What NOW? #TogetherWeCan

/ jaynel62

There’s seemingly no end of blogs about WHY the Tories ended up back in Government; there also many many posts on social media discussing how disabled people are going to survive when the next round of Welfare Cuts come in; here’s my view…

At the time of writing we don’t yet know Who will be the Work & Pensions Minister, we do now that #McVey, in maybe the only good news of the election, being deselected won’t be there, and Mark Harper has gone as the Minister for disabled people but as for the others, we’ll have to wait?  What I believe is no matter WHO fills their seats (and that of #IDS of course) things will not get any better.

I was SICK of the whole Carbuncle of Welfare Reform before May 7 – now we await with trepidation the announcements of the next round of proposed £12Million of Cuts; we’ve already read of the possible taxation of disabled benefits and making it harder for sick people to claim state aid by introducing “stricter” fit-for-work tests and/or tighter limits on eligibility, what’s next remains as yet unknown.

What I am convinced of is it is time now for ALL of us affected by the discriminatory actions of the Tories, to come together and Fight Back in Unity; we must ensure that whatever campaigns, petitions, demos etc work collectively to complement each other in the Battle for Survival under a Tory Government.

I believe it is time to TALK, for disabled organisations, social media groups, local projects etc, to communicate and work collaboratively; I’m not suggesting we all have to use the same approaches or methods but…we DO have to ensure we support the campaigns of others. Imagine if every Demo was coordinated across the UK – just as we did with ATOS? We KNOW this works and this is why I’m pleading with ALL groups leaders to do this; think -TOGETHER  a petition with ELEVEN MILLION signatures could Not be Ignored?

Then consider what would happen if WE worked with all other discriminated Groups – We’d be Unstoppable

What do you think??        #TogetherWeCan

36 thoughts on “What NOW? #TogetherWeCan”

  1. Yes I do & have always believed in Together WE Can. However the first move is to remove those Blairite’s who control the HQ of the NEC Labour Party. if not then move on. with help from the Trade Union movement of the UK. Think first before any action this time!

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    • Please can we just move on from this eternal Blairite/Brownite bickering, I said throughout the last five years that if we keep this up we will play directly into the Tories hands and lose the election and it has happened. People do not vote for divided parties.
      Most ordinary voters wont even know what the NEC is let alone care.
      If we are going to succeed we need solidarity and I think #TogetherWeCan could be something special, but it will only succeed if we are united.

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  5. I agree Jayne all passed arguments and disagreements must be cast aside so we can all unite as that would really terrify Cameron and Co as it is what he has been fighting against and having success in coalition years.

    We must not allow him to divide and any attempts should have opposite effect as what will come will be absolutely brutal so that affect has to be cushioned.

    Time for new ideas from a disability think tank too so any fightback is coordinated and strong and has impact

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  7. Reblogged this on Notes from the north and commented:
    Spot on Jayne! The left must unite to argue for progressive policies, and now is exactly the right time for everybody to let Labour Party MPs know that it cannot elect yet another middle Englander who will only appease and not lead. It must be bold, and if it does become bold, then it deserves progressive’s votes! Please do let Labour Party MPs know by whatever means what you want from the party! A strong bold left can lead, and win!

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  8. Wholeheartedly agree. Let’s start a petition to begin the process by getting rid of that well known lier, fraud and cheat Ian Duncan Smith. Perhaps by having him questioned for culpable Manslaughter.

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  10. I wholeheartily agree with you Jayne, my head’s been spinning with all the blogs, tweets, facebook posts etc., I was speaking to a fellow comrade in our local Claimants Union yesterday and he suggested that, as we did in April (protested against sanctions outside Jobcentre) we should think of doing more of this together, it was them, DPAC Norfolk and had Class War along too! People on twiter have also spoken of disability groups getting together, liasing and possibility of setting up a Disability Union or Collective? We do more thna ever need to up our game, I have a local DPAC meeting tomorrow and I’ve already put some of this on the agenda. Solidarity with you/us all in these scary times.

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    • We also need to start protesting outside more bamks and corporations as they are the tories think tanks and cause to much suffering as well and must not be let of the hook as I say with the right planning we can kick arse

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  12. Reblogged this on Christopher John Ball and commented:
    I know many of us still are having difficulty coming to terms with the outcome of the election and are feeling lost, I know I am, but I think the points and suggestions Jayne has made are worth discussing and investigating. They may just be the ray of hope we need, something that we can rally behind to give us strength. Especially now that we need it most.

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  13. STRANGE when people are referring to possible cuts on disability welfare
    its as if IB ” units ” as we are now refereed to by the DWP & Jobcentres
    and disabled ” units have not already had a bad dose of Austerity already
    ————————–
    I myself IB now reduced to £21 esa have chipped in £4,000 in “Lowered ” benefit in the last 12 months alone
    not to mention £14 pw bedroom tax and £8 pw council tax previously paid in full by benefit
    The – £1 comes from my £60 ill health pension
    ———-
    Deformed hip , fused spine arthritic knees Healed by Atos 2012 0 points ( won 15 points on appeal )
    The whole process cost me approx £400 which i didnt have spare in the first place

    ——————————————————–
    Attend jobcentre every 6 months in recognition i will never work again
    ” although they have suggested i should go on a training program-me or be sanctioned

    or apply for DLA which seemingly would negate the need for the once every 6 months interview
    ———————————————————————–
    During the past 5 years nobody in govt has mentioned or fought openly for those who have suffered at the hands of Atos / Maximus
    Despite there being enough evidence out there to show its a corrupt dishonest system that fails the sick , disabled and dieing
    in order to get into ESA support group you have to be comatose and even that hasnt been enough in some cases
    under p i p children have had their carers allowance removed whist Cameroon used the support he received to glean sympathy
    disabled people have had mobility removed they now are stuck in their houses those who had jobs have lost them those in education no longer able to attend
    ————————————–
    Labour didnt fight against these cuts and if youre not against them you are with them
    ———–
    Under workfare all those in the concentration camps at the point of being “freed ” would have failed there assessments and would have been deemed fit for work

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  14. We need a co- ordinater and we need to work together, it is the only way to be strong and effective. I am disabled so physically doing this is limited, but I can still join in in others ways.

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  15. The Trouble With Britain
    Atos Secret Filming

    ———————-
    When i discovered this over a year ago i started posting on blogs such as this Huff Telegraph Mail etc etc Must have posted a couple of hundred times
    When posting i asked for comments from anybody
    and defense from any tory supporter
    Sympathy for the long term sick and disabled was such that i never had one reply

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  16. I am, of course, very willing to work together and will share in that commitment.

    However, there is a need to be very realistic over how practical that will be for many of us. The government, despite all they make out, has not yet made a real start. Like I’ve been saying with consistency over the last 4 years, lots of people may have been found fit for work on ESA, but the reality is the numbers have barely fallen from the overall claimant of 2.5 million we have today. It’s because large numbers have been able to appeal or re-claim. It will now be about not just pretending to get people back to work, it will be about forcing that upon people who are frankly not up to it.

    Personal Independence Payments have hardly begun with around half a million claims and a very low success once claims are decided. From later this year they will be looking at around 1.8 million working age DLA claims and also (although not officially part of their programme) some of the older age/child related claims as well.

    A further key area of concern is that which relates to fraud and error, I have seen a massive rise in this type of casework with a particular emphasis on DLA related claims (they are high value, help the rhetoric and often go back years). These cases are incredibly complex and require close collaborative working with criminal defence; they are also very stressful for clients.

    In addition to which we have a whole raft of other changes to come and the impact upon claimants with the introduction of Universal Credit at a time when even more staff will be cut from public services and the advice sector. The most punished group are, I hate to say, those with mental health problems. Mental health is seen by this government as something it can label as no more than having ‘a bit of anxiety and depression’; they pretend that chronic conditions do not exist because it helps lessen what the NHS is tasked with having to deal with – taking a benefit claim away has a dual purpose; it avoids the sufferer being identified by the system.

    All of which is very grim, I’ve never seen things look this bleak. We do need to accept how many won’t have the sheer stamina to fight the fight and also how we can practically help those in desperation. I think a starting point is to work more collectively, with a real degree of realism over what is within our individual competences and to badger the hell out of MPs who pretend these problems do not exist; yet many of them are of their making.

    Many people criticise advice services (not least myself) but in truth our resources are seriously limited. It’s as good a time as any for those of you who are able to consider volunteering. It’s also a good way of getting the right training and contributing to invaluable social policy work.

    Finally, we need some really good media attention and need to work hard to secure it.

    Regards

    Nick

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    • The Reality of E S A
      expensive degrading
      ————
      AGED 60 On I B from 2005 ( retired on ill health grounds by employer of 18 yrs £60 pw pension )
      Deformed hip , fused spine (in the medical reports obtained by my employer classed as Chronic Pain
      DEBILITATING DEGENERATIVE & PROGRESSIVE
      ——————-
      Healed by ATOS zERO POINTS
      won 15 points at tribunal based on the DWP regs ( posted below) should have been put in the support group but like the majority wasnt
      not being in the support group means that after twelve months ( i month after winning the tribunal in my case ) the govt can legally remove benefits as unlike E S A support group Or Incapacity Benefit
      it now becomes a Means tested benefit
      In my case my Tesco Pension + my wifes Severe Disability allowance takes me over the £164
      couples threshold and reduces the ESA to £21pw
      if your long term sick
      You cannot get income-related ESA if your (and your partner’s) capital or savings are over £16,000.
      your partner works 24h pw + get nothing
      Austerity cost to me personally
      £85 reduction in benefit
      £8 council tax
      £14 bedroom tax note the 2 housing taxes are more than i actually recieve lol
      ————————-

      Regulation 29 allows that a claimant who has not scored enough points under the WCA can “be treated as having limited capability for work if … there would be a substantial risk to the mental or physical health of any person if the claimant were found not to have limited capability for work.”
      Regulation 35 of the same regulations
      allows for people to be treated as having limited capability for work-related activity on broadly the same terms as regulation 29. That is if there would be a there would be a “substantial risk” if the claimant were found not to have limited capability for work-related activity. This is the test to go into the support group.
      ——————-
      The DWP IS ALSO SUPPOSED TO TAKE INTO Account REPETITION AND USE A ” REASONABLE TIME ” JUDGMENT
      iE 1 walk too the Post office a 500 yd return journey with frequent stops (40 mins+ on average )
      if i repeat the journey it will take me longer to do and would also take me longer to recover from
      However this is “never” applied
      ——————
      You cannot get income-related ESA if your (and your partner’s) capital or savings are over £16,000.
      ———————————
      The aim of E S A is purely benefit removal
      Nothing else

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  17. There is only one reason they ended up back in power and that is the EU referendum in 2017! They will be slaughtered in 2020 if they last that long. I intend to ask my MP to contact Cameron and give a precise date of the referendum in 2017 I will not accept anything else but the exact date of the EU referendum

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  21. I totally agree Jayne but with all the different groups fighting for the same thing, it will be hard to get a consensus. It would be far better if ALL groups came together as one and have one leader etc etc together we win divided we fall. If millions descended on Whitehall, peacefully of course it would be hard for them and the media to ignore. Oh well I can dream.

    Good luck to us all in theses trying times.

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  22. I quote; “Some people get frustrated with the system because they don’t get what they want and just ignore it. Others glow about it – like Dawn Pilatowicz in Cape Town Talent Exchange, who is wheelchair bound. She used to find it difficult to get help. Now she has an army of helpers. And there are many like that. They all realise it is about a strong, social network.” Interesting, no? It’s from page 198 of the book ‘People Money, the Promise of Regional Currencies’ (Margrit Kennedy, Bernard Lietaer, John Rogers), from Chapter 7, this bit on Community Exchange Systems. More about them here https://www.community-exchange.org/joinexchange.asp?country=UK Sounds interesting, doesn’t it? There are ways for communities to come together and collaborate already out there, it’s just that people are so used to getting things from government we don’t think to look elsewhere. It’s time we did – we need collaborative systems in place all over the UK – and this book is an excellent place to start investigating.

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