Wednesday 6 February 2013

Call Clegg part 2- Benefits crunch for the disabled

One of the frustrating things about being on Call Clegg  a few weeks ago, (see below) was the inability to follow up with questions or comments on what Nick was saying. Because my question about benefits being squeezed was in the week where the 1% cap was debated, he commented on that. When I tried to broaden it he seized on the benefit cap as his straw man to answer. What I really wanted him to address was the cumulative impact of the massive onslaught against the poorest in society that is being perpetrated by this government.

A Canadian paralympian with his medal at Heathrow




During last summer I was one of those people who volunteered for the Paralympics and I spent a fantastic month being constantly awe struck by the hard work and dedication of people, many with enormous handicaps, as they strove to gain medals or just to take part in a life enhancing event. A lot of hypocritical bullshit was spouted by coalition politicians at that time, and it was great to hear Osborne booed by the crowd.







Well Mr Osborne is getting his own back by stripping hundreds of millions of pounds in benefits from disabled people, despite continually denying that he was doing anything of the sort. But I've long given up on expecting honesty from this government.

The one thing you can say is they are very creative in finding ways to salami slice every penny of money while implying that recipients are scroungers. The whole issue is horribly complex, but there is a great blog which I urge you to visit.  They have started a petition which I would again urge you to sign. Don't be put off by the jargon. They are speaking the government's language in trying to get this whole disgraceful thing re-looked at.

 http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/43154

At the time of writing there were 19,400 signatures please help get it over the 20,000!

So Mr Clegg, can you tell me how you reconcile Lib Dem values with such a disgraceful attack on some of the most vulnerable in society?

This is a subject which I will return to as it will be something that bites the Lib Dems on the arse big style. 

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