Universal Credit IS ‘poison’ – because the Tories have poisoned it
Appropriate: Use of the word ‘poison’ to describe Universal Credit is well-justified, considering the Tory forcing it on us is Esther McVey.
David Cameron’s former speechwriter is only wrong about the timescale here – Universal Credit has been poisoned, by Tory determination to harm those who have fallen on hard times.
Tories have no sympathy for people who aren’t independently wealthy – and who therefore need help from the state from time to time.
That’s why they have made Universal Credit such a trial for claimants; they want as few people claiming it as possible.
If that means the millions – including 4.5 million children, we have recently learned – have to rely on food banks, that’s no problem to a Tory.
Clare Foges, David Cameron’s ex-speechwriter, declared “the lefties have a point” that Universal Credit leaves people in “debt, depression and anxiety about whether children can be sustained on sliced bread alone”.
And she warned further “screw-ups” could turn into “poison” and “tragedy” for the Conseratives in the next election – not to mention a tragedy for the millions of Brits struggling to claim it.
The benefit once trumped by Mr Cameron – in his speeches, no less – has replaced six payments for more than a million people and will ramp up its rollout in January.
But experts and Tory founder Iain Duncan Smith warn it does not fulfil its aim of “making work pay” after billions were slashed from its budget.
It has been blighted by delays and evidence soaring numbers of families need foodbanks, fall behind on rent and struggle to pay the gas bill.
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From personal experience it is now the bank of parenthood that supports those effected by this useless Universal Credit benefit consolidation disaster. Despite running mini trials to iron out system niggles they clawed back benefit support from the most vulnerable that completely screwed up the systems. The Cons still have no common sense to run anything properly apart from their own expenses.
Poison and tragedy for the Torys at the next General Election? Bring it on! And then let’s bury ‘conservatism’ so deep we never see it rear its ugly, vicious, self-seeking, self- serving, poisonous head ever again!
I sincerely hope so Pat. What worries me are the numbers of working class people who, despite it being against all their interests, still vote for the nasty Tory Party.
Universal Credit is an act of Class War, pure & simple. Scrap it and scrap the Tories.
universal credit will hopefully be the universal downfall of this horrible and twisted party, it should also be follow up by universal jailing of those irresponsible people that think it works, are responsible for so many self harm and suicides and for creating a degree of mistrust that has never been felt before, time to take the likes of freud smith and universal credit works McVeigh and make them accountable, high time there was change to law to make politicians and there hanging on advisors legally responsible and if that means trial and jail, well get the handcuffs ready it is what they deserve