UK Poverty IS a National Disgrace – For Everyone

This is an email I felt had to be wriiten, it was sent to Paul O’ Grady in response to his article on Child Poverty in yesterday’s Mirror – sent to him via his website email

 

Dear Paul

 

Further to your article in the Mirror today, whilst I totally agree with you, I wish you and others concerned with this disgraceful situation,would also acknowledge this problem extends to include Millions of disabled, elderly and other vulnerable people; in fact dozens of disabled people are dying weekly and to date the figure since the inception of Welfare Reform could be as high as 38,000+

 

I totally concur with your points that poorer children are more likely to have mental health problems, and again this is the position with all people in poverty;

and I agree the current position should be a national disgrace, particularly whilst the Richest prosper disproportionally in the UK. Embarrassingly whilst the treatment of disabled people is so severe, our media, in the main ignores it, and yet other nationalities agree it warrants reporting in their National Press press, I refer to this article in Le Monde

 

I hope you can find the time to read the links as I’m sure you will agree that Poverty in the UK is a Disgrace regardless of the people it affects.

 

Regards

 

Jayne Linney

I’ll let you know if I get a response

 

An Exercise in Social Control – The REAL Agenda behind Benefit Fraud Campaigns 3 –

This year to date, I’ve  written two articles questioning the REAL agenda behind the Benefit Fraud Campaigns, the first in January considered how Politicians use psychological coercion to control us, whilst the second in April, introduced the newly formed single fraud investigation service, (SFIS), “a cross Government strategy to reduce fraud and error” apparently costing £140 million. In April I questioned whether the SFIS would prove to be value for money, particularly as according to DWP figures Fraud and Error has cost the Nation approximately £1 Billion for the past Eight Years?

Well it seems my concerns were justifiable, the latest figures in the DWP official Report shows a significant rise in Fraud, although a minor decrease in Error:

,

This situation is despite the DWP already having spent at least  £296,726, just on campaigns to reduce Fraud & Error; when the REAL costs to the DWP, the SFIS, Justice Department & the CPS are added, the amount of spending on reducing this £1Billion bill must be phenomenal.

Johnny Void in his excellent post on this latest shambles by IDS said “This is a huge embarrassment to Iain Duncan Smith who is currently squandering almost a billion pounds in an attempt to halve benefit over-payments by next year.  It is unsurprising that the DWP’s fraud and error strategy was this week given a red/amber rating (meaning it’s a fuck up) in the same Government report into major projects that revealed that Universal Credit has been ‘reset’.” 

So that’s One Billion Pounds spending to reduce a One Billion Pound loss – Where is there any logic in this???

However you wouldn’t have thought any of the above existed if you relied solely upon the official press release from the DWP with Lord Fraud, Freud, claiming “Jobseeker’s Allowance and Income Support fraud and error overpayments are at their lowest recorded levels.” Yes once again we have Politicians making statements that are untrue and based upon erroneously used statistics and ignore reality; the fact is Council Tax is no longer included in DWP figures with the responsibility going to Local Authorities, and this Tax is equivalent to claimed drop in Fraud and Error  “2% of overall welfare expenditure“! 

This persistent misrepresentation of information is how Politicians, and the media when it reports verbatim rather than investigates the Truth, is precisely how they use psychological coercion to manage our thinking; IDS, Freud and the rest have consistently –

• Rejected alternate information and separate opinions
• Devised Rules exist about permissible topics to discuss and
• Ensured Communication is highly controlled.

it is for these reasons  Debbie Sayers and I decided it was time to follow up on our successful petition of last year, this resulted in the Work & Pensions Committee calling IDS & Freud to answer for their Lies, and a report stating this social control through the misuse of statistics should cease. This time We are Demanding the Coalition ensures IDS, Freud and Co STOPS this blatant manipulation; we aim to show Parliament, the people will no longer tolerate this abuse, but you need to play your role – Sign the Petition, tell your friends and families, share it on social media, blog it, do whatever, because unless we all tell Politicians & the Media, WE Will NO longer be Controlled it Will Continue.

This slow erosion of independent thought eats away out our psyche, leaving us unable to see the Truth and falling into the very trap set for us by those in Power, this is Not a World I want to live in? 

Time For The Truth

To:
House Of Commons – Stop Ministers Spinning Statistics 
Dame Anne Begg MP, Chair W&P Select
Margaret Hodge MP, Chair of Public Admin

Enforce the Recommendations of W&P Select of Use of DWP Statistics and Ensures Minsters and others present statistics in a way that is fair, accurate and “unspun”.

http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/house-of-commons-stop-ministers-spinning-statistics-accept-the-recommendations-of-select-committees-stop-ministers-spinning-dwp-statistics

 

 

Whose world is this?

Another Wonderful poem from Juli @juxtaposed –

Whose world is this?.

 

Whose world is this?
Who owns the Earth
And all its fruit?

The evil few in suits of stolen
Cloth for whom one planet is
Still not enough

They are
The architects of nightmares

Sound Familiar? Please Read On

Once you hear the jackboots, it’s too late.

If this isn’t reason enough to demand This Gov holds its Ministers to account – http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/house-of-commons-stop-ministers-spinning-statistics-accept-the-recommendations-of-select-committees-stop-ministers-spinning-dwp-statistics SIGN & SHARE to MAKE this Happen

Politics and Insights

Dr. Lawrence Britt examined the fascist regimes of Hitler (Germany), Mussolini (Italy), Franco (Spain), Suharto (Indonesia) and several Latin American regimes. Britt found 14 defining characteristics common to each, and it is becoming increasingly difficult to overlook some of the parallels with the characteristics of our government here in the UK. Controlled mass media is one example of such a defining feature of fascism, with “news” being directly controlled and manipulated by the government, regulation, or sympathetic media spokespeople and executives. Censorship is very common. And then there is an obsession with “National Security” – fear is used as a “motivational tool” by the government over the public.

A few months ago, a visit by Government national security agents to smash up computers at The Guardian newspaper hit the news surpisingly quietly, when Edward Snowden exposed a gross abuse of power and revealed mass surveillance programmes by American and British secret policing agencie

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MORE Reasons to Sign – STOP Ministers Spinning Stats (or LYING)

Over the weekend I’ve noticed three separate articles all linked to DWP actions that, we the public have been LIED TO about by Ids, McVey, Penning & even Consultants –

The Guardian wrote how – Frank Field MP has found Evidence behind growth in food banks and benefits claimants; Field as chair of the all-party group set up to investigate hunger and food poverty discovered “the disproportionately large increase (use of food banks) seen in the poorest households is due entirely to rising housing and fuel costs” . However this week McVey wrote to the Scottish Government this week stating there is “no robust evidence linking food bank usage to welfare reform”  

Fellow blogger Kitty Jones reported on – Rising ESA sanctions with a rise of “334% between December 2012 and December 2013″; it took a Freedom of Information request to release even these figures which are an ‘estimate. Debbie Abrahams MP asked McVey for an Independent investigation  into the growing number of sanctions last November, which she agreed to however ” the Government have now said they won’t set one up“; what could possibly be the reason for this, Abrahams believes “The last thing Iain Duncan Smith and Esther McVey want is for that uncomfortable truth to be uncovered by a focussed and independent investigation.”

Mike Sivier at Vox Political questioned How Prof Lichfield, the man assessing the suitability of WCA could claim he hadn’t “any information” and he hadn’t “seen numbers” on any people “dying every week as a result of being found fit for work after an assessment”; as Mike says “He could have, at least, looked up the government’s own statistical release‘Incapacity Benefits – Deaths of Recipients’ from July 2012“. Further it doesn’t take any mathematical experience to make an informed estimate as to the current figure, I did this this in February suggesting  the number could be as high as “38,564 deaths over the 3 years the Coalition has been in Government.”.

These are three different situations where Ministers and the DWP Press office lie to the public about the Reality of life as a benefit claimant in the UK today, and it is for these and numerous other incidents where the Truth is hidden and denied that Debbie & I have published our 2nd petition  demanding the House of Commons STOP Minsters spinning statistics.

We Deserve the Truth from our Politicians, particularly when their Polices result in Poverty, Abuse & Death, if you agree – Sign & Share the #NowPetition widely and help us #ImpeachDWP 

 

 

 

 

How can the government’s new ESA specialist claim he knows nothing about all the deaths?

It seems that LYING is compulsory for anyone with anything to do with the Gov!?? Reasons to Tell HOC – STOP Minsters LYING?? http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/house-of-commons-stop-ministers-spinning-statistics-accept-the-recommendations-of-select-committees-stop-ministers-spinning-dwp-statistics

Mike Sivier's blog

Dr Paul Litchfield, here pictured giving evidence at another committee meeting – so it’s probably another load of tripe.

An evidence session on Employment and Support Allowance and Work Capability Assessments was held by the House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee on Wednesday – and was notable for the fact that the ‘expert’ hired to review the system claimed to know nothing about the thousands of deaths taking place because of the current system.

Dr Paul Litchfield OBE was hired to take over from Professor Malcolm Harrington to carry out the fourth annual independent review of the assessment process. It seems Prof Harrington was replaced amicably, but evidence has come to light that he was not happy with political decisions that ran against his findings.

A claim that the government was taking “appropriate steps” in areas singled out for improvement by Prof Harrington was disproved when it was revealed…

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Austerity IS NOT working!

Another maelstrom of LIES from the Coalition – Time to tell them Enough is Enough?? HOC – STOP Ministers Spinning Stats

http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/house-of-commons-stop-ministers-spinning-statistics-accept-the-recommendations-of-select-committees-stop-ministers-spinning-dwp-statistics

The lovely wibbly wobbly old lady

austerity has failed to create jobs or economic growth. As  predicted, the government has attacked jobs, pensions and pay, threatened privatisation and attacked and demonised those entitled to welfare. Yet all of this has worsened rather than improved the economy and people’s lives. 

Unemployment is rising, living standards are falling, and in early 2012 official estimates confirmed what our communities have experienced: that the economy is back in recession. 

You might wonder why, in the face of such overwhelming evidence of failure, government ministers have not changed course. It is because they want the public sector reduced and privatised, and wages driven down. This is exactly what David Cameron promised, when he said his government would “tear down” what he described as “big government bureaucracy”. 

The government has pledged to cut 730,000 public sector jobs by 2017 and to cut spending by £80bn. For millions, their jobs, pay and pensions…

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Petition 2 – HOC STOP Ministers Spinning Statistics

Yesterday Debbie Sayers and I decided it was time to follow up on our successful petition of last year. We like thousands of others on twitter & Facebook are Sick of the ongoing spinning of statistics but, and perhaps more importantly, the Work & Pensions Select’s 3rd Report  made three vitally important recommendations regarding this:

Use of DWP statistics

19.  DWP releases a great deal of statistical information about benefits. We have commented before that it needs to exercise care in the language used in accompanying press releases and ministerial comments in the media. 2013 saw heightened and quite widespread concern—including from the UK Statistics Authority and organisations representing disabled people—about the DWP commentary accompanying releases of benefits statistics. (Paragraph 141)

20.  The Government is doing a great deal to promote a positive image of disabled people, including in the principles behind its Disability Strategy and the Disability Confident campaign to help disabled people into employment. However, this positive action risks being undermined if the language used in DWP press releases and ministerial media comments accompanying releases of benefit statistics adopts a tone which feeds into negative preconceptions and prejudices about people on benefits, including disabled people. (Paragraph 142)

21.  We agree with our colleagues on the Public Administration Select Committee (PASC) that Government statistics should be presented in a way that is fair, accurate and “unspun” and that this is especially the case when they are being used to justify a particular policy or a particular allocation of resources. We reiterate our view that DWP should avoid feeding into negative public views about people who receive benefits, and that statistics should be used objectively to shed light on policy implementation, not to prop up established views and preconceptions. We recommend that, in response to this Report, DWP sets out the specific steps it has taken in response to the comments from PASC, the UK Statistics Authority, and this Committee, to ensure that statistics are released in a way which is accurate, and fair to benefit claimants. (Paragraph 143)

This Report was published on March 18, almost two month ago and as yet the Government has not responded, and THIS is the reason we’re doing this now; It allows us enough time over the summer recess to collect signatures and write the accompanying report.

We believe it is imperative this Government, even in its closing terms, acknowledges the fact we have spent 4 years being abused by the press and media on the back of these false statistics, and their Ministers, namely IDS, with his juniors McVey, Penning, and before them Grayling & Miller, have been responsible.

It is these false statistics that have informed the very Policies resulting in the Japan Times reporting London tops world’s superrich cities; Britons’ use of food banks up 163%, Yes Japan; the countless false assessments of thousands of sick/disabled people, including the hundreds who have died waiting for their benefits, and for the Cuts and numerous other atrocities  made under Osborne’s False Austerity agenda!

 So, we’re Fighting Back in the only way open to us – our second petition is to The House of Commons to – Stop Ministers Spinning Statistics & Accept the Recommendations of Select Committees STOP Ministers Spinning DWP Statistics

For Justice for all of us suffering as a result of the vast number of immoral and unjustified Policies PLEASE SHARE this blog and most importantly SIGN http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/house-of-commons-stop-ministers-spinning-statistics-accept-the-recommendations-of-select-committees-stop-ministers-spinning-dwp-statistics

Together WE CAN OVERCOME – IN UNITY XXXX

Tweet #ImpeachDWP

Billions

a companion piece to “We, the Elites..”

as Juli says – In Hope

juxtaposed

This is a companion piece to “We, the Elites..”

[In hope…]

Dear Elites,
We masses, we,
The won’t-be serfs,
The salt and honey
Of the Earth declare:

Your worthlessness
For all you’re worth

And you are on our turf

We’re coming for you

Soon
Unless
You lay your weapons down
This world has had it with
Your lunacy

In numbers greater
Than your poor,
Myopic minds
Can fathom
And no hired crony muscle
You can find will quench
The righteous wrath you spark
Within the hearts of billions

Billions.
Billions.

Let that just sink in…

Then maybe
You’ll begin to comprehend

This is the dawning of your
Necessary end

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“We, the Elites..”

If there was EVER a blog you MUST READ & SHARE – THIS has to it.

If explains precisely WHY we’re NOT ‘In It Together

A Taster –

” Oh, you can whine and wail and flail around but
We’re not going down unless you make us and,
In case you realise our clubby subterfuge is used
Because we’re terrified of you Oh, you can whine and wail and flail around but
We’re not going down unless you make us and,
In case you realise our clubby subterfuge is used
Because we’re terrified of you”

Get It???

juxtaposed

“We, the Elites, we lucky House of Mothers,
We have come to f*ck you over good and
Roll ourselves in all the four-leafed clover
We can hustle with our mediocre minds and
Hired muscle.

Hail, the Suckers on both sides!

Oh, we will drill you little people and the whole
Earth wide until we’ve had our fill and all the
World will know us by the swill we left and we
Won’t care until it’s way too late coz we believe
We’re worth it and you’re all just small collateral
And if there’s anything at all we’ve proved we
Know and like to do, it’s how to play the masses
And manipulate our assets. It’s a classic!

Never fails.

Oh, you can whine and wail and flail around but
We’re not going down unless you make us and,
In case you realise our clubby subterfuge is used
Because we’re terrified…

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