Homeless and stateless under capitalism and the tyranny of money

One of the most significant things that has occurred in the modern world, especially in cities, is that people are forced to rely on others for almost everything they need to survive and this becomes a mental and physical trap of dependency which people unavoidably, but unintentionally, fall into. We find jobs working for someone […]

Writing from the Brink

Originally posted on Rupert Dreyfus:
Dear All, Where to even begin? Firstly thanks for your patience and kind messages. Apologies to everyone who I haven’t yet got back to. A huge apology to Jason for not being able to collect his mail and to Casey Kiser and Johnny Scarlotti for my absence after they included…

Left without a penny thanks to Universal Credit and unhelpful DWP staff.

Originally posted on The poor side of life:
First may I apologise for the lateness of the blog. I had to attend an important meeting in London where I was representing the victims of universal credit, and the damage and pain that universal credit causes. As you are already aware, universal credit creeps up upon…

Government says unpaid carers will be asked to repay up to £50,000 in benefit overpayments

Frank Field said: “It is unfathomable that the DWP could allow someone to accrue close to £50,000 in overpaid Carer’s Allowance. No carer should have to suffer as result of such shocking ineptitude and I believe those overpayments that are the fault of the government’s own incompetence should be written off with the greatest urgency.” […]

Rediscovering anger and violence

As a hippy, back in the sixties, I had my awakening to the awareness of war, nuclear weapons and mutually assured destruction (MAD), the horrors of the Vietnam war, and I became a self declared (ignorant) pacifist – a peacenik. I faced a, then, common question to pacifists, “What would you do if someone was […]

Studies find higher premature mortality rates are correlated with Conservative governments

Originally posted on Politics and Insights:
In 2014, public health experts from Durham University denounced the impact of Margaret Thatcher’s policies on the health and wellbeing of the British public in research which examined social inequality and injustice in the 1980s. The study, which looked at over 70 existing research papers, concludes that as a…

Watch out folks it’s Christmas sanctioning time. Single parent-sanctioned in time for Christmas. Another dire week outside Ashton Joncentre.

Originally posted on The poor side of life:
Do you know what especially pees me off, readers? Christmas sanctions. Every year just before the Christmas period the DWP appears to hand out long sanctions for often the most dubious reasons. Of course, they know that this will ensure that all claimants and their families if…

Exclusive: Amber Rudd faces new challenge over maladministration of the raising of pension age from 50s Women

Originally posted on Westminster Confidential:
Amber Rudd- the new work and pensions secretary and MP for Hastings CROSS POSTED ON BYLINE.COM Two supporters of the BackTo60 campaign have got professional legal support to challenge the government for maladministration over the failure to notify them over the raising of the pension age. The fresh challenge is…

Revealed: The £200,000 food bank warehouse in Amber Rudd’s Hastings constituency caused by the Universal Credit debacle

Originally posted on Westminster Confidential:
Amber Rudd- former home secretary and MP for Hastings as the Universal Credit debacle rolls out in her constituency CROSS POSTED IN BYLINE.COM The  billion pound plus failure of the implementation of Universal Credit is rightly condemned by the National Audit Office in a report published today. Aimed to save…

Government changes to Mental Health Capacity Act places human rights of disabled people in jeopardy

Originally posted on Politics and Insights:
Under the Conservative government, applications for the Deprivation of Liberty of citizens have soared. (Source: Court of Protection hub.)  Last month I wrote an article about the government’s under the radar proposed changes to the Mental Capacity Act, raising my concerns about how it threatens human rights – Government changes to…