Wednesday 29th October 2014

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 3:40 am

Morning.

Link to the WH debate on PIP

Harper with the repeated guff about "other benefits are available" and "backdated".Delays harm,sometimes irretrievably so,it is not just income.All the problems totally foreseeable and repeatedly warned about -the unnecessary face to face medicals -"we're doing more paper assessments" to name but the most obvious.Those of us following this ,well remember the original " consultation" that was a farce,strenuous forensic opposition propagandised as "support "and the Miller response in the Guardian,ignoring all concerns.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publi ... nown/1167/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Lonewolfie · Post by **Lonewolfie** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 7:20 am

Morning all...and - is it me? Can anyone else spot a difference in these two reports?

'Charles Napier acquitted of sex abuse charge'

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-29804431

NAPIER:HALF BROTHER OF TORY MP TO ADMIT CHILD SEX OFFENCES

http://courtnewsuk.co.uk/newsgallery/?public_id=38789

...and it seems our friends in the North are taking CSA seriously...

http://www.heraldscotland.com/mobile/ne ... e.25708457

...and just in case you thought I'd forgotten Uncle Rupe (2 concurrent trials)...

http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/sun-repor ... ourt-hears

http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/news-worl ... ables-leak

...and finally....Dacre accuses the BBC of child abuse and states Britain has a low level of corruption...

'He added: "I note with some irony that there has been no judicial inquiry into the BBC's role in the Jimmy Savile and Rolf Harris scandals. The News of the World may have hacked celebrities' phones, it didn't sexually abuse teenage children.'

http://www.pressgazette.co.uk/paul-dacr ... -democracy

Also, sincere apologies for being a 'link monkey' again (and for such unsavoury topics first thing)

Lonewolfie · Post by **Lonewolfie** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 7:39 am

HindleA wrote:Morning.

Link to the WH debate on PIP

Harper with the repeated guff about "other benefits are available" and "backdated".Delays harm,sometimes irretrievably so,it is not just income.All the problems totally foreseeable and repeatedly warned about -the unnecessary face to face medicals -"we're doing more paper assessments" to name but the most obvious.Those of us following this ,well remember the original " consultation" that was a farce,strenuous forensic opposition propagandised as "support "and the Miller response in the Guardian,ignoring all concerns.

http://www.parliament.uk/business/publi ... nown/1167/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Blimey....that's a bit of a read! Haven't read a debate transcript for a while (have watched a few debates though) - I'd forgotten how easy it is to use parliamentary language to obfuscate topics and re-inforce valid truths - which, of course, is what is then 'reported'. A shame that when IDS intervened and defended his boss (Lord Fraud) someone didn't ask how we, as the voting public, get to 'have our say' and vote this Government Minister out if we don't like what he's doing? You know, the oft repeated mantra of the 'strength of democracy' - 'we (the politicians) face the sternest acid test - if you don't like us, you can vote us out'.

Lonewolfie · Post by **Lonewolfie** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 7:50 am

Not sure if this was picked up as well...

http://ukchildabuseinquiry.blogspot.co. ... ns-of.html

...Labour MP uses Parliamentary Privilege to link a certain ex-Home Secretary with 'improper conduct with children'.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 8:54 am

A Tory nightmare: what if ‘Red Ed’ is right on wages?
The Conservatives think they’ve beaten Ed Miliband on the economy. They should listen to austerity-hit voters
http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfre ... t-on-wages

It's a bit sneery in tone but makes some good points.

...Miliband’s hopes instead rest on polling in which voters say they are unimpressed by a recovery that isn’t showing up in their payslips. The Treasury insists this is a standard feature of the post-recession landscape and that wages will pick up. Miliband says it is a deep structural flaw in the economy that, if unaddressed, will blight the prospects of British workers for a generation. “We’ll hammer the Tories on wages,” a Labour strategist told me earlier this year, although so far the attack has had all the impact of an occasional prodding with a foam mallet...

Wish Miliband would have the nerve to get Alistair Darling doing more public arguing about the economy and what's really going on ...

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 8:55 am

Lonewolfie wrote:Not sure if this was picked up as well...

http://ukchildabuseinquiry.blogspot.co. ... ns-of.html

...Labour MP uses Parliamentary Privilege to link a certain ex-Home Secretary with 'improper conduct with children'.

John Mann who was twittering last week that he was about to name someone in the HoC wrote this piece at the back end of last week.

http://www.johnmannmp.com/corridors-of- ... 9b4e61bdae" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 9:03 am

RogerOThornhill wrote:
Lonewolfie wrote:Not sure if this was picked up as well...

http://ukchildabuseinquiry.blogspot.co. ... ns-of.html

...Labour MP uses Parliamentary Privilege to link a certain ex-Home Secretary with 'improper conduct with children'.
John Mann who was twittering last week that he was about to name someone in the HoC wrote this piece at the back end of last week.

http://www.johnmannmp.com/corridors-of- ... 9b4e61bdae" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That's quite a piece.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 9:07 am

Single mother-of-five made homeless by benefits cap turns to Supreme Court over Westminster Council's attempts at 'social cleansing'
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ho ... 24374.html

...Her children Tasnim, 14, Hussain, 13, twins Jamilah and Amirah, 10, and Daliya, 9, have all been placed into foster care until the family has a permanent home. The situation means Ms Nzolameso is sleeping on friends’ sofas and is able to visit her children only at set times three days a week...

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 9:11 am

Ministers aim to boost the nation’s happiness with new wellbeing centre
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 24324.html
... Increasing national well-being is to be put at the heart of Government policy-making, ministers will announce today, with the establishment of a new centre to measure the impact of policies on people’s happiness.

Two years ago the Office for National Statistics began publishing the first data on national wellbeing as part of its Integrated Household Survey. Now the Government is to set up a centre to assist Whitehall policy-makers assessing whether Government initiatives are likely to improve or diminish the happiness of those they affect and the wider society...

This is sick.

RogerOThornhill · Post by **RogerOThornhill** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 9:31 am

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Ministers aim to boost the nation’s happiness with new wellbeing centre
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 24324.html
... Increasing national well-being is to be put at the heart of Government policy-making, ministers will announce today, with the establishment of a new centre to measure the impact of policies on people’s happiness.

Two years ago the Office for National Statistics began publishing the first data on national wellbeing as part of its Integrated Household Survey. Now the Government is to set up a centre to assist Whitehall policy-makers assessing whether Government initiatives are likely to improve or diminish the happiness of those they affect and the wider society...
This is sick.

That sounds like one of those organisations that we're supposed not to like...what's it called...er...help me out here...ah...a quango!

yahyah · Post by **yahyah** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 9:35 am

Gus O'Donnell's running the Ministry of Happiness con scheme.

Would've have been very happy if he'd been more open in his responses to questions about what went on at No 10 under his watch. Coulson...etc.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 11:12 am

"Sneery" is Rafael Behr's default mode, especially when discussing Labour and Ed. A shame because he can be insightful.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 11:35 am

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Single mother-of-five made homeless by benefits cap turns to Supreme Court over Westminster Council's attempts at 'social cleansing'
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/ho ... 24374.html

...Her children Tasnim, 14, Hussain, 13, twins Jamilah and Amirah, 10, and Daliya, 9, have all been placed into foster care until the family has a permanent home. The situation means Ms Nzolameso is sleeping on friends’ sofas and is able to visit her children only at set times three days a week...

Foster carers are paid differing amounts depending on the childs' age/needs and where the foster carers live.
As the family is in Westminster and presumably being fostered in London somewhere, the top rate will be paid.

The two eldest - £174 PW each, £348; the twins - £148 PW each £296; the youngest also £148 PW. Total - £792.
I am assuming their mother is getting basic income support or similar - £72.40 PW.

The grand total is £864.40. A week. Plus social workers, foster carer support, whatever. I reckon at least £1,000 PW.

The maximum claim under the benefit cap for this family is £500 PW.

I am assuming that the family went over the cap - as HB is what gets deducted, they probably couldn't pay their rent, hence the eviction.
The Indy article doesn't say by how much the rent went over the cap - the cheapest private rents are about £500 PW there; the LHA is £100 less.

If the cap didn't exist, I reckon their benefit package altogether would have been about £600 PW. Because it does exist, the council are now paying nearly £200 MORE, a woman is homeless, and a family has been split up.

For the want of a nail......

seeingclearly · Post by **seeingclearly** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 1:01 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Ministers aim to boost the nation’s happiness with new wellbeing centre
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/po ... 24324.html
... Increasing national well-being is to be put at the heart of Government policy-making, ministers will announce today, with the establishment of a new centre to measure the impact of policies on people’s happiness.

Two years ago the Office for National Statistics began publishing the first data on national wellbeing as part of its Integrated Household Survey. Now the Government is to set up a centre to assist Whitehall policy-makers assessing whether Government initiatives are likely to improve or diminish the happiness of those they affect and the wider society...
This is sick.

It has a very totalitarian flavour. Nepal we ain't.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 1:03 pm

Quiet here today, isn't it?

Cameron all shouty and blustery at PMQs again

frightful_oik · Post by **frightful_oik** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 1:27 pm

What subject was EM asking him about please?

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 1:43 pm

frightful_oik wrote:What subject was EM asking him about please?

Immigration and Europe.

The Guardian politics blog has a Mason filter in place so no idea what he actually asked.

At least Sparrow actually writes down the Q&(N)A.

Mason is hopeless.

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 1:51 pm

TechnicalEphemera wrote:
frightful_oik wrote:What subject was EM asking him about please?
Immigration and Europe.

The Guardian politics blog has a Mason filter in place so no idea what he actually asked.

At least Sparrow actually writes down the Q&(N)A.

Mason is hopeless.

I caught the end on the radio. Margaret Beckett skewered Dave nicely with a targeted England NHS question. No mention on the
PLB I see.

AngryAsWell · Post by **AngryAsWell** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 1:58 pm

How would this go down in the UK right now? I don't think it would end the way the Canadian one did, sad to say.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/10 ... 1414587139" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 2:19 pm

StephenDolan wrote:
TechnicalEphemera wrote:
frightful_oik wrote:What subject was EM asking him about please?
Immigration and Europe.

The Guardian politics blog has a Mason filter in place so no idea what he actually asked.

At least Sparrow actually writes down the Q&(N)A.

Mason is hopeless.
I caught the end on the radio. Margaret Beckett skewered Dave nicely with a targeted England NHS question. No mention on the
PLB I see.

Yes. I heard Margaret Beckett's question and, as I recall, she phrased it in such a way as to block of all the exits, so to speak. I wish more care was taken to do that in general.

Edited to add an "s"

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 2:19 pm

Oh -

Good afternoon.

DonutHingeParty · Post by **DonutHingeParty** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 2:29 pm

Cameron in PMQs: "The vote is definitely going to happen before the 20th November, so there!"
Downing Street spokesperson: "We haven't got a date set yet, because we're waiting for the Spanish."

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldne ... tates.html

To placate those critics, ministers have promised to apply a new “proportionality” test to EAW applications, which they say will ensure trivial applications are rejected. Labour has warned that the reforms are unlikely to win backing elsewhere in Europe.The EU document, dated March 26, sets out the views of countries in the Friends of the Presidency Group that is considering the British opt-outs.

How typically Cameron. Bluster and Filibuster and wave your little fist until it comes down to the last minute, and then blame someone else.

What does Cameron consider "trivial," that means that British people are so much more special than any other Europeans and should be accorded protection?

Why, tax evasion, of course.
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/news/dougl ... and-wrong/

One of my constituents – let’s call him Mr Essex – faces extradition to France under an EAW and certainly isn’t a terror suspect. Instead, he has been accused to tax evasion because someone using his name and identity has not been paying taxes in France as they should have. Or so he says.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 2:29 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
RogerOThornhill wrote:
Lonewolfie wrote:Not sure if this was picked up as well...

http://ukchildabuseinquiry.blogspot.co. ... ns-of.html

...Labour MP uses Parliamentary Privilege to link a certain ex-Home Secretary with 'improper conduct with children'.
John Mann who was twittering last week that he was about to name someone in the HoC wrote this piece at the back end of last week.

http://www.johnmannmp.com/corridors-of- ... 9b4e61bdae" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
That's quite a piece.

Unfortunately I'm never convinced by him personally, though of course he isn't the only one. I mean, am I being nitpicking?

I have been shown evidence of two murders in Lambeth where the victim was about to speak out.

How can you show someone evidence that the victim was about to speak out?

DonutHingeParty · Post by **DonutHingeParty** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 2:49 pm

Not very impressed by Simon Dansuck on WATO reacting to the Coffey Report. I understand that it's an emotive subject, but although it's black and white to say that "99.9% of people think child rape is wrong," I think there would be a different response if you said "Should 14 yr old girls be allowed to have boyfriends in their 20's?" which, to be fair, was the only publically available information.

He also complained that the focus was on childrens' homes when the majority of cases were at home with parents or foster carers, and that social workers should have done something. What power does he think social workers have to stop teenage girls going out in the evenings and hanging around with older men? There's a word for people who are supposed to do that, and its PARENTS.

Can you imagine what John Hemming and the Daily Mail would have made of a story that went: "The social worker came around my house and told me that I should stop my daughter going out with her boyfriend or they'll take her into care!"

Hindsight is always 20/20.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 2:51 pm

Kate Green on the WCA/Maximus

http://leftfootforward.org/2014/10/labo ... sessments/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 3:05 pm

Nicola Sturgeon calls for Scottish veto on EU referendum
Incoming first minister says it would be ‘democratically indefensible’ for Scotland to be taken out of EU against its will
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... referendum

Afternoon all. Just need to check in with you whether I am barking in my non understanding of this ... I just don't see how this demand veto would work. Extraordinary.

TechnicalEphemera · Post by **TechnicalEphemera** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 3:22 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Nicola Sturgeon calls for Scottish veto on EU referendum
Incoming first minister says it would be ‘democratically indefensible’ for Scotland to be taken out of EU against its will
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... referendum
Afternoon all. Just need to check in with you whether I am barking in my non understanding of this ... I just don't see how this demand veto would work. Extraordinary.

Barking mad, from the woman who was recently campaigning to take Scotland out of the EU.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 3:30 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Nicola Sturgeon calls for Scottish veto on EU referendum
Incoming first minister says it would be ‘democratically indefensible’ for Scotland to be taken out of EU against its will
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... referendum
Afternoon all. Just need to check in with you whether I am barking in my non understanding of this ... I just don't see how this demand veto would work. Extraordinary.

It could work easily. Would just be a condition of the referendum that it had to win a majority in the 4 nations of the UK- you can stick any conditions on a referendum you like. It won't happen though.

I think it's reasonably constructive too, drawing attention to the political weakness of the other 3 with England as so much bigger, and giving them vetoes as well, which they probably would want. She's playing a very long game on that. But it won't happen.

It would be easier and more straightforwardly Scottish Nationalist to demand a referendum in the even of a Brexit- ie we're getting the hell out, bye Wales, bye Northern Ireland. The SNP will probably do that anyway, and fair enough.

I'll give her some credit for what she's said here- kite flying, but constructive.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 3:59 pm

HindleA wrote:Kate Green on the WCA/Maximus

http://leftfootforward.org/2014/10/labo ... sessments/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And once again, Kate Green has chosen not to mention sickness once. Not once.

Disabled people this, disabled people that, yadda yadda yadda.

It's all about being "fair", apparently, and all about helping disabled people back to work.

One could be forgiven for thinking she doesn't know that ESA is NOT a disability benefit.

I am so sick of this - fucking hopeless.

DonutHingeParty · Post by **DonutHingeParty** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 4:04 pm

Tax evasion is not just illegal, it is immoral. You are robbing from your fellow citizens and you should be treated like a common thief.

That's from George Osborne, of all people.

DonutHingeParty · Post by **DonutHingeParty** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 4:18 pm

More proof that we live in a post-ironic age:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article ... tians.html

Edit: The Comments are an amazing example of confirmation bias. "I know what I see with my own eyes!"

StephenDolan · Post by **StephenDolan** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 4:22 pm

Today's PMQs.
" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 4:45 pm

DonutHingeParty wrote:Not very impressed by Simon Dansuck on WATO reacting to the Coffey Report. I understand that it's an emotive subject, but although it's black and white to say that "99.9% of people think child rape is wrong," I think there would be a different response if you said "Should 14 yr old girls be allowed to have boyfriends in their 20's?" which, to be fair, was the only publically available information.

He also complained that the focus was on childrens' homes when the majority of cases were at home with parents or foster carers, and that social workers should have done something. What power does he think social workers have to stop teenage girls going out in the evenings and hanging around with older men? There's a word for people who are supposed to do that, and its PARENTS.

Can you imagine what John Hemming and the Daily Mail would have made of a story that went: "The social worker came around my house and told me that I should stop my daughter going out with her boyfriend or they'll take her into care!"

Hindsight is always 20/20.

I think most people would be very worried about 14 year olds with 25 year old boyfriends. But otherwise I agree on the broader point. Somebody could say "out with her friends", or whatever. And Social Services can't come out and say stuff they suspect.

And of course absconding from children's homes isn't unknown.

Good call on Hemming. Utter chancer hopefully on the way out.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 4:51 pm

ephemerid wrote:
HindleA wrote:Kate Green on the WCA/Maximus

http://leftfootforward.org/2014/10/labo ... sessments/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And once again, Kate Green has chosen not to mention sickness once. Not once.

Disabled people this, disabled people that, yadda yadda yadda.

It's all about being "fair", apparently, and all about helping disabled people back to work.

One could be forgiven for thinking she doesn't know that ESA is NOT a disability benefit.

I am so sick of this - fucking hopeless.

I'm not sure what you mean, on reflection.
The test will surely cover long term sickness. With long term sickness, the expectation will be that they come off before they undergo the test.

You're then left with what you do for people who have disabilities/long term sickness.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 4:54 pm

From what Jonathan Portes said, it seems that the Labour Party could (rationally) stand on its record in his time on reducing sickness benefits, though I note he was referring to before 2008, after which I think a harsher approach came in.

Not that I think everyone near the top of Labour would want to do that, but you can see why they might not.

HindleA · Post by **HindleA** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 5:19 pm

Continued shenanigans from the Tories to stop Andrew George's Affordable Homes Bill even being debated.

Warning includes mention of McVey,particularly happy with herself in denying people basic protections.

http://www.24dash.com/news/central_gove ... um=twitter" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 5:24 pm

I hope Labour have wooed Andrew George.

ephemerid · Post by **ephemerid** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 5:25 pm

Tubby Isaacs wrote:
ephemerid wrote:
HindleA wrote:Kate Green on the WCA/Maximus

http://leftfootforward.org/2014/10/labo ... sessments/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

And once again, Kate Green has chosen not to mention sickness once. Not once.

Disabled people this, disabled people that, yadda yadda yadda.

It's all about being "fair", apparently, and all about helping disabled people back to work.

One could be forgiven for thinking she doesn't know that ESA is NOT a disability benefit.

I am so sick of this - fucking hopeless.
I'm not sure what you mean, on reflection.
The test will surely cover long term sickness. With long term sickness, the expectation will be that they come off before they undergo the test.

You're then left with what you do for people who have disabilities/long term sickness.

OK.

The Work Capability Assessment is supposed to be conducted at Week 13 of the ESA claim. (With IB, it was at 26 weeks)
Until then, it is up to the claimants' doctor to assess whether the sickness is affecting capacity to work.
GPs write "fit notes" on which they assess the claimant's abilities for all or any work, modified work, or no work.

The WCA does not "cover long term sickness". Far from it. Someone with a lifelong condition which renders them incapable of work is not "covered" by the 12 weeks allowed before the WCA, as they will have what they have forever. Someone with cancer may need many months of treatment; someone who has a broken leg may need more than 3 months.

Every year, there is a "churn" of about a million people who only ever claim ESA for a short period, they get better before the WCA is due; there is a significant cohort of people who need to claim for 6 months to a year, but will eventually return to work or come off ESA.
These people may or may not be disabled - but they are claiming ESA, which is a sickness benefit, because they are ill.

The remainder - about a million people - are not capable of regular or sustained work, or are physically incapable of any work ever.

These are the people who Green continually refers to as "disabled". Some of them may well be disabled, and capable of limited work; but many are simply too ill to work. Green conflates illness with disability all the time, and she is wrong to do so.

I am not disabled. I am debilitated by chronic illness. You could argue that I'm disabled, in that I need help with certain things; but I do not have a recognised disability - I am ill. That is the reason why I am entitled to ESA - illness.
What Green and Reeves keep doing is assuming that ill people are disabled and thus should have fairer access to employment - and that is not what sickness benefits should be about.

Incapacity Benefit has 2 tiers - 26 weeks at basic rate, then a higher rate thereafter if the claimant passed the Personal Capability Assessment - which was described by the OECD as the toughest test for incapacity in Europe.
Doctors did the assessments - real ones - and if it was likely that the claimant would eventually recover to the point that they could consider work in the future they were called in again as directed by the doctor doing the PCA.
IB claimants could also do Permitted Work or therapeutic work; they could earn £15 before their benefits were affected, at which point they were reduced on a pro-rata basis. Many people did this - it was good for people with learning difficulties, fluctuating conditions, etc.

ESA was drawn up to get rid of this. The idea, based on a warped version of the bio/psych/social model, was to identify people who were physically capable of a set of tasks - eg. moving an empty box, picking up a coin - and calling that capacity for work.
There is no leeway at all for how people actually feel; no medical opinion is required; no real assessment of a person's ability to deal with the world of work; and zero recognition of a claimant's diagnosis and the impact that has on them.
ESA has a built-in assumption that sick people fit in to 3 categories of capability for work - it's about work, not illness. Green keeps talking about claimants as though they were simply disabled people who are not treated fairly in terms of their chances for work, but never talks about the large cohort of people on ESA who will never return to work because they are ill.

What annoys me intensely is this constant description of ESA and IB claimants as "disabled". It's not correct.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 5:26 pm

Tim Montgomerie @montie · 9h 9 hours ago
Me for @ConHome: Eight years ago John Howard predicted David Cameron would split the Conservative Party. And he has http://www.conservativehome.com/thetory ... -dies.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; …

It's an interesting piece - especially the explanation of what has happened to the Tories and on the right over the last 20 years which has culminated in the UKIP surge and split of the right. He really doesn't credit Cameron with much strategic nounce (does anyone?) ... that comes through in buckets.

It all sounds so reasonable until we get to his comments on Cameron's supposedly disastrous reshuffle when he got rid of the 'great reformers' - Gove, Paterson (FFS). Then it really comes crashing down for me.

Anyway, reading about Cameron's disastrous leadership is about as near as I can get to cheerful on a rainy afternoon when I've just completed my tax return and the Badger Trust lost their high court appeal .... (apparently we can't have a lawful expectation that a minister will do what they said they would do.)

PorFavor · Post by **PorFavor** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 5:29 pm

Criminal investigation launched into Tesco’s accounting
Serious Fraud Office joins other inquiries by two financial watchdogs into supermarket’s £263m profit overstatement

The Serious Fraud Office has launched a formal criminal investigation into accounting practices at Tesco, which led to a £263m profit overstatement at the UK’s biggest retailer.

The inquiry, which was confirmed by the watchdog on Wednesday will supercede[sic] an investigation by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), the City regulator which has been halted with immediate effect. It is not clear whether it will affect the launch of an inquiry by the accountancy watchdog, the Financial Reporting Council (FRC), which is also being considered.

http://www.theguardian.com/business/201 ... gate-tesco

rearofthestore · Post by **rearofthestore** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 5:31 pm

I've always liked Maureen Lipman but have gone right off her.
She will not support Labour any more because of Ed Miliband' s support for a Palestinian state. Never would have thought that of her.
http://standpointmag.co.uk/node/5798/full" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 5:36 pm

I'm quite moderate on the I/P issue, and actually think there *is* an unhealthy anti-Israel element on the left whose fringe can tip over into overt anti-Semitism (re our discussion yesterday)

But anybody who wants to stop supporting Labour because of the very reasonable and incremental step of recognising Palestine can, quite frankly, do one.

Lipman and her ilk are going to be waiting a f***ing long time for any British party to support Likudism - even the Tories are notably cooler on Israel these days.

Tubby Isaacs · Post by **Tubby Isaacs** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 5:37 pm

Thanks, Ephemerid.

I'll consider all that. One point I can see straight away that I didn't appreciate was how quickly the test kicked in. 13 weeks seems far too early.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 6:00 pm

Alex Salmond fighting a Westminster seat that voted overwhelmingly NO would be a huge gamble
http://www1.politicalbetting.com/index. ... ge-gamble/

diGriz · Post by **diGriz** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 6:03 pm

So I saw William Hague doing a walkabout in Chatham today. I bit my tongue and refrained from calling out that he was canvassing the wrong ward.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 6:06 pm

BBC refuses to include Green party in general election TV leader debates
Furious Greens say BBC is a ‘brake on democratic change … contributing to the buildup of disillusionment with UK politics’
http://www.theguardian.com/politics/201 ... l-election

Ian Dunt @IanDunt · 14m 14 minutes ago
"@JonathanHaynes: BBC refuses to include Greens in TV debates http://bit.ly/1rSLZzA" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; " <incredibly conservative and misguided statement

Not a good move.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 6:15 pm

Ian Dunt retweeted
The Howard League @TheHowardLeague · 2h 2 hours ago
Interserve, which has won 5 probation contracts, was fined £11.6m by the OFT in 2009 for bid-rigging. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/finance/news ... gging.html …

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 6:16 pm

George Eaton retweeted
Jeremy Browne @JeremyBrowneMP · 3h 3 hours ago
I disagree with @AndrewGeorgeLD that there should be a LibDem-Green General Election pact. The Greens are not a liberal party.

For some reason I find that very funny.

rebeccariots2 · Post by **rebeccariots2** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 6:30 pm

For those of you vaguely interested in the ghastly machinations at Pembrokeshire County Council (and you should be you know - that's where our Labour PC hails from, currently leader of the Labour group - and we're a marginal seat) - here's the very latest.

WALES AUDIT OFFICE BLOCKS GOLDEN HANDSHAKE
... The appointed auditor to Pembrokeshire County Council, Anthony Barrett, has this afternoon issued a formal notice to halt the controversial third of a million pounds settlement to the county council’s outgoing chief executive, Bryn Parry-Jones.

Mr. Barrett took what he describes as an “unprecedented action” by serving the authority with an advisory notice because he said he has “reason to believe that the Council’s decision to enter into a settlement agreement with the Chief Executive will incur unlawful expenditure.”...

As someone says BTL -'Perhaps there is a God after all'.

The utterly scurrilous fools who are the ruling Independent Group (independent my arse) seem to think they can just make it up as they go along - despite the fact that they are now in the full glare of mega publicity for every (stupid or worse) decision and action they take.

AnatolyKasparov · Post by **AnatolyKasparov** » Wed 29 Oct, 2014 6:32 pm

rebeccariots2 wrote:
Alex Salmond fighting a Westminster seat that voted overwhelmingly NO would be a huge gamble
http://www1.politicalbetting.com/index. ... ge-gamble/

He took a gamble when he stood for a previously LibDem seat at Holyrood in 2011 - it paid off.

I suspect he would succeed in getting elected here as well - even if the Nats don't do as well next year as looks possible at the moment.