So last night there was a Candle lit Vigil at Newcastle's Grey's Monument embraced the onward rushing bill that stands to destroy our health service. The usual crowd attended, a minutes silence was even held. All well and good for mourning a loss, and of course a very pretty photo opportunity which is appealing to the public. this is important. However something still feels missing.

I appologise to the organisers of this event but i have to ask: is this not a bit late? And if we are drawing in the public what to? We are surely past the point of simple letter writing on this issue, so should we not be trying to inspire greater action? and what were you trying to show? Does a vigil not imply a loss already enacted? In this way is a candle lit vigil not sort of implicitly accepting of the loss of the service? I mean it implies mourning for a loss, as opposed to a will to fight to regain it! What is the message, what ultimatum doe it give the government? Stop or we'll be very very sad? Stop or we'll all stand still and quietly with candles? All they'll do is pass the bill, and maybe buy shares in a candle company...

Much as i am sure the Tories were quaking in their boots at the sight of a passive ceremony some several hundred miles away from their home counties stronghold, i think this level of passivity just goes to show why bills like this can get through, when it gets to the punch we just turn and take it, and those that understand may have a tear in their eye. Surely the final enacting of the bill, and then its removal from the parliamentary agenda, should neccessitate an escalation. I mean something that had a chance of being noticed by those passing the bill would be nice. But the NHS movement need to think about stronger action, something worthy of the fact that the fight is now not just going to be through the official channels to block a bill, but is going to be about forcing them to reverse legislation they have passed.

This bland acceptance feels almost like complicitude.

If you are being assaulted do you just hold up a candle for the blood you just lost from ur lip? or do you fight back?!

The NHS campaign and others need to think about these sorts of things if we are to have any hope of success. Its not just about taking some action, its about trying to work ougt what action can even be effective!

I do not mean this as an attack but merely hope to promote debate. We have been using tactics like this for half a century and, in the face of clear malevolence from the top, I wonder weather tactics of this liberal nature alone have the capacity to influence change...

critical review of Newcastle Anti NHS Reforms Vigil Demonstration 19/03/2012