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Saturday, 18 February 2012

Eternal Slavery for Sick and Disabled

Well, I'm awfully sorry, I did always say the welfare reform bill was very, very, long and very very complicated.

We did our very best to make sure we'd noticed all of the evil, opposed all the of the disgusting nasties. We pored over plans to send cancer patients to the jobcentre and leave disabled children to starve. They tried to make profoundly disabled adults prisoners in their own care homes, but we noticed that and got it dropped. When they tried to "re-classify" paraplegics as "fully mobile" because they have wheelchairs, we screamed about it - they dropped that too.

We made quite a noise about socially cleansing all of the poor people out of London and evicting pensioners and foster parents for daring to have a spare room. As for letting the Government decide how long you are able to be unwell, we made a dreadfully big fuss over that, but sadly, they remained convinced that their DWP magic wands would make 1 year enough.

Well, it turns out, we missed the "Eternal slavery for sick and disabled people" Clause. (Clause 54) You know, it was busy, we had a lot on our plate, we had to keep taking naps. It was obvious we would miss something - possibly enforced euthanasia for puppies or the National rollout of a new eugencis programme, so in a way, it's a relief it's only eternal slavery. At least if we're lucky "Masser" might let us have a drink now and then, a bit of nice balm for the chaffing of the chains.

The satire urge is just too strong for me, so @latentexistence has done an excellent job of telling everyone what this actually means here : http://www.latentexistence.me.uk/government-taps-sick-and-disabled-people-as-source-of-free-labour/#comments
The Guardian broke the story here : http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2012/feb/16/disabled-unpaid-work-benefit-cuts
And updated it here : http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/blog/2012/feb/17/disabled-unpaid-work-benefit-cuts-documents

Basically if you are sick or disabled and an assessment has found that you may be capable of some work at some point in the future, with the right support, you can now be forced to take part in the Government's "Workfare" scheme, working for free to make more profit for Tesco and Asda and Poundland! Yay! With Lupus or Schizophrenia or Leukaemia or waiting for a kidney transplant or.... well anything really. You're probably exempt with less than 6 months to live, but only if you can be sure it's not a day over 6 months.

On top of this, although unemployed healthy people can be forced to take part for 8 weeks only; lazy, feckless cancer, MS and Parkinson's patients can be forced to work forever. For free. 

Now, it's OK cos  as with every last detail of the bill we opposed their answer is "But we wouldn't really do that, it's "just in case". We only want to the power to force sick and disabled people into eternal slavery for a rainy day! Of course we'd never make someone work forever for nothing!! Now off you go (pat on head) and trust us.........



**The satire is too strong. Even the Guardian cartoon today is about this : http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/cartoon/2012/feb/18/martin-rowson-welfare-disability-cuts-cartoon?CMP=twt_gu


72 comments:

  1. Trust is earned i believe, Its time to get back on the streets again but this time we will have a lot more people on our side

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  2. Sue, as ever you are right on the button! I think we have an opportunity to put pressure on companies taking part in these schemes by boycotting them. Most only seem to understand money in their tills. That is one thing we can affect, if their protits are affected they might just rethink the widsom of such slave labour.

    What we need is a UNIFIED campaign with all those affected, and relevent charities and groups all coming together to bring this to fruition.

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    1. Feel free to start unifying then! Actually I think people who are concerned and ready to put pressure on individually is unified enough.

      I just wrote a query to Scope on Twitter - they were one of the first charities to sell us out. They are "looking into it" - I think they're watching the pressure right now, and so I've been tweeting like mad. It means they know they're being watched and they may then have to step down. Then some of the other charities are on my list as far as workfare goes.

      I am also tweeting Latent Existence's article which managed to get picked up and retweeted by the guardian.

      http://www.latentexistence.me.uk/government-taps-sick-and-disabled-people-as-source-of-free-labour/

      So, the unified campaign? We've got that. We're it. Let's just each do what we can, and that's a huge step forward.

      Delete
  3. Some time ago I was involved in disabled peoples rights to work using a barrier removal approach and organisations run and controlled by Disabled people fought for the rights of disabled people, using the seven needs to independence. Employment was one of them. For many people doing voluntary work was a route to gainful employment. I hate the way the government has used all the rights fought for and twisted them to suite their own agenda. Yes people who use wheelchairs are fully mobile and that is so, but our society is so full of barriers both physical and attitudinal that disabled people (I include all other impairments in this) have been forced to swap the imprisonment of day centre's to the imprisonment of isolation of in their own homes. All this done under the guise of the right to independence, as well as all the rest. They have totally missed the point and I hate them for that. Chinese whispers syndrome of a sought.

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    1. Stephen Hawking uses a wheelchair. So does it follow he's fully mobile?
      I'll look out for him stacking shelves in a Tesco Gulag soon.

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  4. Well there is SOME hope. Because of the current intense scrutiny of the media including the Dail Mail, they seem to have actually NOTICED (they need glasses and an ear trumpet it seems) what is going on ...

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  5. Sue
    Exploitation of people whether healthy or not is EXPLOITATION

    I have followed your great posts. I am a member of the Spartacus FB group and the Ribbon FB groupp.
    The CONDEM government we know, relies on divide and rule however I would like to clarify your statement

    "On top of this, although unemployed healthy people can be forced to take part for 8 weeks only; lazy, feckless cancer, MS and Parkinson's patients can be forced to work forever. For free. "

    Those healthy people - which includes me , my mental health problems are not "serious" enough to "disable" me but my GP defines them as severe at times, can be placed on the Work Programme for 2 years, which COULD mean them working for benefits for this time period IF their adviser thinks this would benefit them. They could spend their 2 years on the Work Programme working for benefits.

    In comparison with people who may only have a few months to live or are disabled, perhaps there is no comparison with "healthy" people.

    I do not write as eloquently as you. I just know that exploitation of any human being in this way is wrong.
    Angela

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  6. David Cameron still believes it's in our best interest and that being sick or disabled is all a state of mind

    Maybe he will employ Darren brown to cure us all ?

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  7. I would be surprised if Clause 54 was the only one missed in a bill as huge as the WRB. It would take a team of 1,000 law experts to have 3 years to scrutinize it's fine print to make an assessment on it.

    I suppose the only real way we will truly find out about the WRB is to see how it kills us. Stress, humiliation, work you can't do, loss of housing benefit, etc.

    But I am glad there were voices and campaigners like yourself Sue making it awkward for government, and gaining concessions, small or large depending on how you view it personally. And personally I didn't believe this Government would have conceded to anything.

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  8. Even "The Thick Of It" would've been hard-pressed to come up with such a ludicrous policy. I'd love to hear Malcolm Tucker rant about that one.

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    1. Oh me too!!!! Sadly, I managed to mortally offend one of the writers on twitter, otherwise, I'd ask him to pen us a quick version :((

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  9. was thinking about a campaign to raise awareness of clause 54. what about as many spartici as possible getting their photo taken with a dog leish round their neck tied to either tescos/ local labour party? Labour have got to oppose this. Also go to the foreign press. Shame our own press for allowing this to go unreported. Except the guardian! What do people think?

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    1. I wouldn't hold my breath on Labour opposing it.

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    2. don't forget labour started all of this with ther review of income support

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  10. was thinking about a campaign to raise awareness of clause 54. what about as many spartici as possible getting their photo taken with a dog leish round their neck tied to either tescos/ local labour party? Labour have got to oppose this. Also go to the foreign press. Shame our own press for allowing this to go unreported. Except the guardian! What do people think?

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  11. It seems there's always something hidden in the small print. They've certainly managed to cover all the bases to achieve their aims.

    When my depression really took hold, my doctor advised me NOT to work and initially signed me off for six weeks. My employer at the time "understood" that I would need to be away from my job and I was told that was OK - as long as I covered for myself! So circumstances and a reluctance to admit to myself that I was mentally ill meant I continued to work. My doctor was far from happy and made it quite clear that I should stop, signing me off for a further six weeks. Fearful of losing my job through illness and believing I would be alright eventually anyway, I carried on working. The result was that I became sicker than I need have been and if I'd done as my doctor had said in the first place, I would have recovered to a point where I could have returned to work. As it was, I got to the point where I did stay away from the job and needed a further three months off. At the end of that time my job had gone, on the grounds that my "understanding" employer couldn't be sure that I wouldn't need more long periods of time off. It seemed, at the time, a sensible decision for us both.

    I tried to continue working in my chosen profession but the nature of my illness meant that I just got worse by doing that. The long term effects are still with me and are the major limiting factors in my life. I can't imagine how I would have ended up if I'd been forced into a work situation I was unprepared for.

    This, though is what we are now facing and I'm scared that I shall be in a situation where my options for dealing with it are very limited indeed.

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    1. I too have suffered from a "mental illness" namely agitated depression, during which time I was psychotic and allsorts. I remember spitting at a nurse,and generally going "daft". Thankfully I recovered during which time I had the greatest support, namely a Carer,who was a friend and a brilliant Psychiatric Nurse, who is still there for me today when I have odd days of depression. I must say that I am a gentle Christian lady who would never hurt anyone and everything which happened was totally out of character. I have to say that my faith saw me through those dark days. Many people prayed for me and God got me through. I am still on DLA but get a lot of support. What I am saying is that trust in God, He can get you through. I am the proof. I have a happy life with my faithful friend Poppy, a Jack Russell. I am not saying that life is not hard for many people, not at all and I am sure there will be a a backlash for this comment but I can take it!

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  12. What am I missing here?  It seems the government has largely got their way, and things couldn't be a whole heap worse...?


    - We are losing DLA, and the assessment process for PIP will be as bad as that for ESA.

    - 80% are going to be removed from unconditional Incapacity benefit

    - The WRAG group is better understood as temporarily enhanced JSA.

    - They have brought in workfare, to which public opposition is likely to evaporate when the government and media put out the line that the WRAG group is not disabled.


    It seems that all the amendments won so far have been vetoed?  I assume that any new amendments can go the same way?

    I am really confused about the celebratory tone on this website.

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    1. The issue is that until the lobbying began, hardly anyone knew anything about the Bill. Most disabled people didn't know about it, most Lords didn't know about it, most of the public just repeated what the BBC said. No one knew what was going on...then, there was a trickle, and then a flood of information. It has resulted in, of all places, the Daily Mail column that supports us. It has resulted in Lords being in touch with disabled people and lobbying hard, then reacting even harder when the HoC vetoed their vetoes - thereby damaging the reputation and relationship so the Government now has to be very careful indeed. More and more pieces are appearing where the public is getting angry - and up to this point those who were signed onto workfare were doing so stealthily; now they're dropping off the Workfare programme like flies.

      So yes, things have been passed, yes the whole war isn't won yet, BUT the fact is that there are a lot more able-bodied, angry people out there who now realise that it isn't just "them" who are going to be harmed by these issues (and 'they' rarely matter to the British mind) but it's actually "us". And therefore "we" have to do something.

      So yes, there's a bit of a victory there. Capitalism as we know it is crumbling world-wide at the moment. We're looking at some major change, which is long overdue. So it's a weary celebration of someone who manages to defend a village again though half the countryside is burning, but at least it's something.

      Delete
    2. I don't see a celebratory tone. It's obvious the government got it's way on almost everything, and the crumbs they conceded probably won't make much difference, but at least people are trying to campaign. I'm sure everyone mumbles to themselves, "That's it, we're truly screwed!" But I keep looking for hope, because without some hope, I might as well kill myself now. I just keep hoping that something seismic will happen before another brown envelope arrives sending me to a WCA or tell me Atos are coming out to review me. I don't believe anyone feels happy or secure.

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    3. Hope is everything. Hope changes things, it inspires people to do more, to be more. Hope gives you another day where you don't give up. Remembering small victories reminds us we can win more tomorrow. Acknowledging a win - any win - makes us feel just a little bit more powerful.

      You can never win a war without fighting 1000 battles along the way.

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    4. "Capitalism as we know it is crumbling world-wide at the moment. We're looking at some major change, which is long overdue."

      The major change wont necessarily be good I'm afraid.

      In America the leader of the Free world(hahahahaha ha!)Obama recently signed the NDAA bill which "grants the U.S. military the "legal" right to conduct secret kidnappings of U.S. citizens, followed by indefinite detention, interrogation, torture and even murder.

      This is all conducted completely outside the protection of law, with no jury, no trial, no legal representation and not even any requirement that the government produce evidence against the accused. It effectively nullifies the Bill of Rights."

      That is the kind of major change the elites of the Western World have planned - a police state. If their economic system completely collapses society would quickly descend into warlordism, predation and internecine warfare.

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  13. A social media campaign involving photographing (or even photoshopping) a placard reading Arbeit Macht Frei outside each of these bloody companies around the country.

    It's a campaign we can all get involved in (thanks to photoshop) and it would be terrible publicity for these parasitic companies. It may at least shame them enough to pull out, particularly if it went viral. The media may use it bring further attention.

    What say you Sue?

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  14. I agree Amonrosier,tough times are ahead.Some will undoubtedly Die.Both by there own hand and through stress related illnesses killing us of.

    I like you keep hoping for something,but in reality,in the short term at any rate,we are screwed.

    These despicable Human Beings that call themselves Members of Parliament,the ones that supported or proposed these reforms.They are the real SCUM.Not us.I know it,you know it,its the Rich lining their own pockets.

    I wonder how many MP,s,or their families,end up on the boards of our oppressors.The nasty people who kick us of benefits.Or those that are involved in the Workfare,Slavery program.

    Some say its not slavery,we get our benefits,but they did feed and house slaves in the good old days.The days,when such as us,knew our places,doffed our caps and grovelled for a few crumbs.

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  15. Has anyone realised that the ILO Convention on forced or slave labour (29) 1930 (retified in 1932) could be construed as being breached by clause 54 of the Welfare Reform bill?

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  16. If I am ever forced into workfare I will turn up with a yellow star stitched to my clothing. Maybe this will rapidly become the new fashion statement for the disabled.

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    1. I wouldn't be surprised if they have already decided that all those on workfare will have to wear some sort of identifying mark anyway. Just a matter of time before the details come out...

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    2. Black Triangle please, unless you are Jewish.

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    3. Having to sign Welfare forms under duress due to risk of welfare/monetary sanction has now become the norm, indicating this with a small triangle alongside the signature will document this for historical reference.

      From Jobcentre Plus to Tesco workfare, this is not only slavery but also people trafficking. Will the CPS/PF institute legal proceedings in respect of these offenses?

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  17. We must all join together with one voice to tell Fuhrer Cameron that what he is doing is evil and wrong.

    Speaking of which, in my opinion this will only lead to riots if the Nazi 2.0 party try and force people on JSA to take part in their work for free or lose your money schemes.

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    1. I am sure someone commented here months ago saying that all the demonisation of sick and disabled people was deliberately being done with just this in mind. To create a slave labour force. I remember thinking that person must be mad, but Sue replied that that person might actually be thinking along the right lines. Seems they were right.

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    2. These welfare reforms are nothing new they have been on the political agenda of the ruling class for the past 30 years. Indeed the present reforms are as much the authorship of the Labour Party as they are of the ConDem coalition. The Labour Party paved the way by criminalising welfare recipients with their Benefit Fraud propaganda campaign.

      This is a high game of politics beyond everyday party politics. Neo/ultra-liberalism a politicking that is both a vechicle to totalitarianism and an inciting agent of totalitarianism – its initial moral and political ambiguity is its strength.

      Hence all mainstream U.K. parties support 'welfare reform' - "Big Society" the ideal of helotdom, the socio-economic subjugation of the working/under-class.

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    3. THIS IS NAZISM

      the political parties are irrelevant, they merely serve the 1%

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  18. I'm not disabled as such, but I do have a pectus deformity that has severely affected my self confidence and my employment record is patchy at best. I'm currently on JSA and am now under the "Work(fare) Programme) and dread the idea of being forced into any type of work, paid or unpaid. My advisor has no knowledge of my deformity but being an unpleasant individual to deal with I can't ever see myself divulging this deeply personal information. I am seriously considering signing off JSA altogether; I don't think I can bear the prospect of unpaid placements and forced work experience...

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    1. Your comment makes me want to ask a personal question - hop you don't mind.

      I often hear from trolls "if you don't like it, don't claim the benefits"

      But what will YOU do if you do pull out of JSA? (thousands do) Do you have any independent means? How will you pay the bills or eat? Can you manage? What will happen if you pull out?

      Obviously, you don't have to answer, but I kbow many thousands just fall off the figures and have always wondered what they do. Surely they can't all have independent means of they wldn't qualify for JSA?

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    2. Well the simple answer is mive back in with my parents. I don't want to of course, and I know doing so would be a selfish thing to do, but at the moment I don't think I can face telling my "advisor" the story. And of course I don't even know if it would make a difference in how I am assessed; although my deformity is quite noticable when I'm bare chested (I'm male btw) it doesn't inhibit my mobility or overall health. So I would not class myself as disabled. It is you might say in the mind, as in it is my own personal hang-up that holds me back, since to me it is a deeply personal issue and in a way I object strongly to even be put in a positiin that would mean me having to "explain" the reasons behind my unemployment. Sorry if I'm ranting over your blog, but I feel at a loss as to what to do now.

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    3. [QUOTE]Sue MarshFeb 18, 2012 10:12 AM
      Your comment makes me want to ask a personal question - hop you don't mind.

      I often hear from trolls "if you don't like it, don't claim the benefits"

      But what will YOU do if you do pull out of JSA? (thousands do) Do you have any independent means? How will you pay the bills or eat? Can you manage? What will happen if you pull out?

      Obviously, you don't have to answer, but I kbow many thousands just fall off the figures and have always wondered what they do. Surely they can't all have independent means of they wouldn't qualify for JSA?[/QUOTE]

      Indeed sue only a very desperate person would claim JSA to be humiliated time and time again in those offices doesn't bear thinking about

      In fact claiming any long term benefit is a personal disaster and i don't believe anyone sane would do it unless it was genuine and necessary and always have believed that view and always will

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    4. Well the simple answer is mive back in with my parents. I don't want to of course, and I know doing so would be a selfish thing to do, but at the moment I don't think I can face telling my "advisor" the story.

      Then when your parents die then what? The Governments Neo-Nazi agenda will be even further along and you will be forced to do it anyway if you don't want to starve, only you wont have any parents around to help or support you.

      If you hide in your parents house everyday, you will still feel the constant pressure of knowing one day you're going to have to face it all. It will weigh on your mind constantly you will probably rarely have a moments peace and your phobia willl grow bigger and bigger in your mind.

      In my humble opinion you would be better off facing your fear now while they are still alive and you have their love and support and before the programme the Tories are implementing is completed.

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  19. According to Radio 4 Matalan is the latest to withdraw from the scheme and some politically committee is looking into whether its just a way for companies to get cheap/free labour and the disadvantaged are being used. Grayling says you can leave such a scheme without being penalised as long as you give it a try for a certain amount of time and don't just decide "Not to turn up!" and you won't have your benefits affected. But you will otherwise and yet they say these work trials are voluntary. Yeah Right!

    It appears Waterstones were originally interested but are not any longer.

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  20. Scope has also caved today after I pressured them on the workfare, so we're getting somewhere! I'm aiming primarily for charities because it's just NOT on that they sold us out. British Heart Foundation and Age Concern next on my list.

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    1. I read on another blog that Barnardos participates in workfare. Is this correct?

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    2. here is the official list of shame, so spread the word and press them on it: http://www.boycottworkfare.org/?page_id=16

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  21. Yes!! Good work on that Oya's Daughter!!! I saw your efforts and their response.

    Proof positive that as you said earlier, "just getting onto it" is pretty successful xxxx

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  22. [QUOTE]Fractio Panis has left a new comment on the post "Eternal Slavery for Sick and Disabled":

    These welfare reforms are nothing new they have been on the political agenda of the ruling class for the past 30 years[/QUOTE]

    Well i can vouch for that as i have been on the receiving end of the persecution for 30 years but thank god the police got involved and got me a NHS carer it's hard to believe and still today i have to live the life of a recluse and prisoner but i believe my time will come in an enquiry wheir everyone will see me get justice at some point

    I'm not their yet not by a long shot but i do believe god willing my time will come to rise up and collapse this government and all who have abused me over the years yes i have a dream

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  23. Sue, it bypassed me because;

    "Clauses 52 to 56 ordered to stand part of the Bill. "

    http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201011/cmpublic/welfare/110503/am/110503s01.htm

    :(

    If it wasn't discussed in order, then I wouldn't have seen it.
    The reports however were debated after this date (may 3rd)
    http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/interactive/2012/feb/17/department-work-pensions-presentation-disability was 1st December and,
    http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/interactive/2012/feb/17/department-work-pensions-document-disability was also the 1st December.

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  24. Child asylum seekers get £1m Home Office compensation
    And we were not even aware but we are now how many more will suffer under this government ?

    Vulnerable children who have done nothing other than to seek help should not be locked up by the State”

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  25. I suppose if they OCCUPY us with unpaid work they hope our energies will be too depleted to protest.

    How many disabled people are terrified, and seriously considering suicide options because of these continuous threats to our very real survival.

    No heating, unbearable pain, and reduced mobility!

    That's the future I now live in fear of.

    fly

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  26. Personally some form of crime looks easier than claiming benefits.
    Not that I personally am capable, but there will be people who consider it.
    Wasn't there a copper who stated that when drug addicts were given IB and DLA the burglaries went down as the addicts no longer had to steal the money?

    If people are going to consider suicide, then there should be civil disobediance first -
    "Do not go quietly into that good night, rage, rage against the dying of the light".

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    1. It's like when they said they'd stop benefits for the rioters. Erm... create a group of people with no income who've already shown themselves up for nicking the odd plasma screen. What could possibly go wrong?

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    2. They want people to commit crime because they intend to fully privatise the prisons (a lot of the prisons are already partly privatised) and make the prisoners work in prison for free of course, just like in America. So more crime means more profit for them.

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  27. They kept it so bloody quiet didnt they...
    WELL here is the thing NO CLAUSE 54...not now not ever....What about getting some stickers made saying exactly that.They could turn up stuck on all sorts of things......
    Also we should all write ..YET AGAIN..to all the mp's and lords saying we wont have it.WE are sick and disabled but we are people.We are human beings..WE ARE VOTERS and we will never vote for anyone who supports this and we will boycott and publicise any company.charity ,or organisation who signs up to using sick/disabled people as free labour.
    How in the hell would we be covered by any insurance while doing this workfare for one and maybe that can be a basis for a legal challenge....
    This is just disgusting that they even thought of it and these people should be as hounded as we are.
    Lets have thier expenses and interests outside thier jobs in parliament up on a list for all to see. Spotlight them as they are doing to us..
    WE are taxpayers too and even though it might not be income tax at this present time we still pay vat and tax on this and tax on that and some benefits are taxed too so screw them.
    We are sick and disabled and have nothing to be ashamed about and they can say what they want i for one am sick of this bloody hate filled govt....
    In the end we really do know we have nothing to lose now so we can be as militant as we need to be if we have to.
    This is a war on us all and we have to stay united and fight all the way.
    Once i was healthy and could do whatever i wanted ...now after nearly 20 years suffering from the disease that always gets mentioned on House when they get stuck(sarcboy is the clue)and after all these years of feeling guilty for being ill and not working like my wife does (and being ignored by the medical proffesion pretty much for all of it) i just think well FFFFF em .Its not my fault i got ill ,its not my fault there is no cure and its not my fault that i will probably never work again because of it and have a high likelihood that it could kill me and now i know that they are probably going to take away the benefit i do get then what have i got to lose by saying no i wont do work fare.....nothing as all i will end up with when they do take it is just NI credits and at my age losing even that wont make much differnce so again FFFFF em...i aint doing workfare and thats a promise..I am a human being and i will not be exploited.
    NO CLAUSE 54...NO GUILT FOR BEING SICK/DISABLED AND NO VOTE FOR ANY PARTY EVER AGAIN WHO SUPPORTS THIS...NO MONEY SPENT IN ANY SHOP ( charity shop supermarket whatever)WHO TAKES PART IN IT..Lets throw the guilt back on all of the above.Name and shame so we know who's doors not to go through.......POWER TO US ALL....NO GUILT FOR BEING SICK DISABLED ....NO CLAUSE 54

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  28. WELL NOW just have a look on www.righttowork.org.uk seems tesco are having a hard time folks so please go to this site and leave a comment.....

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  29. BOYCOTT WORKFARE is a UK-wide campaign to end forced unpaid work for people who receive welfare. Workfare profits the rich by providing free labour, whilst threatening the poor by taking away welfare rights if people refuse to work without a living wage. We expose and take action against companies and organisations profiting from workfare; encourage organisations to pledge to boycott it; and actively inform people of their rights.

    UK-WIDE DAY OF ACTION AGAINST WORKFARE : SATURDAY 3rd MARCH

    http://www.boycottworkfare.org/?p=359

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  30. Sign the petition!
    PETITION TO ABOLISH WORK FOR BENEFIT/ WORKFARE SCHEEMES IN THE UK

    http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/29356

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  31. If Tesco's and the like need workers rather than take part in workfare they should be creating jobs and paying an acceptable wage.

    If they are prepared to take free help to do jobs that are required around the store the work must be there to need doing. Also how about paying those on workfare the same wage as the others they employ or topping the wage up.

    Also how about showing their intent to help the disabled and sick(those with conditions that vary)by being flexable and allowing for some people who may have to phone in and say that they are not well enough.

    It may be harder for smaller businesses but one the size of Tesco's could find it easier thanks to its size and its success.

    Its all very well people going on about getting the lazy and the scroungers back into work and making them for their benefits but good to see many see this idea as being unfair and unacceptable and I suspect even those who "Have a go" at the so called "Feckless" if they found themselves in a similar situation would see things differently if it affected them or their family members.

    Grayling says these schemes are voluntary and you can leave at some point but in the next breath says if you walk out your benefits are affected even if temporary...doesn't sound like the scheme is voluntary to me...

    And someone on some committee is looking into that aspect as she thinks it sounds wrong...

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    1. There is another angle to the Tesco story and that is how much of the welfare budget is used to bankroll Tesco's wage roll - housing benefit, working tax credits and child care benefits for employees all act as hidden subsides for companies such as Tesco. Perpetuating low pay with indirect government subsidies the irony Tesco maybe the biggest welfare recipient of all.

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  32. "Fractio PanisFeb 19, 2012 03:42 AM
    There is another angle to the Tesco story and that is how much of the welfare budget is used to bankroll Tesco's wage roll - housing benefit, working tax credits and child care benefits for employees all act as hidden subsides for companies such as Tesco. Perpetuating low pay with indirect government subsidies the irony Tesco maybe the biggest welfare recipient of all."


    Well, that is something that many miss when they say you are fianancially better off in work...Of course for many it does make you feel you have a purpose(sp?)but for many they hate their jobs so the money makes it sweeter. We have to appreciate that not every job is great and many jobs even the MP's who tell you "Work is great" They'd never touch.

    And how many jobs pay a real wage? As you say many jobs are subsidised by the Government who have to top up the wages in other ways.

    They say that the £26,000 cap is the same as someone earning £35,000...seriously how many jobs pay £35,000 annually?

    Its as ludicrous as saying most who claim are getting £26,000+

    The other day Morrisons were on the radio taking part in a Radio 5 debate about being unemployed and they said a starting wage was around £13,000 annually. That sounds ok at first(and might work if you are still living at home or have two incomes coming in)but when you actually bring it down to a weekly amount(and take out rent, community charges, tax, cost of travel to/from work etc...)its not that great!

    And again I suspect you will find the Government having to step in and help.

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  33. For all those looking for grounds to mount a legal challenge to clause 54 there might possibly be one under the ILO convention on forced or compulsory labour (no29) 1930. It defines forced or compulsory labour as " all work or service which is exacted under the menace of any penalty and for which the said person has not offered himself voluntarily" (2.1). By this definition it could be construed that a workfare/experience placement that an individual has not volunteered for and faces sanctions of benefits for refusing could therefore be the subject of forced or compulsory labour.

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  34. I think the definition above is right but of course if we look at the wording of the wrb and clause 54 and what grayling is sayin....these scheme is voluntary and you can leave at SOME point ,although its not stated what that point is,and we see they have a way around it all and its clear that sanctions will be applied but anything is worth a try .
    We are a backlash against this as i previously pointed out on the boycott workfare site (and people have mentioned again above so word of that is spreading and we should all subscribe to that site)and of course the right to work site has details of more direct action which some may want to have a look at.
    So we see now its not just us that are outraged and the more momentun there is the more chance of getting this vile aspect of the wrb (well one of them of course) binned altogether.
    Like i said above NO TO CLAUSE 54. Dont buy anything from any company supporting it and let them know why and dont vote for any party who supports it and lets Spotlight all of these mp's and see where thier interests lay and how much of our money they are spending on outrageous expenses after all they are on the payroll using our money so that makes them welfare recipients in my book....dont think so .....well 400 quid a month for food....how much a mile for travel expenses....SECOND home mortgages paid and flipped so they can claim for homes that are thier first etc and dont forget if they are married and thier spouses are also mps this gets doubled up so just how much of all this does it take to convince people that THEY are the real ones defrauding the system .Oh and subsidised food and drinking holes in the palace of westminster when they are banging on about binge drink britain....do me a bleedin favour. Welcome to the UNreal world of your MP..the real scroungers....hypocrites all of em

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  35. OH dear oh dear...Call me dave must be well pissed off as his back to work lady at a4e is under investigation for (alleged) fraud .Just seen the link on the gruaniad website and its a link to the daily mail site so go have a look.
    The end line of the piece is a quote from a4e that will make you laugh....something about zero tolerance.hahahahahahahaha

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    1. this is the woman who earned £8.6 million pounds last year - most of it paid by taxpayers via her contracts with government

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    2. Yeah it is......our money at work eh!!!!!

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  36. The Devil has now taken human form, he goes by the name of David Cameron in this time.

    Heaven and Hell are not places you go where you die they are here on this planet right here and right now. The rich are living in heaven the poor sick and disabled are in hell.

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  37. The BoycottWorkfare website for anyone who hasn't seen it:

    http://www.boycottworkfare.org/

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  38. The Workfare scheme has been discussed on the Nolan show on Radio 5 and some woman is really laying into anyone who thinks Work Fare is unfair and she says she'd like to see the UK go down the American route where she claims the US reduced their welfare bill by 50% but we don't know how fair the scheme is to people on it in the US.

    And she has used some offensive terms and she's talking the usual Bull about 50% are doing nothing who claim. And it became really heated.

    But the usual stereotypical views were expressed. It is designed for 19-21 year olds seemingly(?)but some on the programme seemed older than that.

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  39. yeah lets do that ...did this woman watch the programme Poor America i wonder.Yeah lets do that and see more and more people living in tents in the woods ..oh i could go on but we know such people dont give a ffff and such people should they find themselves in a position where they need help will have the rose tinted glasses shattered as they wake up from thier illusion that IT will never happen tot hem and its becuase we are all feckless scrounging bastards that ...well you know the rest.
    The more i read tonight about the above mentioned a4e and its ilk the more i think fuck em i am not just going to boycott this if and when i get shoved in to the dwp trying to force me i am not having it and if that means i have no money then i will cross that bridge when i come to it.
    I am nobodys slave and the govt and emma whashername and the likes of a5e and tesco and all the others can kiss my rear all day..no to clause 54 and any pther form of slavery...

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    1. Did you see the haunted look in the eyes of the little girl called leslie on that programme when she said she watched her mother eat a rat?

      That's what the Tories and their supporters want for all poor children in this country.

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  40. Some of the pictures on this page are quite graphic but you only really need to read the fourth paragraph to see where the ConDems got their inspiration.

    http://www.awm.gov.au/exhibitions/stolenyears/ww2/japan/burmathai/story3.asp

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  41. One the groups of people that I think are particularly vulnerable to being exploited in this way are adults with learning disabilities. I have a 17 year old son with a learning disability who is currently at his local college attending a skills for living course which he absolutely loves. But it won't be long before he leaves and then has to claim ESA hopefully he'll be put in the Wrag group. Unless I accompany him to all meetings with DWP it would be all to easy to manipulate him into working for nothing. He wouldn't even understand what something being voluntary means. My son will be alright as he'll have me to fight his corner. (Incidently I want him to work but feel he should be paid at least the minimum wage) my concern is for many of his peer group who are not so lucky

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