NEWS FROM THE MANNIN BRANCH CELTIC LEAGUE
The United Kingdom former Work and Pension Secretary has attacked the current UK government for failing to act on a Coroners letter after a fitness to work assessment triggered a disabled mans suicide.
The coroner asked the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) – in what is known as a “prevention of future deaths” letter – to review its policy not to seek medical evidence from a GP or psychiatrist if a claimant for employment and support allowance (ESA) has a mental health condition, following his inquest into the death of 41-year-old Stephen Carré.
Here’s a link to comments by Cooper who ironically was part of the earlier Labour government which introduced the tests:
https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/yvette-cooper-slams-…/…
The work assessment issue has been in focus on the Isle of Man with the Manx government recently asserting that only a ‘minority’ opposed them and gaining useful for support from Manx GPs for the assessments (see link):
https://www.iomtoday.co.im/…/gps-support-controversial-fitne…
The Isle of Man government deny that the objective of the assessments is to cut the benefits bill an argument which seems fatuous.
In the United Kingdom there is no doubt that the intention of the fitness for work assessments is to claw back benefits (see link):
https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/osbornes-budget-spark…/
John McArdle, co-founder of Black Triangle,* said Osborne had announced that his government would “steal yet more from some of the poorest and most vulnerable people in Britain – in order to fund tax breaks for those who are already very comfortably off.
“The true nature of today’s Conservative party has been laid bare for the whole nation to see.
“Look upon this naked greed and cruelty and ask yourselves, ‘Is this is the kind of country I want to live in?’’’.
The last sentence is one that could well be posed in Mann as well.
It seems likely that the Manx government as it strives to balance its books will continue its focus on those least able to resist. Undoubtedly the attacks on the ‘bank of the helpless’ will continue while outrageous business grants and tax breaks continue for the well-heeled in our community!
I’m led to believe that following the GP intervention the Manx government believe they may have their opponents in Tynwald on the back-foot.
However Eddie Teare and Bill Henderson can get a ‘Papal Bull’ if they wish it will not stop Celtic League Manx branch opposition to this money grab from those on incapacity benefits!
*Note
BLACK TRIANGLE takes its name from the badge used in Nazi concentration camps to mark prisoners as “asocial” or “arbeitsscheu” (work-shy). (Link):
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_triangle_(badge)
BERNARD MOFFATT
Issued by: The Mannin Branch Celtic League
18/03/16
THE CELTIC LEAGUE
The Celtic League established in 1961 has branches in the six Celtic Countries including our own Mannin branch. It promotes cooperation between the countries and campaigns on a range of political, cultural and environmental matters. It highlights human rights abuse, military activity and socio-economic issues
The link for the main web pages is below:
