert will be held in Hyde Park to celebrate such a landmark.  I do hope David Cameron and the Conservatives will not be hypocrites and turn up to this event. The Tories supported Apartheid and I do hope they will not show up and taint the celebrations.

I was a solid supporter of the anti-Apartheid group and went on marches at the time, during a Conservative government. At the time big businesses in Britain were the worst employers in South Africa and backed the Tories by pumping millions into their coffers.