Goodbye to John Sullivan

 Normally on a Friday, I do the Friday fun section. As I attended the funeral of our no 1 guest blogger today, Mr John Sullivan, I didn't feel it appropriate to do this feature. Having already written my eulogy to John previously, I just wanted to report back that his funeral was packed. The chapel at Hendon Crematorium was so full that we had to stand in the overspill annexe. It was futting to see so many people there. I bumped into at least five people who I've not seen for a while, who I didn't know were friends of John. He certainly got around. I had a lovely chat with his wife Ida, and his son Cliff to pass on my personal condolensces. The eulogy was fascinating. At such times you learn a lot of things about the person that you never knew. I knew all about Johns work as a disabled campaigner, but far less about his early life and his working career. I've known John since about 2009. we were introduced by local Barnet Unison rep John Burgess, who suggested that John may be a good guest blogger. Fittingly John was at the service today. 

For about the first five years I knew John, he'd always start any email regarding matters Barnet, guest blogs etc with the message "I know nothing about blogging but....". I was out for a drink with him in 2014, and yet again he said it. I said "John, you've published over 30 guest blogs, over a million people have seen them, all this talk of 'knowing nothing about blogging' is wearing a bit thin". He laughed and said "Have I really publisghed that many?". I said "Yes, I made a point of counting them as I knew you'd say that". He laughed and said "Well I never". About two weeks later, he phoned me. He was so angry, he could hardly talk. I wasn't sure what was going on. I said "Sorry John, you've lost me here, bring me up to speed". He gathered his thoughts and said "Sorry, when you told me I'd posted 30 Guest Blogs I thought you were pulling my leg. I had some time on my hands today so I read them all back". I was a bit worried when he said this. Had I edited one in a way he was unhappy with? He then said "I can't believe it. It's all there. Everything we said was right and the ******** never listened, the ******** didn't care". He then said, "You know that Blog I did, The Definition of Evil - I'd completely forgotten that. There is so many evil ******** running Barnet Council and in the Tory government that you get overwhelmed. How can you forget writing something like that. It was true wasn't it?". As I listened to the Celebrant play Hey Jude, those words repeated themselves in my mind. 

The celebrant rightly concentrated more on John's love of family and the people he helped. Without his beloved Downs daughter Susan, our paths may never have crossed, but she was his Little Chief and the apple of his eye. I had a bit of a bond with John as my cousin Tessie was a peer and friend of Susans and I saw the same things John saw happening, although with the detachment of not being Tessie's Dad. Whenever John went to war, he'd always remind me that it wasn't just for Susan, it was for Tessie and everyone else. Over a beer he told me that Susan had made him a better person. He had no choice but to love, care and fight for her. The sad truth is that he did have a choice, some parents sadly walk away. If you don't believe me, watch Otto Baxter in "Not a F@cking Horror Story". 

It is always easier to look the other way, to take the easy path, to give in, to not pick up the phone, write a blog or march when there is something that needs to be done. John Sullivan never chose the easy option. That was why the chapel was full. That was why there was so much love. Johns was the second funeral I've been to this week. Such events make you reflect on your own life and contribution. There have been plenty of times when I have wondered whether it is time to knock the blog on the head, to stop saying the things that need to be said. Maybe I should have done it a year or two ago. Trouble is, I can't now because I know John will bloody well come back and haunt me if I do. God bless you John and give Susan a big hug from me, up in the big party in the sky. 

I'll leave this here. Without John Sullivan, this film would never have been made

John Sullivan RIP - Barnet disabled rights campaigner

 Today, the Barnet Eye got some tragic news. One of our biggest supporters, regular guest bloggers and much loved co-conspirators, Mr John Sullivan has passed awa I am 99% certain that John has contributed more guest blogs than anyone else to the Barnet Eye. By my reckoning, John wrote 20 blogs that I published on the site. He probably wrote another 20 that I couldn't as the passion and anger in his soul was too much and I'd have had a lawsuit on my hands. When I'd tell John that his words were likely to result in a lawsuit, he'd say "You can't be sued for telling the truth". I'd reply you can and it would cost a fortune to defend. Win or lose I couldn't afford to risk my house. He'd be cross with me for a week or two, and when John was cross, you'd know it, then he'd get over it and we'd move on. 

If I was Elon Musk and had billions to defend such claims, I suspect John would have written hundreds of blogs for me. He really cared. What inspired him and why was he so angry? His daughter Susan, his "Little Chief" lived with Downs Syndrome. John saw just how badly our system treats people like Susan and he vowed from the moment she was born, to fight for her and give her the best life he possibly could. I had total respect for that. Susan was a peer and friend of my cousin Tessie Fanning, who also lived with Downs Syndrome, so I had a bit of an insight into Johns struggle. He was her Dad and he would do anything to protect her and make her happy. 

Susan passed away with Covid during the pandemic. John spent his last years trying to get justice for her. He believed that Susan and her ilk were thrown to the wolves by Boris Johnson's government. The second last time I mentioned John was when he phoned the James O'Brien show on LBC radio and moved James to tears. The last time was when he addressed the COVID inquiry and I wrote a blog detailing it and my thoughts. John posted the following comment, which was the last contribution he made.

John sullivan said...

Thanks Roger for being brave enough to post this blog, which is a tribute to your beloved Tessie, may she rest in peace. Along with a bitter exposure of what happened to far to many disabled people , who during the early days of Covid- 19 made up 60% of the death toll.
Susan was denied ITU, and therefore a chance of life, simply because she had Downs Syndrome , and her Medical Notes attest to that fact , as does somewhat reluctantly the Serious Incident Investigation by Barnet General Hospital .
What happened to people with Learning Difficulties at the behest of a Prime Minister that refused to prepare or take Covid-19 seriously, was a crime against humanity, that needs to be exposed to ensure it will never happen again. So thank you from the Sullivan family, for helping to expose our horror story in order to protect the human rights of people with Learning Difficulties when the next pandemic comes along. Which it surely will.

John S & family

19 July 2023 at 12:46 

If I am honest, I always feel that I massively let John down. There is a bit of me that feels incredibly guilty for not posting his more outspoken blogs. What he was saying needed to be said and now it never will be. I did what I thought was right, but it wasn't enough and when John was naming and shaming the great and good of the Barnet Tory party, calling them corrupt, lying theives and saying they were taking envelopes stuffed with cash, I knew he totally believed what he was saying but also knew their lawyers were watching. I wish I could say I got the balance right, but now I am not so sure. 

There were plenty of people who properly let John down. The NHS, in not properly treating his cancer when it was still treatable. Barnet Council with the treatment of Susan and her peers. The legal profession who took his evidence at the COVID inquiry. 

By the time I got to know John, he was living under the shadow of cancer. He would have episodes of excruciating agony. On a few occasions, we had a beer before it got too bad and I saw the other side of John. He was a man who loved life, was a real family man and a great singer. He was also isnpirational. With John, we made a version of 16 Tons and what do you get. The video below is a rough version I did that never got shown publicly, but you can get a sense of what a great singer and fun character John was. This was his baby and I was all too delighted to facilitate it. 

When it came down to it. John was a decent family man, who fought tooth and nail for what he believed. His love for his wife of 62 years Ida was unquestionable. His kids were the most important thing in his life. He had a great sense of fun. 

The London Borough of Barnet has lost a legend and a stoic warrior. I will leave the last word to John. He explains here why he launched a legal challenge against Barnet Council's One Barnet porgramme. 

RIP mate and give Susan a hug in the sky!

.

Were the disabled deliberately culled in the first wave of Covid? A father speaks out

John Sullivan with his Daughter Susan in 2011

 Some things are too horrible to contemplate, especially when they touch on your life and affect your friends and family. Long time regular readers of this blog will be familiar with long time contributor to this blog, Mr John Sullivan and his daughter Susan, who passed away in 2020 from covid. 

John believes that Susan died as a deliberate policy of 'culling' disabled and vulnerable people in the first wave of Covid. When Susan was admitted to hospital with Covid, Johns family expressly requested that Susan did not have a "Do Not Resuscitate" notice placed on her and all efforts would be made to save her. Susan lived with the Downs condition. She was in good health prior to covid. The families wishes were ignored. 

John is not a man who ever gave up on Susan and he's not going to start now. Please watch this video podcast and read this article, which explains his campaign

John's Podcast

https://sites.libsyn.com/123829/who-do-we-not-save

Article

https://markhonigsbaum.substack.com/p/who-do-we-not-save

I have to confess that when John contacted me and asked me to help publicise his campaign, I struggled to deal with what he was saying. Not because I don't have immense respect for John and his family, but in all honesty, what he was saying dug up a lot of very raw emotions, that I have struggled to deal with. 

This is especially painful for me to deal with. My cousin Theresa Fanning, who also lived with Downs Syndrome,  died of Covid. Theresa was in poor health prior to contracting Covid and was suffering from demetia. I was very closed to Tessie, as I knew her. I, rightly, had no say in any decisions about her treatment. She has brothers and sister who felt that the DNR was the right path for her, given her diminished quality of life in recent years. From what they told me, it was unlikely that much could be done for her by the time she was admitted and her passing was peaceful.

I used to take Tessie to Lourdes with our group in the summer, but she had become unable to travel, several years previously. My main reticence about publicisings Johns campaign was that I didn't want my cousins to see my comments as a criticism of their decisions. I thought about not mentioning Tessie at all, but that would be plain dishonest. When it comes down to it, I realised that the two situations were very different. It would be a dereliction of my duties as a blogger to not give John's campaign a platform. Every family has the right to do what they feel is best for their loved ones, and to fight for justice for them. I have no criticisms of what happened with Tessie, her siblings are comfortable with her treatment and the decisions made and I fully support that. John's situation is different and I support the Sullivan family as well.

Whilst, I am not criticising Tessie's treatment or the circumstances leading to her passing, I am sickened by the fact that we couldn't properly mourn her, due to covid regulations, but Boris Johnson and his cronies were partying, ignoring the rules that meant we simply had to mourn alone, in silence. I sincerely hope that when people vote in the Uxbridge by election, they do not forget the behaviour of their former MP and his cabinet chums, including the current Prime Minister, who was up to his neck in the shenanigans. 

 I also have to question whether protocols were properly in place to protect Tessie at her home, in the care of Barnet council. We all know of the appaling death toll at care homes. Everyone knew Tessie was highly vulnerable. Was every measure possible taken to prevent her contracting covid? I genuinely don't know. What I do know is that in tens of thousands of cases, vulnerable people in care were let down. The sad truth is that this has saved HM Government a fortune in care costs, as looking after vulnerable people with dementia and other similar conditions is extremely expensive for them. 

In truth, I'd rather not think about the whole thing. Yes, that is cowardly and dishonest, but it is far more comfortable to think of the future, of your next holiday, or the next family barbecue. But John and his family have an empty chair at their family parties and they believe the were failed. As for Tessie, when she passed, we didn't hold a wake, we had a gathering a year later when the regulations allowed. It was nice to see the family, but I feel she was robbed of the send off she deserved, which is important in our Irish tradition. Me, All I could really do was make a video and put some of my music to it. She was a beautiful and fun person. Many people seem to think that people with Downs syndrome have no right to exist, are sub human. I disagree profoundly, I celebrate the fact that humanity embraces our differences. This was my tribute to Tessie, please have a look. It may give you some insight as to why John feels that people with Downs syndrome are people and they deserved better.

How Barnet Eye guest blogger John Sullivan moved LBC's James O'Brien to tears

 Regular readers will know that I listen to Robert Elms on BBC Radio London of a morning. I was doing this, as I do every morning, when my phone buzzed. It was a message from a mate who simply said "Listen to LBC now!".  As my friend is a man of good judgement, I did just that. To my amazement, Barnet Eye guest blogger John Sullivan was talking to presenter James O'Brien. The subject? Dominic Cummings revealations about the chaotic government response to the covid pandemic. 

John and Susan in happier times

John sounded quite emotional, but he made his points well. By the time he finished, James O'Brien was in tears. After the call, I rang John. I just wanted him to know how well he'd made his case. John's daughter Susan died last year as a result of covid. John feels that Boris Johnson and Matthew Hancock failed his daughter in their duty of care to her (along with the 150,000 other 'excess deaths' that have occurred due to covid). He listened to what Dominic Cummings had to say yesterday and feels that he now has an explanation for how Susan was failed by those who's job it is to run our nation and keep people in Susan's position safe. Knowing that there was chaos at the heart of our government is no comfort. John feels that we need the public inquiry to take place now. We should not wait for the end of the pandemic, if there are lessons that could save lives now. The only reason to wait is to spare the blushes of Boris Johnson. 

I would strongly suggest that you click the link in this tweet and listen to John. 

James O'Brien is moved to tears by grieving father John, while listeners call for his story to be played before Boris Johnson. @mrjamesob https://t.co/AosmEa29Zg

— LBC (@LBC) May 27, 2021

This is what James O'Brien had to say after he spoke to John on Twitter

This call completely broke me. I will remember John - and Susie - as long as I live. https://t.co/0C6H4iVi0F

— James O'Brien (@mrjamesob) May 27, 2021

I will refrain from adding any further comments, as I think John says it all very eloquently. I will simply say that John says what he has to say very eloquently and I find it hard to disagree with anything he said.

Guest Blog - Is an in house option really on the table for Your Choice Barnet by John Sullivan

By John Sullivan,

 Your Choice Barnet, for those of you who don't know, is the organisation which provides care for adults with social care needs in the London Borough of Barnet. It is a Private company, which was created by the London Borough of Barnet. The London Borough of Barnet owns all the shares. You may wonder why a local Authority would go to such lengths. Could it be so that they could implement swinging cuts in local care with no political fallout? How would you go about doing this? Maybe set up a company with a completely flawed business plan, that is doomed from day one. Then there is  a "cast iron financial case" for deeply unpopular cuts with no blame at all for the puppet masters. But who would agree to set up a company under such false pretences?

The truth is that Your Choice Barnet was born of a lie in as much nobody was afforded any choice.  Our Tory masters and their lacky officers decided to call it Your Choice, in an Orwellian, minstry of truth style attempt to pretend that this was something that was "opted in to".  By the time any concept of truth regarding the policy that was finally named Your Choice became a reality, it had been replaced with obfuscation, misinformation and downright lies. Truth, transparency, integrity, concern for clients and staff had taken a back seat, and was replaced by the false promises of huge profits hewn out of the care from the most disadvantaged in our midsts. Local Conservative councillors were blinded by promises of massive profits at the expense of severely disabled  YCB clients. An attitude that any decent person would consider immoral and repugnant took precedent. It seems that despite the Tories being the party of business, none of them bothered to study the business plan.

So as YCB has been a lie from the start,  with massive losses presented as "planned losses" (who sets up a company to make losses), there is no need to list the dishonest rhetoric of YCB directors or local councillors on the subject of YCB, because there has been no truth from day one. Therefore anything you hear from them on this subject you can reasonably assume is  obfuscation, cover up or plain old fashioned porkies.

Now we are told that the Council is "looking at" and "In House option". It is one thing to promise an in house option will be considered, but how well funded will the preparation of an in house model be?  Will it be allowed sufficient time to do a thorough job , after all we are talking about the quality of people's lives? Who will prepare the bid and what will their brief be? Will all parties clients, parents, family carers, front line staff and others at the front line for the very first time be consulted. Or will they all as has been the case to date be ignored by both local Conservative and Labour councillors. In short will thed people who receive the care actually be given a choice?

 Any reasonable person could see from the outset that the original YCB business plan was never going to work - you remember the plan that needed a £1 million bale out within a year, any more than the second business plan is working. YCB are currently in hock to Barnet taxpayers for a figure in excess of £1  Million  (the so called planned debt).

However the business plan was never intended to work, the intention from the outset was to drive YCB into debt , which could be used to justify an attack on the  highly skilled staff to force them out and replace them with cheap labour. Those members of staff not forced out initially with the use of every despicable tactic at the disposal of YCB board and their Tory puppet masters, were always going to be subjected to massive life changing wage cuts to prime the business known as YCB , by minimising the quality of service provision and quality of life for YCB clients and staff and sell off to the highest bidder probably Capita.  This is all necessary in order to wipe their hands of the responsibility for YCB clients, which has always been the aim of our local Conservative masters.

Are our local conservative councillors serious about giving an in house option for YCB a fair hearing and the funding and time to prepare a bid? The suspicion is that they are yet again playing games with the lives of YCB clients and their family carers.

I would suggest the latter is the intention simply because and I repeat Your Choice Barnet has been a lie since day one and it continues to be a lie, and one thing is for sure local Conservative councillors will fight tooth and nail to avoid the service being brought back in house. No matter how deceitful underhand and dishonest they have to be, which will only be to replicate the deceitful, underhand and dishonest activities they engaged in to set the lie that is Your Choice Barnet up to fail in the first place.

Whilst I hope to be proven wrong , I seriously have my doubts the right wing detester of the disabled sick and poor,  namely our 'smiling' Conservative leader Cornelius will pull out all of the stops to deny YCB clients any choice at all. Do the sick, the diabled and the infirm not deserve a quality of life and a safeguarded long term future of quality service provision . To stop this service being brought back in house, which is the only way the long term future of service provision can be guaranteed is to deny more than choice. It is to deny the basic needs of a human being to have a life without fear.

There is one final thing which must be said about the whole YCB debacle. It is time for the local Labour Party to stop being the Tories merkin. At every turn they have lost their cojones and voted to go along with the Tory cuts and outsourcing, giving the Tories a legitimacy they do not deserve. Let me put this in simple terms. If the local Labour Party do not stand at the forefront of the fight to bring Services in house, then I will ensure that every reader of the Barnet Eye and every carer in Barnet knows and come the election in 2015 they exercise their vote in the knowledge of what Labour have done, not what they have promised. Because if the local Labour party can't oppose the Tories, then what possible reason is there to deserve our votes?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
John Sullivan is a Barnet resident and carer for his daughter Susan aged 50

Guest Blog - David Cameron and the enemy within - by John Sullivan

By John Sullivan


Cameron attempts to frighten us with ISIS the enemy within , and there is no doubt we have much to fear from the likes of ISIS.

What Cameron fails to understand is for millions of us he and his millionaires cabinet and his wealthy backers that he is handing over our public services and our NHS to further line their collective pockets, represent a far greater threat to British working people than ISIS.

They have brought poverty, starvation, homelessness, slave labour , part time employment they call employment, a hatred for the poor and the disabled , suicides and unnecessary early deaths due to benefit cuts and bedroom taxes. I for one fail to se what we have to fear from ISIS who threaten sudden death. Rather than the slow painful death of poverty and despair Cameron and his ilk have brought us in such a short space of time..

Cameron should be careful what he wishes for, his cry to stand and fight ISIS, might encourage us millions to take up arms against our true enemy within, which is Cameron and a few hundred pocket lining MPs of all political persuasions, us millions verse those hundreds. Be careful what you wish for Cameron, we might decide to reinstate the democracy in our country you have destroyed by your non mandated cruelty to the many, whilst lining the pockets of the few.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
John Sullivan is a Barnet resident and carer for his daughter Susan. Guest blogs are always welcome