The real problem with Diesels compared to petrols is Nitrogen Oxide emissions NOx

As I understand it, for diesels to pass the NOx tests in California, they have to inject urea into the catalyst- car companies call this system ‘AdBlue’.

http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/technology/diesel/adblue

The AdBlue tanks are a finite size. allegedly the VW system detected when under test, made sure the urea was being injected then when the test was finished it turned the injection down or off to save having to top up the AdBlue so often.

Relatively few cars in the UK use AdBlue, but it seems that other tweaks may have been used on European cars to get good emission results, it is now being reported that 11million vehicles worldwide are affected in some way.

The significance for me is twofold.
First, Paul Dacre through the Daily Heil seems to have decided for whatever reason to stir things up for Dave through the serialisation. The timing is quite interesting.
Second, whatever the truth of the more lurid allegations, most people’s initial immmediate reaction does NOT seem to be ‘oh thats just impossible’ which says a lot really. Some may say what does it matter, which is also revealing.

It may well be a ripple in a teacup, but as the telegraph article suggests, it is one of the things that will now always be part of his baggage.

In summary, this country is now led by a man whom many voters will forever believe or suspect once had sex with a dead pig. And that fact has essentially no political significance. It’s a funny old world sometimes.

Given that the “real” news today consisted of an announcement that the Tories were likely to break their manifesto pledge not to stop free school meals, that a coroner found that a man was driven to suicide by the DWP and that people just shrug and think that’s normal now, and that the Hungarian government have authorised their forces to shoot refugees with rubber bullets it is a shame that Ashcroft has dominated the news today.

And yes I realise I fell into the same trap in my previous post. I am ashamed

It would appear that Paul Dacre has decided that Call me Dave isn’t up to the job. They have (allegedly) paid Ashcroft up to £100000 to push Jeremy Corbyn off the front pages by the ‘revelations’ in his book.

http://www.theguardian.com/media/2015/sep/21/daily-mail-paid-ashcroft-more-than-50000-for-cameron-book

Interesting article in the Torygraph about why it doesn’t matter if it is true about the pig. For what it is worth I think this allegation is unlikely.
This could equally apply to all the mud slung at Mr. Corbyn. It appears Dave isn’t happy for the same tactics to be tried on him

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/david-cameron/11879177/Is-it-true-that-David-Cameron-had-sex-with-a-pig-It-really-doesnt-matter.html

BBC in Tory Bias shocker

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/the-bbcs-refusal-to-report-the-dead-pig-allegations-against-david-cameron-is-unacceptable-10511162.html

Potentially much more serious is the Non-dom issue

One of the reasons for the astonishing costs involved in healthcare in the US can be found in this sorry tale of how pure capitalism is careless with peoples lives
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/hedge-funder-buys-rights-to-drug-used-by-aids-patients-and-raises-price-from-1350-to-750-per-pill-10511690.html

Which part of the programme did you regard as being objectionable as a lumpen righty?

http://www.bbc.co.uk/events/ehnrzc/acts/ardmzc#b06cksdy

What is often forgotten is that if you have an acute problem or a medical emergency, then in the vast majority of cases you will be going to an NHS hospital whether you have private health insurance or not. How the monies from any insurance policy are then distributed depends on the circumstances. So private provision does not help A&E departments at all and these are the ones that are most stretched at the moment.

Whilst undoubtedly some money from Private Health Insurance does go to the NHS through use of facilites, I suspect that more of ‘our taxpayers’ money goes the other way as the NHS procures non-emergency treatment from local private hospitals. Many would not survive if they were not ‘subsidised’ by the NHS in this way. Certainly the vast majority of Private Hospital clinical staff have been trained by the NHS, indeed many work in both sectors, nurses, physios, doctors and consultants. This in itself could be considered to be to the detriment of the NHS?

Private hospitals tend to ‘cherry pick’ simpler, safer procedures to be done under NHS contracts such as cataract operations. These bread and butter procedures produce fewer complications and so by these being farmed out to local private hospitals they reduce the income to the NHS hospitals which supports the more complex and emergency work.

If there is a clinical emergency they cannot cope with at a private hospital, then the private patient will be taken to their local NHS hospital. For example, when I had a colonoscopy recently I was sent to the local private hospital for the procedure.this is normally perfectly safe, but I know from my NHS contacts that if I had suffered a perforated bowel from the procedure ( and it has happened there) I would have been taken three miles down the road to the NHS hospital for it to be sorted out.

For some procedures I personally would much prefer to be treated in a large NHS hospital where they have the expertise and clinical support than in a small private hospital with reduced facilities.

Edit:
The primary reason for taking put private health insurance is to jump the NHS queue

Well done Japan!