(not satire – it’s ConDemNation today)
Back in 2011, Conservative and Liberal Democrat MPs joined together to reject an amendment which would have exempted terminally ill cancer patients from benefit cuts.
They decided that if you are diagnosed with a terminal illness such as cancer – but have been given more than 6 months to live – you will have to work or starve.
Here’s a previous blogpost about that:
The government has finally done something so outrageous even I can’t be bothered to satirise it
This decision by coalition MPs was so outrageous that after intense lobbying, there were some concessions made by the government.
However, in a bizarre piece of upside-down DWP logic, it now seems that if you have less than 6 months to live – you will be refused benefits.
This is from the Chester and Ellesmere Port Foodbank blog:
Jenny
.
So let’s be clear about this – if you are terminally ill and you don’t have the financial means to keep yourself for the remainder of your life – you will have to find work or starve.
I know some people will argue that Jenny could have appealed the decision which would have been overturned, or she made a mistake when she was filling in the forms which could have been rectified, or the DWP made an honest mistake themselves and Jenny should have gone back to them and argued her case harder. But she can’t now, can she?
Because she’s dead.
.
There are just 5 weeks left to reach 100,000 signatures to trigger a government debate on disability cuts. Please sign the War on Welfare petition:
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translationscrapbook said:
Reblogged this on Translation Scrapbook.
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Editor said:
Reblogged this on kickingthecat.
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buddyhell said:
Reblogged this on Guy Debord's Cat and commented:
These ConDems are cruel, heartless, callous and inhuman. Even if you’re a terminal cancer patient they make sure you suffer even more.
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xraypat said:
Oh Tom…another abomination! What a sad story…what can I do? I’ve signed the petition but this crappy government aren’t listening to us….Pat xx
>
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chess said:
Isn’t this another shade of eugenics? Time ‘they’ were got rid of, rather than the weak and helpless. Along with millions of other families, surely my grandfather and uncle didn’t lose their lives in the 2 WWs for this stinking shitpile of a society? Time it stopped. It has to stop.
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Mike Sivier said:
Reblogged this on Vox Political and commented:
It’s easy to pigeonhole Tom Pride as a satirical humourist, and that’s why this piece is as powerful as it undoubtedly is. In it, Tom highlights the plight of the terminally ill, who are being told to work or starve, with an all-too-predictable result.
Powerful words.
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Alan Ralph said:
I’ve already signed the petition – sadly, I doubt that will move the government in any way. Their attitude seems to be that throwing the poorest and most vulnerable into the quicksand will slow down the descent of the rest of the 99% into the depths, because they can at least stand on the bodies of those already at the bottom… 😦
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Harry said:
Tom,
This would be a distressing read at the best of times, but if like me, you are one of these terminally-ill cancer patients, it is cruelty beyond enumeration.
Unfortunately, like Jenny, my time is taken up with dealing with the pain, virtually unconscious from the opiates or just plain worried to the point of paralysis through staring at the Grim Reaper everyday,to be able to blog about my experiences or even raise a howl of protest.
The sea of shit that has replaced political and social debate in Britain is at least making the prospect of an imminent death a lot easier to deal with. Who the fuck wants to live in 21st century Britain when it’s reprising Germany in the 30’s?
But in the middle of this scheißesturm, is the dying, de-benefitted Jenny doing her best to help her penurious neighbour, accompanied by the soundtrack of a psychopathic former advertising executive and his Boy, doing the dirtiest of work, with seeming the support of the majority of the British public. Satire ist Todt!
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thelovelywibblywobblyoldlady said:
Reblogged this on glynismillward189.
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Jeffrey Davies said:
yes but if she appealed it under dwp law it would have taken up to 6or 7 even eight mnths yet another sent to their grave not crying out but a Christian who helped others from their abuse this woman isn’t forgotten but is in along line of them who have beened abused by them but her humanity shined through with her help for thosewho needed it disgusting pigs who fill their faces who should be brought before the courts jeff3
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nuggy said:
i think theres a good case for her family to sue the dwp.
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beastrabban said:
How utterly, utterly disgusting!
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beastrabban said:
Reblogged this on Beastrabban’s Weblog and commented:
I’ve reblogged pieces before with the comment that, just as you thought the Coalition had finally reached the very lowest they could possibly, they manage to go even further. This piece by Tom Pride reports how the Coalition is forcing the terminally ill to look for work right up until the very end. He includes a heart-rending case from one of the food banks of such a lady, who, with a disabled friend, had not eaten for three days due to being sanctioned. This is the real face of the Coalition, and it should make decent people sick.
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jaypot2012 said:
My heart goes out to you Harry. I know that you don’t want pity, you just want what is yours by right and to be able to live whatever time you have in peace.
I cannot believe that the people of this country have just let this happen, they are as bad as the coalition themselves for just standing by.
I am deeply ashamed of the people of this country, me included. We had fight once and I don’t know where it has gone.
Please know that there are many, many people who care what is happening to you and to all the disabled and long term sick. I am one of those people who care, I am one of those who is disabled.
Please take care and I hope that you are able to get the peace and everything else you need while you still can -xx
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jaypot2012 said:
If only the piece that you have written about could go into a newspaper or two!
The disabled and the long term sick are being held with a knife to their throats by this coalition and by the DWP. This government really do want us to die, they need their budgets to add up and they need their policies to show that they have done everything that they possibly can by helping people get back to work. They just don’t want people to know it was due to so many thousands of us where hounded to death!
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Daijohn said:
Difficult to find the right petition following your link
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FinkFurst said:
Any rational, caring human being MUST think this account is totally unacceptable. People can blog, re-blog, Tweet or FB the same story, and perhaps those people can tell themselves that it’s making a difference. BUT DOES IT REALLY?
The largest ever peaceful protest in the UK proved itself completely ineffective about the Iraq war, and maybe it never can. To my mind we have only our democratic vote (or perhaps a mass absence of votes) and rational pressure on our elected representative as a valid means of exercising our morality. I choose democracy wherever it seems to have real meaning, but I can understand those in England who feel it is pointless.
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Florence said:
Oh Harry, I wept for you. I am disabled and know a little of the struggle you may face each day, but you are in a much more painful place. On one hand, I think that getting angry is actually a good place for all the negatives you have to face daily to be deposited. But really, none of us should have to hear these tales, day after day, while all we hear from the politicians and the media is a resounding silence. The silence of complicity.
I am reminded of the race at the end of WW2 between the Allied Forces to get to the Japanese POW camps to get hold of their research. As one government scientist put it, in the UK or USA we wouldn’t be able or want to repeat those experiments on humans. But because the Japanese did, it’s a goldmine for human biologists.
It’s that level of complicity in the establishment – be it politicians, medics, civil servants. “We only did our job”. .
The glowing compassion for her fellow neighbour is a testament for Jenny that we, the people, are more decent and compassionate and empathetic than any others. To understand hardship. you actually have to have been there or seen at too close up to be able to turn away. She is an inspiration for me to hold on to when I see these daily atrocities, because she was the light of compassion in very dark days.
How are we to survive this pogrom? We must always support each other, because through that we can become indomitable, collectively. I wish you peace Harry and enough anger to throw you slipper at the TV when these beasts are there telling the world that we are at fault. We know the truth.
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nuggy said:
slightly of topic but i think that march did achieve something it prevented the government trying to launch further wars.
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FinkFurst said:
Wider topic perhaps… but if you think your government is behaving immorally, what should you do about it?
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nuggy said:
personally i think non violent civil disobedience works best.
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jed goodright said:
ready to burst – just about had enough of stories lie this –
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Mentally Interesting said:
Reblogged this on The Secret Life of a Manic Depressive and commented:
This government is inhuman beyond parody. There should be riots in the streets about this. What is happening to us?
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FinkFurst said:
Perhaps the ability to blog, tweet etc. has become a substitute for taking real action which might actually make a difference. Has the Internet become a new ‘opium of the people’, and you and I are sucking on the pipe right now ….. so we can sleep soundly tonight thinking that we did something useful?
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nuggy said:
you may very well be right there.
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nedhamson said:
Reblogged this on Ned Hamson Second Line View of the News and commented:
Can’t “like” this sort of heinous behavior – gotta end badly for all before change?
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Evelyn Mayo said:
This has to be the most disgusting thing I have heard to date!!!! Government need there’re own family to suffer then they can put there’re claims in!! Oh no they dont need to do they? They have already ckaimed their expenses
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bobmouncer said:
Reblogged this on Bob Mouncer's blog.
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Karen M said:
The link is to the right epetition- the petitioner is Francesca Martinez.
It starts ” We call for a…”
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Stolen innocence 2012 of United Wheeldom said:
Reblogged this on stoleninnocence2012's Blog.
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Florence said:
This situation Jenny was in will happen to anybody who claims ESA / DLA. Any changes in circumstances (change of GP, change in medication, move house, get worse & need more support) automatically triggers the re-determination of the claim under PIP. This, as we all know , is taking more than 6 months to claim per case, so that was technically why she got that response There is supposed to be a fast track for people with terminal illnesses, but it is taking so much longer than the same under the DLA, one has to ask – WHY?t It is inhuman!
But it is the way it has been designed to make as many people NOT claim, or DIE before completion. It is most sickening that someone like Jenny will be included in the statistics of those who “drop their claim” as proof that the PIP regime discourages fraud. The McVile is the most enthusiastic mouthpiece for that propaganda.
This is the writing on the wall for those on DLA. Be honest and tell them your circumstances have changed, and loose your benefits. Stay silent, and continue claiming what you are entitled to, and risk being called a fraud. Which by the way, also triggers mandatory re-evaluation under PIP. It is absolutely correct to call this a pogrom against those who the system was set up to protect.
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rainbowwarriorlizzie said:
Reblogged this on HUMAN RIGHTS & THE SIEGE OF BRITAIN POLITICAL JOURNAL.
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Claire said:
Reblogged this on OT on wheels and commented:
Here is more evidence of the callousness and inhumanity of the war on Social Security entitlement. Please sign WOW petitition (don’t forget to validate your signature via email!)
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Andrew Longworth-Dames said:
I have copied this to my MP Elfyn Llwyd and said:-
I have taken the following text from a political satirical website. I find the story and the sitiuation so abhorent that I am copying it to you. I cannot for the life of me understand why there is not uproar in The House at this disgusting government and its treatment of the poor, sick and disabled. This should go beyond civilised debate as this government has gone way beyond anything that is remotely civilised in its treatment of the weakest in society.
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michaelwatsonvt said:
Reblogged this on Gimp Stories and commented:
Sure it’s the UK but it is also could easily happen here.
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FinkFurst said:
If your MP was Andrew Miller, and you also had some evidence that the story is true, then you might get somewhere. Sadly you will not. It’s a pity that nobody from the Ellesmere Port constituency seems to have read this blog.
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julia Inman said:
This disgusts me to the core
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Jean Casale said:
This e petition closed 12/12/13 with 104,758 signatures
We call for a Cumulative Impact Assessment of Welfare Reform, and a New Deal for sick & disabled people based on their needs, abilities and ambitions
This e-petition has received the following response:
As this e-petition has received more than 10 000 signatures, the relevant Government department have provided the following response:
Cumulative impact analysis is not being withheld – it is very difficult to do accurately and external organisations have not produced this either……
The Institute for Fiscal Studies, a UK-based independent economic research institute, also produces some cumulative analysis but also do not feel the results are reliable enough to disaggregate for the disabled
This e-petition will remain open to signatures until the published closing date and will be considered for debate by the Backbench Business Committee should it pass the 100 000 signature threshold.
Was this petition actually debated, if so when, and what was the result?
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MOIRA ARMITAGE said:
What planet are these people on, the govt I mean. Even if you get the DWP to help you fill in their extremely long claims forms they get it wrong. We had to pay back the DWP over £1000 because one of their advisors helped my mum fill her form in. Heaven hopes they don’t have to suffer such abuse, cos that’s what it is. Don’t care what the excuse is, it’s not right treating people like this. Shame on those that make the rules. 😦
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