Yesterday I paraded around the Medical School, where I am a student, resplendent in a figure hugging latex and spandex body suit with the dermatomes painted on it. The idea was to provide a free learning resource for my colleagues whilst raising money for a cause close to my heart. Meningitis UK hopes to raise £7million to fund research into the development of a vaccine for meningitis C which sadly claims thousands of unsuspecting lives every year. Our daughter Thea was one such life and she succumbed with frightening speed on June 5th 2010 at the tender age of just 15months. On a positive note, I raised nearly £230 yesterday so the humiliation of being attired in the said figure hugging suit was well worth it so a big thank you to all at Keele medical school who donated so generously.
Today I have just paid the latest installment of £600 to clear my tuition fees for another year. Yes, medical students such as myself who have a prior 2:1 science degree have to fund themselves through medical school. Some would say that future earnings will render such an expense meaningless but at the age of 41, it will still be another three years before an income starts to come my way. It seems rather churlish to make someone jump through the hoop of attaining a 2:1 degree to be able to apply to study medicine before then hitting them again for the full cost of their tuition fees. However, such as things are in Blighty, I fear this situation is unlikely to change in the near future.
Which brings me tomorrow. With allegedly 40% of voters still undecided as to which direction to vote, the outcome of tomorrows General Election is intriguing. My reading of human nature is this: We fear change. This will be borne out in the result. I predict that half of those undecided will plump for Cameron (safe change) with 30% going for Clegg (radical change) and the remaining 20% going for the Bigot Denouncer himself. As such, I predict a slight Conservative majority with a sharp reduction in the number of Labour MPs and the Liberals finishing close to but not quite higher than 100 seats. The post election bickering and finger pointing will not chnage the outcome. Cuts, austerity, belt tightening and an increased awareness that those striking Public Sector employees demanding their rights to their pensions in Athens could soon be British. Britain has to decide whether to give in to them or take the brave decision. All public sector pensions need to be changed to money purchase schemes with immediate effect. In other words, you will retire with an income relative to the fund of money which you have accumulated - with no guarantees. People must be encouraged to take greater ownership of their own affairs which is where David Cameron is absolutely spot on. Goodbye Nanny, hello DIY..
Do you have a photo of yourself in the dermatome suit? I'd like to get one myself.
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