Author Archives: Azi Ahmed

Azi Ahmed

An independent commission is the only cure for the NHS funding crisis

By Azi Ahmed | Thu 3rd August 2017 - 11:20 am

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When I stood as a Conservative parliamentary candidate in 2015, I remember preparing notes on every conceivable subject for my first hustings. But when it came to the NHS, I couldn’t bring myself to follow the party political line and just bash my opponents; no one has fixed it and no single party is to blame.

What I said, instead, was that we should have an independent commission to decide the future of the NHS and put it above party politics. It was a line that went down very well with the audience; when politicians throw numbers at each other we all get lost and a mature debate proves impossible.

So I strongly support the position Norman Lamb has developed as the party’s health spokesman, calling for an NHS and Health Convention to instigate a national conversation involving charities, professional groups and patients’ groups as well as politicians. In January, he was backed by 75 organizations and it’s a shame this policy attracted so little interest from journalists despite getting such widespread support from those closest to the health service.

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Posted in Op-eds | Tagged and | 29 Comments
Azi Ahmed

I’m proud to be a be a Lib Dem newbie

By Azi Ahmed | Tue 25th July 2017 - 12:59 pm

During last month’s election campaign, I made the most important political decision of my life. I resigned from the Conservative Party, for whom I had stood as a parliamentary candidate in 2015, to join the Liberal Democrats.
As I explained in an article for The Guardian, I could no longer support a party trying to drive through an extreme Brexit with disastrous consequences for our country. Unlike Theresa May, I was not prepared to campaign for a cause in which I did not believe.

I was honoured to be asked to introduce Vince Cable at a packed election …

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Posted in Op-eds | 62 Comments
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Recent Comments

  • Chloe
    It's as if the private sector doesn't exist. Still nothing of a surprise. A Neil - someone I rarely agree with sums up Starmers resignation honours . "Career...
  • TimL
    Thank you. Looking forward to working hard to put our principles into action....
  • David S
    The ultimate "self-determination" would be independence, wouldn't it?...
  • Nonconformistradical
    "The tragic death of Ann Widdecombe came as a massive shock to many of us" Indeed, but perhaps we might remember that murdering polititians is not new. ...
  • Tom Bailey
    On Monday Keir Starmer will see the King and tell him that he is no longer the Prime Minister. Andy Burnham will shortly after, see the King and tell him that h...