McVey’s Twitter bid to defend Universal Credit is shot down by the public

Esther McVey: Her department is as irrational as she appears to be in this image.

Universal Credit – it’s not universal and is a credit to nobody, as DWP frontline staff have apparently acknowledged. And when Esther McVey took to Twitter in an attempt to defend it, she got exactly what she deserved.

It seems the hated Work and Pensions Secretary was reacting to revelations on Channel 4 documentary Dispatches, as reported in the HuffPost:

“Two-thirds of frontline Department for Work and Pensions staff have said the roll-out of crisis-hit Universal Credit should be stopped, a Channel 4 investigation reveals.

“70% of DWP staff say the roll out of Universal Credit should be stopped according to a survey carried out by a trade union.

“The Public and Commercial Services Union poll found 79% of respondents felt there was not sufficient staff to meet demand from claimants.

“The union, which represents frontline DWP staff, many of whom work in high street job centres, polled 550 of its members for a new Dispatches documentary.

“Universal Credit [has] been beset by problems in its rollout amid claims it has led to a surge in foodbank use and poverty.

“It was claimed last month that thousands of claimants were losing 40% of their benefit to pay back DWP debts.

“The Dispatches documentary found that despite sweeping changes to the way Universal Credit works last year, many claimants continue to suffer hardship.

“In a humiliating climbdown, the DWP slashed a much-criticised wait for first payments from six weeks to five as part of a £1.5bn package of amendments. But the programme found claimants are still unable to meet basic costs while waiting for their initial payments.”

DWP officials have disputed the latest claims, saying they arise from a small, self-selected and flawed survey that is unrepresentative of staff. They would, wouldn’t they?

Unfortunately for the Tory narrative, it was put to the test when Ms McVey appeared on Twitter to promote Universal Credit it what many see as a response to the Dispatches claims – and it was found wanting. Here’s her clip:

https://twitter.com/DWP/status/993585369823240193

And here are some of the responses:

https://twitter.com/Brossman181/status/993588198008815616

https://twitter.com/TorySlayer/status/993588839154421760

Of course, the Tory Government won’t change anything because facts don’t matter a jot to the creatures in office at the moment.

I’ve said it before and no doubt I’ll have to say it again and again until it gets through: They like inflicting misery and suffering on millions of people; they enjoy cruelty. It gives them a sense of power.

I am left to wonder about those who voted Conservative in the local elections last week.

Anybody who did so must know what the Conservatives have been doing. Do they think they’ll get away untouched by the Tory wrecking-ball?

It’s time these people had their blinkers removed.


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

Here are four ways to be sure you’re among the first to know what’s going on.

1) Register with us by clicking on ‘Subscribe’ (in the left margin). You can then receive notifications of every new article that is posted here.

2) Follow VP on Twitter @VoxPolitical

3) Like the Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/VoxPolitical/

Join the Vox Political Facebook page.

4) You could even make Vox Political your homepage at http://voxpoliticalonline.com

And do share with your family and friends – so they don’t miss out!

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!

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


The Livingstone Presumption is now available
in either print or eBook format here:

HWG PrintHWG eBook

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.

No Comments

  1. Justin May 8, 2018 at 11:12 am - Reply

    Like all policies associated with dwp, they are not thought out, run by companies who are only interested in profit not people and if anything by the track record of dwp in past policies is top go by is people that are not trusted, just remember some people are only looking for you to make a serious mistake that will stand in a court of law and then we see who confident about saying the lovely things you say about your so called policies

  2. Simon Cohen May 8, 2018 at 11:13 am - Reply

    ‘I am left to wonder about those who voted Conservative in the local elections last week.’

    Indeed, Mike – I see it as the product of the last 7 years of Tory ‘grooming’ of the population by using phrases such as:

    ‘Those that get up in the morning’
    ‘Those with their blinds drawn.’
    ‘Doing the right thing’ (according to Cameron!)
    ‘Skivers/ strivers.’

    This condescending crap exploited the potential tension between the struggling in work and those Ill and unemployed. Sadly it worked to some extent because of the drip feed of vilification and the inability of the Left to explain to the public the true causes of the problem ( bank created asset bubbles and stagnating pay as well as deficient Government spending).

    On top of this deception was the bogus explanation by UKIP (now absorbed into the Tory Party) that it was all the fault of immigration.

    That malicious creep Osborne was part of this backed by the Tory ‘nudge’ unit that manufactured consent.

    Unfortunately it has resulted in a callousing of parts of the populace. With the Toryies we’re close to a form of basic financialised fascism.

  3. joanna May 8, 2018 at 11:25 am - Reply

    I think you are wasting your breath friend!! Labour got rid of bloodsports, this is the Tories replacement.

    For years they have been testing the Human Rights waters to see what they can get away with, well viola! The teating has come to fruition Human beings Are expendable in their eyes. That won’t ever change!!!!

  4. Stu May 8, 2018 at 11:56 am - Reply

    I think that you will find those judgemental Tory voters on the BBC “Have Your Say” – a media that carefully coralls these people into commenting on anything anti-Labour or topics that will not produce comments that show the Government in a bad light !

    I honestly believe that calling them “sheep” is neither unfair nor derogatory….

  5. rollo57 May 8, 2018 at 1:18 pm - Reply

    “They reduced the wait time from 6 weeks to 5”?

    As a company I can charge interest after 30 days, or 4 weeks wait!
    It was stipulated in my T&C’s, after 30 days, any outstanding debt would incur an interest charge 1.5% above base.
    Why are these people being forced to wait so long?

  6. trev May 8, 2018 at 8:33 pm - Reply

    Universal Credit, the flawed policy of deeply flawed people; Narcissists, Sociopaths & Psychopaths.

  7. JohnDee May 8, 2018 at 8:43 pm - Reply

    ” … They like inflicting misery …” – Why don’t you spell it out, Mike? These people are psychopathic empathy-free ersatz humans – they are EVIL.

    ‘Let’s hear some more from the brave whistle-blowers from the DWP, about ministerial ‘targets’ … sorry, ‘aspirations’, to convince people and their health-care professionals that these people were not UK citizens, errr… I mean, they were only ‘ … as ill as they felt … ‘ and would soon be ‘right as rain’ when we gaslighted … errr, when they finally recognised their own personal responsibility for their skiving errrr, as soon as we check their documents …. errr, I mean, as soon as we introduce errr … you get the idea … I didn’t get that letter though, honest …

    • Mike Sivier May 9, 2018 at 11:12 pm - Reply

      I don’t spell it out because I need to leave something for YOU to say!

  8. aunty1960 May 8, 2018 at 9:36 pm - Reply

    Still does not change, her, it or them

    and people always wondered and always asked HOW COULD THAT HAPPEN IN HITLERS GERMANY AND STALINIST RUSSIE WITHOUT PEOPLE ASKING AND STOPPING IT?

    Well here is you answer via stealth, apathy and ignorance and no interest.

  9. Pat Sheehan May 8, 2018 at 11:07 pm - Reply

    Yes the Camerons, Osbornes, Mays, McVeys, Duncan-Smiths and all those other ‘cabinet’ members, ministers, parliamentarians and civil servants with their sidekicks and their legions continue to play their wicked part in all of this and more but they couldn’t have done a thing without that ‘host’ of baying tory voters screaming for ‘more’!

Leave A Comment