‘Divide and rule’ Tories are inciting hatred while claiming they are ‘fair’
Read this. Actually, read the whole article, but what I’m about to say will run better if you read this:
Under the Equality Act, provision was made by the Labour government to ensure legislations didn’t discriminate against protected social groups, which included disabled people.
However, the need for public bodies in England to undertake or publish an equality impact assessment of government policies, practices and decisions was quietly removed by David Cameron in April 2011.
The legal requirement in the Equality Act that ensured public bodies attempt to reduce inequalities caused by socio-economic factors was also scrapped by Theresa May in November 2010, who said she she favoured a greater focus on “fairness” rather than “equality.”
The Conservatives have since claimed to make welfare provision “fair” by introducing substantial cuts to benefits and introducing severe conditionality requirements regarding eligibility to social security, including the frequent use of extremely punitive benefit sanctions as a means of “changing behaviours,” highlighting plainly that the Conservatives regard unemployment and disability as some kind of personal deficit on the part of those who are in reality simply casualities of bad political decision-making and subsequent policy-shaped socio-economic circumstances.
There is a major inconsistency in the Conservative Government’s thinking right there.
“The Conservatives regard unemployment and disability as some kind of personal deficit” – basically, they say that each individual chooses to be unemployed or disabled… to under-achieve, if you like. That it is a character issue, not one that is related to their health or environment.
They point at people who manage to overcome disability or personal circumstances, and actually manage to make a living for themselves in spite of their infirmity or the economic situation in which they have been placed, and try to tell us that anybody can do it if they can.
The inconsistency is that, if some people can choose to be unemployed or disabled because that is part of their character, then it follows that some people can over-achieve – managing to make something of their lives despite any disability or whatever else might be affecting them.
They manage this, not because they are the norm, but because they are exceptional.
If the Tories aren’t taking that into account, then they are persecuting people on an entirely false premise.
Sure, some people might be playing the system, and some might be malingerers who only think they’re ill – but the vast majority are likely to be people of average abilities who need help to get out of a bad situation.
Instead of helping, the Tories have been punishing them. They are “casualties of policy-shaped socio-economic circumstances”.
Everybody with spina bifida can’t be Tanni Grey-Thompson. If only it were as simple as that.
Everybody with cerebral palsy can’t be Francesca Martinez.
Pick another celebrity who is known to have a health problem, be in physical or mental. Everybody with that health problem can’t be them.
Mostly, they’re just ordinary people who’ve been saddled with an extra issue to handle every day.
That’s why, when a government proposes changing the rules affecting them, it makes sense to check how they will be affected, in order to avoid discrimination.
The fact that the Conservatives have dismantled the mechanism for doing so – they are now claiming they cannot perform the cumulative impact assessment that has been requested, even though other organisations like NIESR and Landman Economics have done so and made recommendations to help the government follow suit – shows that the Conservatives are quite happy to discriminate against minority groups.
In fact, discrimination against minorities is their bread and butter; their mantra: Divide and rule.
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Tweeted @melissacade68
When I had to appear before an appeals panel to attempt to reinstate my Incapacity Benefit claim I lost the appeal because, apparently, no-one who suffered from the mental health conditions I described would be able to do so – overlooking the fact that it was a choice of speaking up about intensely private things I wished to share with no-one or have no money to live on. And, obviously, you can’t suffer and be vulnerable AND still be articulate and intelligent and courageous. In front of a desk of judgemental (male) strangers who get paid handsomely regardless of the outcome. Not that I could do that on a regular basis – who could?! Who would be expected to?
Devise and destroy is something the nasty chits have done since the beginning of chit.
The sooner I’m done and dusted in this life really can’t arrive quick enough with these evil destroyer of BRITAIN and her people at the helm.
This article should be shown to every Labour MP and remind them of the need to unite behind Jeremy Corbyn to defeat the Tories at every opportunity. It should also be shown to all the current and ex Liberal MP’s and ask them to explain where they were when this was going on, they certainly weren’t looking after the interests of the rights of the disabled.
This shows how cute the tories really are, this and many other items of forward planning were clearly conceived a long time ago by Cameron & his cronies. This situation has been a long time in the making, but,is this really Cameron’s plot, he just does not seem to have the nous. Or, maybe that’s his cover. Know your enemy! They seem to think they do.
hi, could you do me a fav and throw in a quick edit on this bit: Pick another celebrity who is known to have a physical condition. Everybody with that condition can’t be them. ”
could you change it to read:
Pick another celebrity who is known to have a health problem, be in physical or mental. Everybody with that health problem can’t be them.
I would like this edit made as those with mental health problems very often get left out of the argument in favour of those who have more obvious physical problems but those with mental health issues such as depression, bipolar or schizophrenia are being hit just as hard by the Tories and are more likely to die by their own hand due to the misstreatment this government is subjecting people to.
Done!
Horrifying. I knew they were dismantling the welfare state but thought it was typical Tory bullying in the face of a non existent Opposition. An open goal in other words. But this shows its been conceived and engineered over many years in tandem with businesses and maybe some charities too. A living nightmare.
There was always an opposition, and during the Coalition years it was highly vocal. All that talk about Labour letting the Tories do what they want was propaganda from organisations with an interest in getting people to believe that, knowing that the majority of the public don’t actually know how Parliament works and that, when a government has an absolute majority – as the Coalition had – the only way to prevent government legislation being passed is if members of the government’s own party (or parties, in the Coalition’s case) rebel.
Sadly those who voted for this deception of a government have allowed us to become run by a dictatorship of greedy and uncaring profiteers, who have no conscience when it comes to depriving the sick, mentally impaired, and those genuinely unable to find work. When considering the lack of character (good character by this party when they, who have so much and in many cases inherited vast fortunes, care so little for those who never had any luxury or pleasure whatever, and who are content to give themselves vast pay increases for no constructive improvement whatever whilst depriving those who really deserve help) I can only find one description for them which is contemptible.
Rupert,
I’m with you in that sentiment and well done for pointing out the fact that there are people out there that genuinely cannot find work. As one of them I haven’t worked for an employer or business in the UK for some 5 years now, and it’s not from lack of trying
As someone who had previously worked hard all my life – I even over paid my Taxes and NI many times – I am glad to be finally free. I am no longer a part of this society – the DW&P laid me off as a claimant some 5 years ago and I have the P45 to prove it.
Those of us that are still fit and able – even after all that we have endured from both the State, the Media and unsympathetic Public.
What this Government is doing now, I feel – like many others in my position who quite frankly have been pushed out and expected to live off Zero Incomes would join me in saying – Ensure those who are disabled or suffering long time illnesses are taken care of first.
As for myself, as I’m deemed no longer to be worthy of belonging to David Cameron’s Big Society: Thank you, you re-educated me well I now follow the Tory Lead in all things, particularly as a citizen of this country. I do what I want and Give Nothing Back!
Its an old tactic pursued through the owned media to subject people who are flouridated (rat poisoned water and toothpaste) to stories about how much its costing them personnally. That is until someone screams what can you do about it we need your help? Then the tories say ‘funny you should ask but this is what we are going to do’. Think Russian aggression, smoking gun, single parents, unemployed shirkers, now ill people not given opportunities to work. David Icke calls it Problem,Reaction,Solution.
So you’re a huge conspiracy theorist who believes in the Bilderberg story and the fluoridation of water story. And you want us to believe you? No thanks.
it is true there are people who do play the system but for anyone who doesn’t it makes it harder, i myself have been classed as severly disabled due to ( get ready for it)
Emotionally Unstable Borderline Personality Disorder ( which is right between bi polar and scitzophrenia,)
Aspergers ( a mild form of Autism)
Meniers ( an ear problem which causes balance problems on a daily basis)
and osteo arthritus ( joint problems)
now even with 3 of the issues i have i could work but the one that gets people is the top one because it is regarded as a serious mental health issue it has to be disclosed so yes i used to go to interviews as soon as they read up on the health report i would get a phone call or letter saying no joy, i was actuaaly told by one of their associated partners that given the choice most employers would employ a non disabled person as they don’t want to pay the time off pay
let the government work that one out
I’ve said on this blog that disabled people won’t get much of a chance when there’s a huge pool of able-bodied unemployed available for employers to use.
As for people who play the system – in the field of disability/incapacity benefits, according to official figures for 2013-14, the total loss to the system was 0.23 per cent of expenditure. The only reason they make it harder for others is because of the huge amount of propaganda that pretends there are a lot more of them than in fact exist.
0.23 per cent. Spread the word.