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campaign against welfare cuts and poverty

Sonia Poulton on Facebook. Another letter to Ed.

I have thought long and hard about the most appropriate response to Ed Miliband's letter. I believe this one, just sent to Ed, is the right way to go. With regard the issue of meeting Anne McGuire...initially I worried that this would be a conflict of interest with my role as a journalist...but, seeing as I had run Ed's open letter on Mail Online, it is perfectly reasonable for me to see that this letter is delivered.

That is what I have promised thousands of people who have signed, many of whom are not part of disability campaigning groups. They have trusted me to follow through with this letter and I will not let them down. I will also, separately, be pursuing a policy of arranging a meet between Anne and a number of activists. It is not my shout to guarantee this but I will make it clear how valuable such a meeting could be to Labour.I am sticking with the original position of our letter.The same position that thousands of people have counter-signed and it is this: we are asking Ed to pursue a total abolition of Working Capability Assessment.

I am aware that there are organisations and groups that believe there is a necessity to work with the structure already in place and to tailor it more to the needs of disabled people.I support that too. From what I see any step forward in making WCA less punishing and more accurate will definitely get my backing. Skinning the proverbial cat comes in many forms.

I believe that all attention on WCA is good and the open letter approach to Ed was always designed to maximise attention to the issue and to shoot for the proverbial stars. That way, at least, we stand a chance of getting above the tree tops. It's a lot easier to negotiate down to a decent model if you start off at the extreme position. That's where I am coming from.
August 27, 2012

Dear Ed,
Thank you for your letter, sent via e-mail, dated August 20, 2012.
For those who know me, and are familiar with my work, I am recognised as a writer who speaks from the heart. I have never been one to indulge in double-speak or management jargon, that is not for me. So, while I am not duplicitous, I can be blunt.

With that in mind I must tell you that my first reaction on receiving your letter was one of disappointment. A feeling that has been shared by others who are aware of your reply.

This reaction primarily stemmed from the idea that you have responded to a letter that you are not yet in receipt of. A point I had outlined in my second appeal to you.

I do appreciate that you will have seen the original 'open letter' through other means, particularly as it picked up a great deal of on-line attention and was also published on Mail On-line.

However, the problem is those versions do not contain the really important part - that of all the signatories and their damning and heart-breaking personal testimonies.

These are literally thousands of despairing people, some of them dying as they write, and they have turned to you - via me - to protect them as they are bullied and badgered in their last days.

It is those profound, and highly moving, appeals that I implore you personally to read, Ed.

However, despite my initial unhappiness at your letter, it is only fair to acknowledge that you have taken the time to address this issue while you are on holiday - and for that I am grateful.

I am glad you recognise that disabled people need support and compassion. Two essential qualities that are lacking with the current Coalition.

So it is that I came to my second disappointment with your letter.

The line: 'It is also important to separate out ill health and disability from the decision not to work, which is taken by a distinct minority.'

It is difficult to know to whom you refer when you say a 'distinct minority'. Might this be the distinctly underwhelming 0.5% per cent of people who are said to commit disability fraud? What about those claimants who are routinely underpaid, too? Do they not also warrant a mention?

I am alarmed at the Coalition's obsession with benefit fraud, particularly when there are much wealthier people who have been left to fleece the system and have impacted more detrimentally on our country than the tiny minority of fraudulent claimants.

So it is that Government scapegoating has resulted in the deeply unsatisfactory and not-fit-for-purpose WCA being pursued - despite grave reservations from many parties, including GPs - around the basis of this questionable 'distinct minority'.

The problem with such a general statement is that it feeds into 'scrounger' rhetoric. A form of hate-speak aimed at anyone in receipt of state benefits. Alarmingly, such an ideology has had a frightening knock-on effect.

Assault against disabled people, verbal and physical, is at the highest level since records began. A number of recent reports have linked this with the Coalition's propensity to issue skewed statistics that are then relayed, with the same damning gusto, by much of our media.

The result is a climate of resentment towards those who require our assistance. That, according to the many disabled people who write to me in all their desperation, is contrary to a society that claims to want to protect its most vulnerable.

I, personally, have encountered people who 'cheat the system'. However, is it fair to tar everyone in the same position – all benefit recipients – with having the same poor morals as the few?

I believe not.

I consider this would be equally as wrong to assume that you are going to be like the MP's who have displayed highly questionable judgements in their roles. Whether that is in the company they keep, the reneging of their manifesto or the exploitation of their expenses.

The issue of who wants to work, and who doesn't, is also frequently subject to misunderstanding. In my experience, there are very few people who do not want to work.

Like you, I have a very strong work ethic – I have been in paid employment since I was 13 – and I believe in the power of work. I certainly would not support anyone who chose to live off the State just because they can.

However, I believe it is quite wrong to assume that only paid work is of any value in our society.

There are thousands of disabled people who are carrying out important charity work, including contributing to their own communities. Equally, there are some who simply cannot work, because of ill-health and disability, and they must not be made to feel as if they are a burden to the rest of us.

It seems bizarre that we have a job shortage in our country at the same time that the Coalition is closing Remploy factories – designed to provide paid employment for disabled people – and yet we continue to beat people into non-existent jobs with the WCA system. That makes no sense.

I appreciate your offer of a meeting with Anne McGuire, MP. I understand that she is a hard-working minister who has the best intentions for our disabled community.

That said – and with the greatest of respect to Anne – I am not convinced that anyone would be able to convey to you what I have witnessed with regard disabled people.

This understanding is gained from a personal perspective - my brother has had a kidney transplant and has suffered numerous attendant conditions – and a professional one.

So it is that I am left in the position of asking if it may be possible to meet with you and Ms. McGuire, albeit briefly, to deliver the full version of our letter. I can make myself available to you anywhere in the UK, whether that is in London or at the Labour Conference.

I believe your intention for a fairer society is a good one and I wish to support it. As, indeed, do the many thousands who have signed the original letter to you.

I hope you had a pleasant holiday and that this letter finds you sufficiently refreshed.
Best wishes,
Sonia Poulton
JOURNALIST/BROADCASTER
Click to expand...
 
Reminds me of my nan who wrote many many complaining letters to the Labour Party. :D

She was a staunch conservative :oops:
 
Minnie_the_Minx said:
Tried watching that a few times over the last couple of days but it just seizes up. Frustrating.

Anyway, some good news. ATOS will continue to provide a service that is compassionate :facepalm::facepalm::facepalm:

http://www.itv.com/news/calendar/up...sts-over-planned-cuts-to-disability-benefits/
Click to expand...

'Protests have taken place this morning in Hull, Sheffield and Leeds today over planned cuts to disability benefits.
Campaigners say a private firm employed by the Government to assess the sick and disabled is unfairly deciding some claimants are fit to work.
An ATOS spokesperson said: “We fully respect people’s right to peaceful protest and we understand this is a highly emotive issue.
“We do not make decisions on people’s benefit entitlement or on welfare policy but we will continue to make sure that service that we provide is as highly professional and compassionate as it can be.
"We do this through a constant programme of training and education for our staff, a rigorous recruitment process for healthcare professionals and through continual work with the Government, disability rights groups, healthcare professionals and those going through the process on the ground.”


In the text, its ATOS's voice that is heard, not the protesters, as it were

anything on national BBC?
 
Re: Millibands reply to Sonia, the thing is NL created this monster and used the tabloids and yes the BBC to propagandise it, it (the media campaign, etc) was much more successful than they ever thought it would be, now Ed is terrified of what they see as public opinion against scroungers and how the tabloids would turn against them if they moderated their welfare policies

but,, where is the LP rank and file?
 
A bit confused by this thread. Is it a campaign against poverty or a campaign against welfare cuts? Long term the positions are direct opposites. As a welfare recipient I cant say Im thrilled by current legislation but to combat poverty one has to look at the causes of poverty rather than relying on the temporary bandaid of a bankrupt welfare system.
Yes I dont like the effects of these (& other) cuts, however Id rather campaign against poverty than for short term fixes that will merely create more poverty in the future.
Its about bigger pictures.
Whats needed is solutions to the Lib/Lab/Con created/supported failed poverty trap, rather than perpetuating it.
Its time to think new.
 
Ash Mahay said:
A bit confused by this thread. Is it a campaign against poverty or a campaign against welfare cuts? Long term the positions are direct opposites. As a welfare recipient I cant say Im thrilled by current legislation but to combat poverty one has to look at the causes of poverty rather than relying on the temporary bandaid of a bankrupt welfare system.
Yes I dont like the effects of these (& other) cuts, however Id rather campaign against poverty than for short term fixes that will merely create more poverty in the future.
Its about bigger pictures.
Whats needed is solutions to the Lib/Lab/Con created/supported failed poverty trap, rather than perpetuating it.
Its time to think new.
Click to expand...

are you Lord Wei?
 
treelover said:
Re: Millibands reply to Sonia, the thing is NL created this monster and used the tabloids and yes the BBC to propagandise it, it (the media campaign, etc) was much more successful than they ever thought it would be, now Ed is terrified of what they see as public opinion against scroungers and how the tabloids would turn against them if they moderated their welfare policies

but,, where is the LP rank and file?
Click to expand...

What "rank and file"? Last time I looked at membership figures, the LP were well south of 250,000 in total. Many constituency parties are run by skeleton memberships, with members filling multiple roles. Maybe it's different up your way, as you've more of a history of industrial Labour activism, but down here the whole thing is fucked. Why belong to a party where you've got no say in the direction the party takes?
 
Ash Mahay said:
A bit confused by this thread. Is it a campaign against poverty or a campaign against welfare cuts? Long term the positions are direct opposites. As a welfare recipient I cant say Im thrilled by current legislation but to combat poverty one has to look at the causes of poverty rather than relying on the temporary bandaid of a bankrupt welfare system.
Yes I dont like the effects of these (& other) cuts, however Id rather campaign against poverty than for short term fixes that will merely create more poverty in the future.
Its about bigger pictures.
Whats needed is solutions to the Lib/Lab/Con created/supported failed poverty trap, rather than perpetuating it.
Its time to think new.
Click to expand...

What we need is an integrated solution, but we're not going to get one from these neoliberal tossrags, just a progressively eroded welfare base.
That being so, we've got to at least ensure that people aren't rolled over now, or "long-term solutions" won't be necessary, because "the poor" will already be so anathematised that no consideration will be given to us.
 
http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/news/politics/4516400/Hardship-handouts-scrapped.html

Hardship fund scrapped - loans from now on.

Ian Duncan Smith said:
Hardship payments should be just that — payments you receive when you are in a temporary, difficult financial situation.

“We don’t expect them to be used to fund life’s extras such as nights out, holidays or subscription TV.

“The payments are a loan to help people adjust to their circumstances with the emphasis being that they are very much a last resort
Click to expand...

yeah, cos when benefits get sanctioned and people apply for hardship fund it's so they can go on holiday :rolleyes:

He's also trailing vouchers/pre-paid card scheme to stop people "squandering" money. Can see it happening at some point.
 
ViolentPanda said:
That being so, we've got to at least ensure that people aren't rolled over now.
Click to expand...

Wasnt that the policy of most of the last 20 years & are people not at greater risk today because of it?

Lib, Lab, or Con, all reluctant to embrace reallity and instead looking for expensive short term band aids that need paying for eventually, & the price? Cuts.

Despite a reduced growth in spending over the last two decades all parties are looking at some form of cuts at the moment because even the reduced rate of growth was still mismanaged and full of unaffordable waste.

How long do we play the game for?

We could effectively borrow to stave off cuts, but that just increases debt and requires MORE cuts in the future.

Everyone knows the system doesnt work as it is (even if they wont always say so in quite such candid language), but fear of a backlash keeps all sides locked into bandaid and duct tape solutions that just rachet up the problem for the next term.

Sooner or later were going to have to break that cycle, or else it will break us.

Its time to lay off the band aids and to look at alternative systems and set ups.
 
They asked me how much food I had in the house when I rang for a hardship payment, after my benefits were stopped due to, as it turned out, a DWP "error". Totally demeaning experience, was given a lecture on 'safe-guarding the public purse'. It's a loan ffs and I pay tax. The geezer on the other end of the phone lost it at one point and then I knew I'd got him and from that point on he knew to cut out the bull-shit and deal with my claim in a manner that didn't include treating me as the 'scum of the earth'. It ended up as a total waste of time and I was informed that no hardship payment of any kind was likely in my case. Similar, with a request for funeral expenses when my Mother died last December and I was faced with a two and a half thousand pound funeral bill. I was in receipt of benefit of £67 a week and got no help whatsoever. I even wrote after the first rejection asking them to reconsider their decision and still they refused a payment to help with funeral costs.
 
Ash Mahay said:
Wasnt that the policy of most of the last 20 years & are people not at greater risk today because of it?

Lib, Lab, or Con, all reluctant to embrace reallity and instead looking for expensive short term band aids that need paying for eventually, & the price? Cuts.

Despite a reduced growth in spending over the last two decades all parties are looking at some form of cuts at the moment because even the reduced rate of growth was still mismanaged and full of unaffordable waste.

How long do we play the game for?

We could effectively borrow to stave off cuts, but that just increases debt and requires MORE cuts in the future.

Everyone knows the system doesnt work as it is (even if they wont always say so in quite such candid language), but fear of a backlash keeps all sides locked into bandaid and duct tape solutions that just rachet up the problem for the next term.

Sooner or later were going to have to break that cycle, or else it will break us.

Its time to lay off the band aids and to look at alternative systems and set ups.
Click to expand...
Are you excited about going back for second year? Will you be in halls?
 
Ash Mahay said:
Wasnt that the policy of most of the last 20 years & are people not at greater risk today because of it?

Lib, Lab, or Con, all reluctant to embrace reallity and instead looking for expensive short term band aids that need paying for eventually, & the price? Cuts.

Despite a reduced growth in spending over the last two decades all parties are looking at some form of cuts at the moment because even the reduced rate of growth was still mismanaged and full of unaffordable waste.
Click to expand...
I don't think anyone would disagree with you about successive governments being incompetent and wasteful.

Look at any of the many threads on the private finance initiative (PFI)

Ash Mahay said:
How long do we play the game for?

We could effectively borrow to stave off cuts, but that just increases debt and requires MORE cuts in the future.
Click to expand...

Or they could increase tax on the super rich.

£13tn hoard hidden from taxman by global elite

Ash Mahay said:
Everyone knows the system doesnt work as it is (even if they wont always say so in quite such candid language), but fear of a backlash keeps all sides locked into bandaid and duct tape solutions that just rachet up the problem for the next term.

Sooner or later were going to have to break that cycle, or else it will break us.

Its time to lay off the band aids and to look at alternative systems and set ups.
Click to expand...
What alternative systems do you suggest?
 
Ash Mahay said:
I got my phds a long time ago lol
Click to expand...

Youre right. I was never good at English but then again I feel I do ok considering I was largely self taught and dyslexic.

It didnt make my Uni entry very easy either. A lack of acedemic history doesnt go down to well but I managed to overcome the prejudice of morons.
 
Ash Mahay said:
Youre right. I was never good at English but then again I feel I do ok considering I was largely self taught and dyslexic.

It didnt make my Uni entry very easy either. A lack of acedemic history doesnt go down to well but I managed to overcome the prejudice of morons.
Click to expand...
If you can't beat them join them?

Foxyred?

:hmm:
 
yield said:
Or they could increase tax on the super rich.

£13tn hoard hidden from taxman by global elite


What alternative systems do you suggest?
Click to expand...

Id suggest £13tn is a conservative estimate but the problem comes with the word "Global", no government is global so the super rich can stand out of reach safe in the knowledge that with 90% of the wealth that the bankrupt governments of the world, at present, need the super rich more than the super rich needs them (ask Greece).

Its a nice pipe dream to think that money is available but its no closer to hand than Eldorado or Blackbeards hidden treasure.

As for the alternative to the current welfare state I cant honestly say I have the solution, but as is true with any addict the first step is realizing you have a problem and that you need to stop.
 
Ash Mahay said:
Id suggest £13tn is a conservative estimate but the problem comes with the word "Global", no government is global so the super rich can stand out of reach safe in the knowledge that with 90% of the wealth that the bankrupt governments of the world, at present, need the super rich more than the super rich needs them (ask Greece).

Its a nice pipe dream to think that money is available but its no closer to hand than Eldorado or Blackbeards hidden treasure.

As for the alternative to the current welfare state I cant honestly say I have the solution, but as is true with any addict the first step is realizing you have a problem and that you need to stop.
Click to expand...
So you support a global government?

PMSL

Why do I smell troll?
 
Ash Mahay said:
Id suggest £13tn is a conservative estimate but the problem comes with the word "Global", no government is global so the super rich can stand out of reach safe in the knowledge that with 90% of the wealth that the bankrupt governments of the world, at present, need the super rich more than the super rich needs them (ask Greece).
Click to expand...
Do you think it is moral or fair that a small minority prosper off the backs of the majority? I don't.

Income inequality in America: The 99 percent
Oct 26th 2011, by The Economist
Ash Mahay said:
Its a nice pipe dream to think that money is available but its no closer to hand than Eldorado or Blackbeards hidden treasure.
Click to expand...
There's plenty of money. Its velocity is slow though. Lots of cash rich companies techs, miners etc.
Ash Mahay said:
As for the alternative to the current welfare state I cant honestly say I have the solution, but as is true with any addict the first step is realizing you have a problem and that you need to stop.
Click to expand...
I don't think the comparison to addiction is right. The current financial crisis is a result of actions of the deregulated banks.

Free Market Ideology is Far from Finished
Naomi Klein. The Guardian - September 19th, 2008
During boom times, it's profitable to preach laissez faire, because an absentee government allows speculative bubbles to inflate. When those bubbles burst, the ideology becomes a hindrance, and it goes dormant while big government rides to the rescue. But rest assured: the ideology will come roaring back when the bailouts are done. The massive debts the public is accumulating to bail out the speculators will then become part of a global budget crisis that will be the rationalization for deep cuts to social programs, and for a renewed push to privatize what is left of the public sector.
Click to expand...
 
yield said:
Do you think it is moral or fair that a small minority prosper off the backs of the majority? I don't.
Click to expand...

I doubt many people see it as "fair". I would imagine even within the minority there are those who feel its "unfair", although "fair" is largely subjective and not necessarily relevant.

There's plenty of money. Its velocity is slow though. Lots of cash rich companies techs, miners etc.
Click to expand...

Again much of that is global & transferable.

A lot of that wealth can vanish in a heart beat in the face of hostility.

Including the missing trillions or various corporate wealth in budgets is akin to including possible future loans in your personal budget. Its a risky game because if you cant lay your hands on the money eventually youre going to have a big black hole where your life used to be.

don't think the comparison to addiction is right. The current financial crisis is a result of actions of the deregulated banks.
Click to expand...

Banks are part of the story but far from all of it, & even in the part they played greed & addiction raised their ugly heads.
 
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