Never mind the Ides of March – it’s the March of IDS!

Last Updated: March 19, 2016By
160318IDSresigns

March 15, known as the Ides, was a fateful date for Julius Caesar (according to Shakespeare). All things considered, it was a turning point for the Gentleman Ranker as well.

Iain Duncan Smith has resigned and my Twitter feed has gone into meltdown.

Yes, it’s great that he has gone. But I don’t think it’s over a matter of principle, no matter what he might say. Iain Duncan Smith has lied far too often for me to take anything he says at face value.

No, he’s either trying to be clever about the EU referendum, lining himself up to be in Boris’s good books if the vote goes against Cameron and Osborne, or he’s putting distance between himself and the Department for Work and Pensions after a judge ruled that potentially damning documents about Universal Credit must be published.

It seems the documents may show that Duncan Smith (I can’t be bothered with the nicknames – feel free to substitute ‘RTU’ or ‘the Gentleman Ranker’ if you like) misled Parliament and the public, time and again, about the floundering new benefit system.

Sick and disabled people will remain the targets of brutal benefit cuts. The unemployed are still enmeshed in a Kafka-esque nightmare of conditions they have to satisfy in order to draw their benefit. Social housing tenants are still persecuted by the Bedroom Tax.

Duncan Smith happily presided over more than £28 billion worth of cuts in payments to the most vulnerable people in the United Kingdom. That’s why This Writer doesn’t believe he has had a crisis of conscience now.

And let’s remember that this resignation comes after the Conservative Government shelved these cuts (for the moment). Where does that leave his great act of conscience?

Jack Monroe made some good points on Twitter. Points like:

“IDS is the man who LAUGHED at bedroom tax. [He also laughed at a rape victim who was being threatened with the loss of her panic room because of it.]

“Said ESA was ‘a bad benefit’.

“Blamed the 9/11 attacks for him failing [as] Tory leader.

“IDS quoted the slogan on gates of Auschwitz to justify brutal cuts to benefit support. QUOTED THE F***ING SLOGAN ON THE GATES OF AUSCHWITZ.”

Yes he did. It’s one of the reasons This Writer is able to draw parallels between the modern UK Conservative Party and the Nazis of 1930s-40s Germany.

You will undoubtedly read and hear a great deal about Iain Duncan Smith over the next few hours and days. Most will refer to him in the past tense. That’s a big mistake.

Now is the time to start the inquisition into this man and all his dealings as Secretary of State for Work and Pensions. He’ll have a lot to hide, that needs to become public knowledge. Too many people have died to let him off the hook.

And far too many of those deaths have gone unnoticed. Even if you’re deliriously happy that Duncan Smith has gone (at least for now), please take a moment to remember some of the people we know have suffered and lost their lives.

For myself, this resignation probably means more work. People will still need help fending off the unwanted aggression of the DWP, and I’ll still try to provide it – as I did for a friend on Monday.

There will still be a Conservative Government, and the new Secretary of State may be even worse than Iain Duncan Smith was. I know that is hard to imagine, but you soon may not have to try.

And I, for one, have no intention of letting Duncan Smith walk away scot free. He has blood on his hands and I want justice. I believe you do too.

Apparently, the bookies are giving 2-1 odds that Priti Patel, one of the laziest MPs in Parliament, will be the next Secretary of State. Why don’t they save some money and just install a gallows instead?

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29 Comments

  1. John Thurman March 19, 2016 at 12:35 am - Reply

    it’s the i, that marches as in upright armed men. this party trick means nothing. smoke and mirrors still

  2. Stephen Bee March 19, 2016 at 12:38 am - Reply

    The Press Preview on Sky news asked “As he knoew about these cuts more than a week ago..indeed helped in their formulation, why has it taken so long for him to resign?”

    Perhpas its taken several days to shred evidence at DWP or bury the bad news documents?

  3. bevchat March 19, 2016 at 1:01 am - Reply

    I think there is more to his resignation…in his letter he lied about the cuts and how he could not stand by and see this done to the disabled,,,,What a load of cobblers…he voted for these cuts along with all the other Tory MP’s sorry no U turn or resignation is going to convince me he has had a change of heart….I think he is more worried about losing his constituency seat more like…Also lets remember IDS is in the NO to EU camp…along with Boris…so what are they hatching up now I ask myself? This is just a smokescreen to what is really happening…I do not trust him or the other Torys at all…they have something up there sleeve…This is only a small triumph for all of us who are disabled and to those whose blood he has on his hands…!! He must not be allowed to escape justice…and his resignation means nothing to me…He must face the full consequences as do all the other politicians who stood with him, including David Cameron and George Osborne!

    • John March 19, 2016 at 9:22 am - Reply

      Well, whilst I am not going to complain about his resignation, I agree with the above comments, and don’t trust him at all with his reasons. Yes, I wonder if Patel will be his replacement also. Perhaps Justin Tomlinson? One thing I am highly adamant about though – HE CANNOT BE ALLOWED TO GET AWAY WITH ALL THE DEATHS HE HAS CAUSED !!!!!

  4. Nick March 19, 2016 at 1:31 am - Reply

    the bottom line is this Tory government have no empathy or understanding of the needs of the sick and disabled and what should have been a simple administration in welfare reform has been a nightmare for the sick and disabled with many hundreds of lives lost
    hopefully at some point those responsible for these deaths will end in court so it can be explained to a judge as to why so many have died
    https://www.facebook.com/ribbonsforwelfare?hc_location=stream

  5. Brian March 19, 2016 at 1:43 am - Reply

    Mission accomplished.

    This poor man ### (IDS) will sooner or later have to face the firing squad. He gets out now with platitudes to those he has killed. It really is his only means of escaping justice at least for now, and bringing parliament into disrepute. You can guarantee DC has had words with him, and he may well take some of the rap too. Go run IDS, but you can not hide. His successor will have to wipe the blood from the desk & take the venom that will surely not stop to this vile DWP.

  6. Michael Broadhurst March 19, 2016 at 1:59 am - Reply

    i quite agree that Priti ” Awful ” Patel could be his successor and as one of the laziest MP’s in Parliament,what right have these people to tell everyone else what to do.

    • Brian March 19, 2016 at 3:25 pm - Reply

      The toxicity will mar anyone involved with the DWP for the life of this parliament. Crabb has just committed professional suicide, albeit, less painful than those deaths about to be exposed.

      Have a weekend off Mike, You deserve it.

  7. Rik March 19, 2016 at 2:15 am - Reply

    I just heard the good news on the radio
    well at least it a start & I do hope he & all the others get what’s what… I rarely post on here but am always reading your blogs Mike as I think its the bestest… so Thanks

    • Mike Sivier March 19, 2016 at 2:36 pm - Reply

      You’re very kind.

  8. Dave March 19, 2016 at 4:26 am - Reply

    DWP, the Department of Willful Persecution

  9. Mr.Angry March 19, 2016 at 6:56 am - Reply

    First time in my life I have drank champagne with my cornflakes, but a stated in this blog it could be more smoke and mirrors, let’s wait and see. But for now I am for once a very happy camper and will celebrate this day.

  10. Tim Bastable March 19, 2016 at 7:00 am - Reply

    I don’T really believe his resignation has anything to do with cuts either. There have been rumours that he would have to go because of his position on Brexit floating around for the last week – I think you are right – He timed his leaving to use the cuts as a way of sticking it up Cameron and Osbourne – Knight sacrifice in a political chess game for the right to be next Tory Leader – and bad news for Labour since Boris may well go down well with the electorate and most voters hate the individuals in the Tory party more than their policies

  11. Jane Owens March 19, 2016 at 8:10 am - Reply

    Duncan Smith or no Duncan Smith, the Chancellor has a £1.2 billion gap following the reversal of the PIP reforms. This gap must be closed by targeting other areas of disability benefits. Remain alert, the resignation of Duncan Smith will not halt the Tory juggernaut from its attempts to crush the poor, sick and disabled.

  12. Chris Bergin. March 19, 2016 at 8:16 am - Reply

    love the headline!

  13. NMac March 19, 2016 at 9:11 am - Reply

    Duncan Smith is an inveterate liar, as well as a thoroughly corrupt and dishonest individual. No doubt the real reasons for this unpleasant character’s resignation will eventually emerge.

  14. Terry Davies March 19, 2016 at 9:13 am - Reply

    love the play on words. its effective in drawing people’s attention that they shouldnt he fooled by this resignation. self interest not principle is the underlying reason and as many commentators say conscience is not likely or ever likely to inform his actions in politics.
    Avoiding justice will hopefully be unsuccessful for Duncan smith undoubtedly should not evade an enquiry in public into all his political dealings and policies. Fingers crossed his reprieve from villification is temporary.

  15. Robbie March 19, 2016 at 9:36 am - Reply

    Don’t forget he also said in a speech in parliament last year “normal, non disabled people” thus committing the criminal offence of disablisim( change disabled for homosexual,Jewish,Muslim etc and there would have been an out cry) which carry’s an imprisonment sentence, BUT was unable to be prosecuted due to an outdated thing called parliamentary privileged.

  16. Damien Willey March 19, 2016 at 10:14 am - Reply

    For my money his resignation has nothing to do with Brexit – its too early for that to hit home hardest. No, he’s done this right after the budget, a budget he had signed off cuts for, to inflict maximum damage on Osborne and stab him in the back. He’s lost so many court cases, tried to hide information for so long I think he’s had enough, and decided to go now so he can try and take Gideon down with him. Its no secret the two MP’s hate each other and IDS is vain enough to not give a crap about his party – they are called selfservatives for a reason after all.

  17. Robert Fillies March 19, 2016 at 11:25 am - Reply

    Duncan-Smith has never publicly come out against any of the vicious cuts that his department has carried out against the benefits of the sick and disabled, to the contrary he has always publicly supported them with great venom. He and his department have have caused untold misery to the sick and disabled and this in turn has allowed the right wing press to carry out a venomous reign of attacks on us and to influence public opinion against us, he and the Government have gleefully presided over a dark period in recent history whereby the sick and disabled have been scapegoated as scroungers and it has been allowed to go on with much of the press stoking the flames. Many of the public have been hoodwinked into believing all the bad propaganda put out by the Government and then the compliant press. I do believe now though that the tide may be turning as over the years of this Government people will have found themselves become part of our reallity because over that period of time many will have become sick or injured, as most of us will at somepoint and will now realise what a difficult system sickness benefits have been designed to navigate through ( deliberately so ) by IDS and the Government.

  18. wildswimmerpete March 19, 2016 at 11:51 am - Reply

    Rejoice! Rejoice!!

  19. hayfords March 19, 2016 at 12:10 pm - Reply

    I think he has ulterior motives, possibly relating to the EU. It is a pity that he has gone. He is a good man and does a lot for the community through his Centre for Social Justice. The main DWP policies won’t change, there will just be a different head.

    • Mike Sivier March 19, 2016 at 2:26 pm - Reply

      Many people would agree with you about ulterior motives and DWP policies continuing. Shame you had to ruin those sensible statements with bizarre claims about this man being “good” and doing a lot for the community through that vile cabal, the CSJ.

    • steven mcguire March 19, 2016 at 8:48 pm - Reply

      hayfords are you having a laf a good man where have you been lately on the moon smoking weed this scum animal is a murderer of the disabled and vulnerable he jumped ship i think because he knows all the lies is going to come out him cameron and osbourne should be tried in the highest court in the land for murder against the weakest in society dont worry duncan smith we dont do running away we will be here to see you go down with the rest of the scum

  20. Jessie March 19, 2016 at 12:20 pm - Reply

    It’s megamillion contracts for the likes of Atos, Crapita, Maximus, workfare providers, and anyone who could con for themselves lots of public monies for pretending to help the unemployed… along with all of the appeals against unjust decisions, that has raised the spending. Get rid of all of those poverty profiteers and there would be enough money to give dignified support to those upon whose flesh they now feast.

    While the many victims of his policies have not themselves experienced any increase of expenditure, but have only suffered cuts or removal of benefit; and let’s not forget that also includes the carers. That’s the part of which IDS really is proud. We’ve all seen him laugh at accounts of their suffering, and then joyously announce many more cruelties, of late promoting the complete abolishment of ESA.

    His resignation letter is his usual web of lies, Its real purpose to cover his butt, He must not be allowed to walk away from all of his murdering crimes against those least able to defend themselves. He must be pursued about it to his grave, as he has caused many others to be persecuted to their death.

  21. Joan Edington March 19, 2016 at 12:32 pm - Reply

    I’ll raise a small glass to the departure of this piece of scum (for now, as you say, since bad smells linger). I don’t know much about Stephen Crabb. Is he as loathsome as Patel? I do like the idea of a gallows, though, for IDS and the rest of his cronies.

  22. Robert Fillies March 19, 2016 at 2:37 pm - Reply

    According to the Huffington Post it would appear that Steven Crabb had supported the policies for which IDS was infamous making him the ideal man for the job.

  23. mrmarcpc March 21, 2016 at 4:51 pm - Reply

    Patel and Crabbe are just as evil as IDS is, they will continue his policies for they are as callous and fascist as their master!

  24. Michael Broadhurst March 21, 2016 at 9:18 pm - Reply

    the lot of them want lining up against a wall and shooting.vile scum.

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