It's so sad to continually have to read about these stories of "conservative ideology" run wild - constant cutting of important public services (which should be public) for "the bottom line" (more likely political ideology). It is happening here in Australia too where the economic situation is not nearly as bad (we aren't even in recession and while there is some debt its certainly nowhere near European levels) - somehow we elected the devil spawn of conservatives as prime minister (and possibly the biggest twat to walk the planet even counting some of Britain's worst numpties)
When I was over in London I worked for a little while with the wonderful people at 38 Degrees and we did a lot of work to TRY and save the NHS amongst other things - as an aussie living over there, it was comforting to know when i got sick and not making much money that I could go to the doctor and not have to pay through the nose for the privilege unlike when i went to New York, got thrown into a glass door which cut the back of my neck and I didn't go to hospital or the doctors because it would be ridiculously expensive.
People like 38 Degrees (not just because I worked for them) are so important in this day and age in giving a voice to people to hold the government accountable and say we don't want this - if they acted like reasonable human beings we could congratulate them with the same enthusiasm too maybe...