Vox Political on LBC radio to discuss DWP lies

LBC

Vox Political’s Mike Sivier (that’s me) will be appearing on LBC radio at around 1pm to talk about the revelation that a coroner ruled that a man died as a direct result of being involved in a work capability assessment organised by the Department for Work and Pensions.

Thanks to the Daily Mail, we now know that the deceased was 60-year-old Michael O’Sullivan, of Highgate, north London, who took his own life six months after being found fit for work. The Atos assessor never asked him about suicidal thoughts and the DWP decision maker never considered relevant evidence from his doctors.

The DWP said this was because its policy on further evidence was “regrettably not followed in this case” and that it would circulate a reminder. We have no evidence that this was done or that further deaths did not follow because of similar omissions – and any claims by the DWP must be treated as suspicious.

This is because the DWP, knowing that a causal link between the work capability assessment and the death of claimants had been proved by north London coroner Mary Hassall in January 2014, spent the whole summer denying any such link to campaigners and MPs who were demanding publication of up-to-date claimant death statistics.

Even after its statistics – poor as they are – were published, the DWP kept up the pretence. Clearly, we cannot trust a word that comes out of that organisation.

… and that’s what I’ll be saying at around 1pm today.

Join the Vox Political Facebook page.

If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!

Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
(
but don’t want to give your money to advertisers)
you can make a one-off donation here:

Donate Button with Credit Cards

Buy Vox Political books so we can continue
fighting for the facts.

Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:

HWG PrintHWG eBook

The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here:

SWAHTprint SWAHTeBook

latest video

news via inbox

Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email.

39 Comments

  1. Silvia Vousden September 21, 2015 at 11:43 am - Reply

    Good luck later today, keep calm and don’t let them rush you to reply to questions. You have solid evidence to support your claims. This is not a ‘one off’, there are many, many more cases that have yet to come to light.

    • Mike Sivier September 21, 2015 at 12:45 pm - Reply

      I hope I managed to get that point across.

  2. thelovelywibblywobblyoldlady September 21, 2015 at 11:50 am - Reply

    I am glued to LBC awaiting your slot Mike – Good luck and well done

    • Mike Sivier September 21, 2015 at 12:45 pm - Reply

      What did you think? I enjoyed it very much.

      • thelovelywibblywobblyoldlady September 21, 2015 at 2:52 pm - Reply

        I think you got your point across well particularly as Shelagh Fogarty (the presenter) had no real knowledge of the subject matter and you needed to clarify a few points. It was good that you stated that in this Mr O’Sullivans case he would not have appeared in the ad hoc statistical report as DWP had in effect chosen the period for the FoI request. Any further news on that by the way?

        • Mike Sivier September 21, 2015 at 3:32 pm - Reply

          None so far.

  3. Mr.Angry September 21, 2015 at 11:53 am - Reply

    Wish you all the best Mike

  4. stephen brophy September 21, 2015 at 11:57 am - Reply

    Give them “hell” mate! I will be listening

    • Mike Sivier September 21, 2015 at 12:44 pm - Reply

      What did you think?

  5. mili68 September 21, 2015 at 12:08 pm - Reply

    Tweeted @melissacade68

  6. NMac September 21, 2015 at 12:08 pm - Reply

    Well done Mike. Keep up the good work.

  7. AndyH September 21, 2015 at 12:10 pm - Reply

    Go Mike!

  8. AndyH September 21, 2015 at 12:12 pm - Reply

    Don’t forget Calum’s list http://calumslist.org/

  9. mili68 September 21, 2015 at 12:12 pm - Reply

    Listened live online; excellent.

    • Mike Sivier September 21, 2015 at 12:42 pm - Reply

      Thank you! I really enjoyed it.

  10. AndyH September 21, 2015 at 12:19 pm - Reply

    Agree with what you said about Maximus – the assessments might as well be carried out by Starbucks – as it’s nothing to do with medical expertise – and is all about meeting targets (sorry expectations).

    (I hope you do radio more – you have a good voice for radio and are polite and well informed. You could always use something like soundcloud to make your own podcasts).

    • Mike Sivier September 22, 2015 at 10:56 am - Reply

      I once intended to do podcasts, but didn’t have the time.

  11. Nick September 21, 2015 at 12:32 pm - Reply

    well done mike
    i have told Owen to read out the deaths every week at PM’Q so that IDS will be up to speed on what goes on at the DWP

    • sasson1 September 22, 2015 at 7:29 am - Reply

      What an excellent idea!

      • Mike Sivier September 22, 2015 at 10:42 am - Reply

        I bet he doesn’t do it.

      • Nick September 22, 2015 at 12:46 pm - Reply

        it is and should have been done from day one it’s hard to believe this has not been done as if you cant get the basics Right you’ll not be able to get anything else right

    • allan j September 22, 2015 at 11:08 am - Reply

      does this mean we all need to bombard our local mp with this idea

      • Mike Sivier September 22, 2015 at 12:08 pm - Reply

        Couldn’t hurt.

    • sasson1 September 22, 2015 at 3:49 pm - Reply

      It should be similar to when soldiers have died and they read out a list with condolences for the families.

      • Nick September 22, 2015 at 7:26 pm - Reply

        indeed this country is very badly run on all levels and for the life of me i have no answer in how it will improve

        my daughter who is a political consultant in millbank Westminster fully agrees with me for what that’s worth

  12. Maggie Sullivan September 21, 2015 at 12:43 pm - Reply

    I was on the show after yourself commenting on this. I’d really like you to read our story please.

  13. Bumblebee.zzz September 21, 2015 at 1:48 pm - Reply

    Anyway to re-listen to it Mike i missed it..keep up the good work

    • Mike Sivier September 21, 2015 at 3:33 pm - Reply

      Yes, if you check http://www.lbc.co.uk I think there is a page where you can download programmes.

  14. aktvst_uk September 21, 2015 at 2:06 pm - Reply

    I missed it!

    Do you have a link to it?

  15. wildswimmerpete September 21, 2015 at 2:48 pm - Reply

    @Mike
    Do LBC have something like iPlayer?

    • Mike Sivier September 21, 2015 at 3:33 pm - Reply

      I think they do – you can download podcasts of a whole show. I’ll be right at the start of this one.

      • Joanna September 22, 2015 at 12:35 am - Reply

        I clicked on it and it is asking me to subscribe, I don’t want to do that, is there anyway around it please?

        • Mike Sivier September 22, 2015 at 10:43 am - Reply

          It seems not. I’ve already said I’m disappointed about it.

  16. mrmarcpc September 21, 2015 at 3:41 pm - Reply

    Hope you gave that right wing station hell, great work again Mike.

    • Mike Sivier September 21, 2015 at 5:29 pm - Reply

      They were very pleasant and accommodating towards me.

  17. Robert Fillies September 21, 2015 at 4:03 pm - Reply

    Keep up the good work Mike, it’s good to know there’s someone out there looking out for us. Thank you for all you do.

  18. wildswimmerpete September 21, 2015 at 5:33 pm - Reply

    Just tried Mike, managed to start listening at 1pm but that’s too late. Tried listening earlier but was presented with a paywall.

  19. AndyH September 21, 2015 at 6:35 pm - Reply

    There have been two articles on the Independent today about people killing themselves after declared ‘fit for work’. The wall of silence is crumbling!

Leave A Comment