Tory minister lambasted in BBC Question Time for ‘writing off those with disabilities’
Caught off-guard: Matthew Hancock.
The Tories stubbornly refuse to accept the main principle of government borrowing, which is this:
Governments borrow to pay for public services that will continue into the future, therefore it is right that people who benefit from those services at a later time should help pay for them.
It may be that the Tories think this isn’t relevant to them, because they are dismantling public services, meaning there will be nothing for future generations to fund – but that assumes they will be successful in completely asset-stripping the UK, leaving the majority of its citizens with nothing and only a precious few with shares in the privatised companies that remain (along with the People’s Republic of China, of course).
But you won’t hear them say that.
Matthew Hancock is the Conservative minister who told young people to join a “jobs boot camp” or lose their benefits.
One presumes he expects to put this lady’s son onto such a scheme in the near future.
A mother’s heated exchange with a Tory minister took centre stage during Thursday night’s BBC ‘Question Time’, as she castigated David Cameron’s government for “writing off” those with disabilities.
The audience member lambasted Matthew Hancock after prolonged austerity has seen essential services relied upon by her disabled son withdrawn or threatened.
“I have a son with a learning disability. He has no social worker, no care plan,” she said.
“His transport to and from school is threatened, his college place has just been withdrawn.
“I think the reality on the ground for people like us living everyday lives is that austerity is devastating.
“Certainly for my son and young people like him.
“We feel as though he’s been written off by Cameron’s government.”
Hancock, a Cabinet Office minister, attempted to defend the reduction in public services but was quickly drowned out by furious audience members.
As he struggled to respond amid loud heckles from the audience, Hancock said: “If we can’t have a country that lives within its means,” before being interrupted.
Battling against audience reaction, he continued: “It is not ‘flannel’ to want to reduce the deficit. Hold on, if we don’t have a country that can live within its means then we can’t fund those sorts of public services that people like you rely on.”
At which point the woman interjected: “What? So we pay our taxes but our children can’t go to school?”
Read more: BBC Question Time Audience Member Lambasts Tory Government For ‘Writing Off’ Those With Disabilities
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Strange how at the drop of a hat they can find billions for wars, but nothing for people.
We have recently been asked by Warren’s social worker if we can use ‘volunteer carers’ at weekends, as all direct payment packages are being reviewed… and ours is ‘large’.
The answer, of course was an extended period of hysterical cackling and mirth from both Sue and myself… just what the social worker [who is actually a very decent chap], expected.
“I had to ask”, he said with a wry grin.
it looks like the people have finally woken up–shouldn’t say it but if the tax credit cuts had gone ahead (heaven forbid) the awakening would have come a lot quicker. I feel not enough support was given to the disabled right from day one——-folk just didn’t care as it was not happening to them. Even with the total of deaths reaching into thousands , where is the outcry ?
Osborn’s
belief is that all the things must be done by private enterprise. Councils should not give money to charities, Councils should not own swimming pools, tennis courts, theatres etc. – all things should be owned privately. The tax payer should not subsidise councils. If you want to do something, then you should pay the full going price, from your own pocket. So many Council things are run at a loss, why should the tax payer pay, for things they don’t want and will never use. Perhaps in part he has a point, Councils strip money from school budgets to pay for their pet enterprises, from Care budgets etc; while keeping millions in the bank, for that rainy day.
No, he doesn’t have a point. Councils don’t have any pet projects – certainly not now. If they have millions in the bank, it’s not for a rainy day but for redundancies, forced on them by central government. My own council – Powys – is trying to become a ‘commissioning’ council – outsourcing everything. Of course the costs are increasing. What’s the good in that?
Watched it last night, typical arrogant tory with his head firmly up his arse, not knowing what reality is, just like the rest of them, out of touch with real life and said what he and all the tries think of the disabled and the sick, kill them all by any means necessary, have to keep the fuhrer happy!
If wars should be fought at all, it is them who should be outsourced, not public services.
Remember your history.
In Nazi Germany:
1 First they came for the Communists, but I didn’t care because I wasn’t a Communist.
2 Then they came for the Jews, but I didn’t care because I wasn’t a Jew.
3 Then they came for me.
In UK today.
Well, there are plenty of permutations. In the UK today, they wouldn’t start with Communists or Jews.
The only disability for which there should be no sympathy is a right-wing political outlook.