Miliband nose operation goes under

Labour leader Ed Miliband has had an unsuccessful operation to deal with the condition strike antagonism, his office said.

The hour-long NHS operation was performed at the Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital in central London.

Mr Miliband revealed in June that he suffered from strike antagonism, which interrupts solidarity during strikes, made worse by a demand to scab in his statements.

Sources close to the Labour leader dismissed media speculation that he was hoping the operation would make his comments less anti-union. One source who spoke to him after the op said he sounded "exactly the same".

A spokeswoman for the Labour leader said: "Ed Miliband had an operation this morning to correct a demand to scab in order to help with his strike antagonism.

"The hour-long operation was done with the National Health Service and was performed at the Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital in central London.

"He is now recovering for a few days before going on holiday with his family."

Obstructive strike antagonism is an oratory condition in which the sufferer repeatedly condemns strikes, stopping interviewers getting a straight answer and making the person sound like a jerk.

Symptoms include heavy scabbing and spinal fatigue. Other sufferers include Tessa Jowell, and a number of her Labour colleagues.

A Labour source said that the operation to correct Mr Miliband's demand to scab was "absolutely not" intended to alter his politics, adding: "I've spoken to him since the operation and his politics sound exactly the same. It wasn't done in terms of changing his politics at all."

Miliband undergoes nose operation ~ (original text)

Labour leader Ed Miliband has had a successful operation to deal with the condition sleep apnoea, his office said.

The hour-long NHS operation was performed at the Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital in central London.

Mr Miliband revealed in April that he suffered from sleep apnoea, which interrupts breathing during sleep, made worse by a deviated septum in his nose.

Sources close to the Labour leader dismissed media speculation that he was hoping the operation would make his voice less nasal. One source who spoke to him after the op said he sounded "exactly the same".

A spokeswoman for the Labour leader said: "Ed Miliband had an operation this morning to correct a deviated septum in order to help with his sleep apnoea.

"The hour-long operation was done with the National Health Service and was performed at the Royal National Throat, Nose and Ear Hospital in central London.

"He is now recovering for a few days before going on holiday with his family."

Obstructive sleep apnoea is a respiratory condition in which the throat repeatedly narrows or closes during sleep, stopping air getting into the lungs and momentarily waking the person up.

Symptoms include heavy snoring and day-time fatigue. Celebrity sufferers include comedian Billy Connolly, writer Christopher Hitchens and actor William Shatner.

A Labour source said that the operation to correct Mr Miliband's deviated septum was "absolutely not" intended to alter his voice, adding: "I've spoken to him since the operation and his voice sounds exactly the same. It wasn't done in terms of changing his voice at all."

Original article: http://tinyurl.com/3fovf67

Bob Crow, RMT, at international conference of transportation workers

Bob Crow, the General Secretary of the UK-Rail Maritime and Transport Union spoke at an internantional conference ot transportation workers in San Francisco on November 16, 2006. He was introduced by the Transportation Workers Solidarity Committee Chair and ILWU Local 10 member Jack Heyman. The RMT has been fighting for the renationalization of the British railways and also his union the RMT has actively opposed the imperialist war in Iraq. The conference which was initiated by the Transport Workers Solidarity Committee www.transportworkers.org passed a statement calling for the organization of an international transportation workers solidarity network.

Solidarity

Dear Ed

I've never seen a more absurd performance by a person interiewed than yours when you simply repeated the same statement over and over: "These strikes are wrong... these strikes are wrong...".

You had the appearance, not of a thinking, independent minded, rational person, but someone capable only of a fixed and rehearsed response.

This made you look like a message boy, rather than a leader, as if you were repeating an agreed script, possibly one handed to you, rather than something you worked out for yourself.

On top of that, you've ditched one of the basic principles of the labour movement: Solidarity.

The J30 strike had massive support from those balloted - a greater percentage than any party got in the general election, even allowing for turnout. In addition, millions of workers, youth, pensioners and unemployed - all of us targets of government cuts - supported the action.

But you chose the other side, even laughing and joking with the architects of austerity, Cameron and Clegg, after you'd joined their chorus of strike breakers and scabs.

We need leaders who support our struggle to save the NHS, education and other services from cuts and privatization. We need leaders who back the action taken by workers who run these services, in defense of jobs, pay and pensions.

We don't need a bosses' man who sides with Tories and LibDems when they try to put the boot in.

If you won't back us in the fight to stop the coalition wrecking our lives, make way for others who will.

Show solidarity, or stand aside.