JJ |
May 24, 2013 |
4:27 pm |
51 comments

The i paper Friday 24th May 2013

 

Labour to Toughen Stance Over Welfare Spending

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  3. Any sick or disabled, or just a poor person, would do well to consider the saying about “Turkeys voting for Christmas” before putting an X against any Labour candidate’s name at the next election.

  5. But what can we expect when the country is in such an economic mess after the last Labour government? They will have a big PR and financial problem, even if (when?) they are re-elected

  6. I WOULD PERSONNALLY DROWN EVERY PERSON WHO IS ASSOCIATED WITH THE HOUSE OF COMMONS,OR WOULD THAT MAKE THE THAMES STINK MORE? OH SORRY I MENT THE HOUSES OF THE THIRD REICH, WHY DONT THEY BE TOTALLY HONEST WITH THEMSELVES AND DRESS TO ADOLF CAMORONS THIRD REICH, SEICH HEIL YOU EVIL RAT INFESTED BASTARDS!

  8. How the hell can labour ‘toughen’ their stance on welfare – under the last government they:

    *Introduced the Benefit Integrity Project (which resulted in disabled suicides)
    *Introduced ESA (which had the same effect)
    *Recruited Atos (with similar results).
    *Proposed intruding a similar benefit to Universial Credit (it was veoted by Brown)
    *Appointed James Purnell DWP Secretary.

  9. Well all have to wait for the Messiah! Maybe a black disabled gay man without a couple of million inheritance, or from the dodgy Eton camp, for PM?

    What’s more likely is those even worse fascist rats in UKIP being voted in by the ignorami public.

  10. how and why are the right still incharge at little tory party I thought ed was about to kick them out but nah it seems eds a tory at heart aswell but then he was talking about bringing blair back so it seems we in for a good kicking which ever way we vote but to trust this lot well most are multi millionaires and shouldn’t be allowed into any party but then greed done a lot with them all forgetting that they supposed to look after those below them but that went out the door with thatcher and blair clawed his way into labour only to turn it into this shitte today jeff3

    • “but then greed done a lot with them all forgetting that they supposed to look after those below them but that went out the door with thatcher and blair clawed his way into labour only to turn it into this shitte today” said Jeffrey.

      Supposed to look after those below them? You really have to be kidding. Jeffrey, we will never get social justice until we create a society that is socially just. Do you think any of the mainstream parties give a damn? We need to create the society we want not wait for it to happen.

  11. Looks like Labour have not learned their lesson from losing the last election. They need to go back to their roots and get the UK’s industry going again to create proper full time jobs and support the working class people.
    No one is going to vote for Labour at the next election if they are mixing their policies with Tory ones..

  12. Labour sure do know how to lose millions of votes! They are no longer a party which represents working class people. Blair buggered the labour psrty up altogether and it is now seen as a weak tory party. My vote will be for SNP as will indeed the majority of Scots.

    • I hope your right David. I would like to see Scotland move to Independence as a starting point for creating a real socialist Scotland, with Labour left in London.

      If the English, Irish and Welsh have any sense they will be supporting Scottish Independence and wanting to move toward a real socialist independence for themselves.

  13. Boadacia! I presume you were one of those Mr Farage was calling … pity you didn’t give him a chance to speak …. so presumably he was correct in what he said .. and the only ” fascist rats ” I know are those in Parliament who constantly lie to Joe Public … but then you wouldn’t know would you …. living up there in the heather …

    • Might be best never to assume anything Mr Bradley. Particularly about one’s geographical residence.

      I have listened to him speak, and read much of his lack of any feasible policies, and distinctly distasteful views and company he keeps.

      Similarly to Tories, his background would give him little understanding of the working classes and majority of the masses needs, in my opinion, and you are entitled to yours, of course.

  14. “Conservatives are Tory
    Liberals are Tory
    Labour is Tory
    WTF are we supposed to do ?”

    People have forgotten that the only reason we ever got anything (including welfare) is because ordinary people fought for it. We’ve forgotten that we don’t really need politicians – after all, there is no point and nothing remotely empowering in hoping some chump will do what they claim they will when they get a seat in power and a big fat salary. The ONLY answer is to organise ourselves and do it ourselves. We should be working to create our on non-hierarchical, democratic organisations. We don’t need any of those tossers. We just need to remember that fact en masse.

  15. Apparently Unite have been encouraging their members to join the labour party and only vote for left wing candidates – I hope more people follow suit – it’s the only way the Labour party can stop being a capitalist club.

    • You obviously fell for the “left wing candidates” part, you should read a bit more about Len McCluskey and try to figure out what he does with his £122,000 salary plus expenses while he endorses the “left wing candidates” because he thinks he has the right to decide who gets to stand.

      The unions are part of the British state and will not be doing much for you or I and neither will Liebour.

  16. So do Labour or any party intend to make employers pay a decent living wage one that means working people have enough income so they do not have to claim housing benefit one of the biggest parts of the welfare bill. I think not they will just let the tax payer continue to subsidise bad employers profits and squeeze the benefits of the most needy in society because in this country today that is seen to be the vote winner.

  18. Look at it any way you like, “fascist” or not, the only effective way to give the LibLabCons a hefty kick in the crotch, is a vote for Ukip. Look at it this way, what can be worse than what we have now?

  19. @ Mike – ‘what can be words than what we have now?’ I’d suggest a coalition between the Tories and UKIP would be even more dangerous and disasterous than the current incumbents. A truly toxic combination of neoliberal authoritarianism, xenophobia and irrationality on an epic scale.

  21. I HONESTLY THINK THAT LIB, LAB, CON , TORRIES WANT THE QUEEN TO WIPE THEIR ARSES FOR THEM, CAUSE THEY DEFINITELY HAVEN’T GOT THE BRAIN POWER TO WIPE THEIR OWN ARSES , NEVER IN MY LIFE DID I THINK PEOPLE WOULD COMMIT SUICIDE THROUGH CUTBACKS, WELFARE REFORMS ETC, AND THE BASTARDS STILL DONT CARE, ANYWAY THEY SAY WHAT GOES ARROUND COMES AROUND, OBVIOUSLY THEIR PARENTS WERE NEVER MARRIED!

  22. Is Labour has fallen for George Osbournes trap and is planning to become a self-serving right-wing party like the Torys’. They are no longer a party of the people, do they plan to discriminate against the, sick, disabled, unemployed and others like the coalition in the mistaken belief it’s just and fair! There is surely another way to make Welfare spending less without targeting the poor, what about the rich or do they hope by changing their stance they will gain rich backers (the answer is Not Really)!

  23. Labour never were soft on benefits. Wasn’t it New Labour who brought in ATOs. They are only slightly less cruel than the Tories. The fact that Liam Byrne is opposition spokesman for social security, tells us all we need to know about Labours attitude to the sick and disabled.

  24. Ukip are the only party other than the usual three, that has the remotest possibility of gaining any real number of seats at the next election. Actually gaining a majority for government is remote. What I suggested in my earlier post is to give a fright to the other three, that they MAY have to share their much watered-down power with Ukip.
    Nigel Farage has already said that Ukip would never share power with the Tories, while Cameron was still their leader.
    It is alarmist to call Ukip ‘fascists’, when their only ( seemingly) controversial policy is the restriction of mass immigration; the one policy which made them popular in the first place.
    As a life long Socialist and member of the WRP., even I can see the sense of that policy, and why it is popular.
    I shall vote for a party which ceases to end the power of Brussels over us.

    • Well said Mike. As I said before on this site, people seem to be falling for the Torie lies about UKIP. One reply to that was that they are anti-multiculturalism. But what does that mean? It does NOT mean that they are anti ethnic minorities. What it means is that they expect people who come to this country to obey the laws of this country, and to join in with the way of life in this country; and not to isolate themselves in ghettos demanding that they should be able to live under different laws from the rest of us.

      And before anyone accuses me of being racist, my wife is an immigrant, and my closest friends are second generation immigrants, but they all came here to live the British way of life and join in with the British people. I cannot understand why anyone thinks it reasonable that someone who leaves a country where the religion and law is what they want, then comes here and demands that we change our religion and laws to those that they have just left in their home country.

      Furthermore, a lot of what they claim is in their religions isn’t in fact in there. I have read the Holy Q’ran from cover to cover, and it does NOT require women to completely cover themselves; the actual statement is “tell your women to…cast a veil across their bosoms and to cover their private parts” – that is it, nothing else: so a see through top and a bikini bottom meets the requirements. It then goes on to say that they don’t even have to wear this much in front of their husbands, brothers, uncles, sons, eunuchs, “men with no interest in women”, “men that their right hands own” etc. etc. The supposededly Muslim dress code for women is purely the invention of mysoginistic men, and is nothing whatsoever to do with the teachings of the Holy Prophet.

      As to suicide bombers, the Holy Q’ran states quite clearly that commiting suicide is wrong REGARDLESS OF THE REASON FOR DOING IT, and a Muslim is only allowed to kill another human IF THEY ARE BEING DIRECTLY AND PERSONALLY ATTACKED by that person; in other words you are only allowed to kill another human in defence of your life, IF your life is in imminent danger.

      Then we get attacks on Christianity and Judaism, but what did the Holy Prophet say as recorded in the Holy Q’ran? “…treat the Christians and Jews as your brothers, for they are also people of the Book Of The Word Of God.” Can’t get much clearer than that, can you?

  25. The reason the right wing wish to extract Britain from the EU is for complete control of we chimps, and we will then have NO recourse to laws for working conditions or human rights.

    It will be a free for all against the working poor and sick/disabled in ways making what we face now, seem compassionate!

    The irony being, the misinformation and propaganda pumped into the masses each day about the EU from those in control of the media, actually despise those buying their filthy rags, and paying to watch their bombardment of advertising rubbish on TV.

    A little like parasites that eventually drain and kill their hosts.

    A referendum now, really would mean the turkey’s voting for many more Christmases, until they no longer existed!

  26. Is there even one person in the labour party without a pitiless heart of stone read and weep.
    I think I will let George tell you his story.

    YOUR SUPPORT URGENTLY NEEDED

    A PROTEST FOR US ALL.

    ABOUT ME:

    I am sixty years old. I have lived my life and it has been a roller coaster ride that I fully admit was largely, but not solely, of my own making. I have been no saint but my Christian faith brought stability to my life and has been a comfort to me for many years.

    As a child I was abused on a daily basis by my step-mother. As an adult I was abused by two separate females and their families. I was stabbed. Punched. Bitten. Kicked. My face was spat in. I was attacked in my sleep. I had objects thrown at me. I was hit with various objects. I was struck with a large piece of wood across the head that split my skull open and knocked me to the floor, covered in my own blood. I had all of my money stolen and left in debt that I never fully recovered from. I had property destroyed or stolen. I was constantly threatened, lied about and slandered in public and in private. I asked for help but discovered I was the wrong gender. No one in government, or in government institutions helps male victims of abuse.

    The government takes the view that only women suffer abuse and ignores their own evidence to the contrary. The FACTS are that 3.3 million men suffer abuse in this country every year. Exactly the same total as females. According to the largest abuse survey ever done (H.O.S. 191) and verified by hundreds of other studies around the world. See here for an example: http://www.csulb.edu/~mfiebert…..ssault.htm

    The result of my abuse was that I now have PTSD and recurring bouts of depression. I also have Asthma but that runs in my family. My abusers were never punished.

    I did not just sit down and whine and feel sorry for myself. I took action to help other abused males and to raise their profile to the public mind. I started a web site on the subject (Only the second one in the world at that time) and went onto TV, Radio and into the press to discuss the issue.

    I joined the male charity, ‘ManKind’ as their National Domestic Violence Coordinator and ran a 24 hr help line from my home for male victims.

    The PTSD made this all very difficult and, after having a flashback and breaking down live on a breakfast programme with Philip Schofield and Fern Britain, in front of millions, I was forced by my health to give up much of that work and withdraw from the public eye.

    I tried to work, found I could not and was forced to quit. I sought help from the psychiatric community and my local doctor. I ran into a wall of disbelief. It was an American psychiatrist online who diagnosed me and explained what PTSD is. In Britain, the level of ignorance and indifference in the medical profession about this condition is, frankly, staggering.

    I applied for, and received, sickness benefit at the lowest level and went into poverty. A far cry from tabloid headlines of people living in luxury but off the current political narrative and therefore, ignored.

    Then, just last month, ATOS came along and stripped ALL benefits from me, despite having passed me as unfit for work many times before. Was it a qualified psychiatric doctor who, after testing me, found me at fault?

    No!

    It was a nondescript physiotherapist nurse known as, Emma Nicholls, working at the Croydon Medical Examination Centre being paid to do just as she has done and to make David Cameron look good, at any human cost, by reducing welfare bills so he can get votes and power. In other words, people are dying and being made destitute to boost our Prime Minster’s reputation and wealth. That is political and medical extremism and abuse of power of the worst and most despicable kind.

    Ms Emma Nicholls was, and is not, qualified to make a clinical judgement outside of her field. For doing so she should be disciplined by the BMA and hopefully, struck off.

    WHAT I AM DOING AND WHAT IS BEHIND IT:

    This government brought ATOS in and they have inflicted misery and death on too many people with their heartless acts. Getting lawyers to fight for us is almost impossible unless we launch a class action suit.

    The media chiefs, who cosy up to politicians, have had their orders and they have been publishing anti disabled people propaganda to make the British people regard those of us who are unfit for work as scroungers and leeches on the system. While most of us will acknowledge that there ARE people who will always take advantage of the welfare system and deserve those descriptions, it cannot be right to allow the press, ATOS and the government to paint us all with the same brush.

    Doctors take an oath to do no harm. How then can any of those within the medical profession justify the harm they are willing to do to people who cannot work through no fault of their own? Those willing to do this need to be brought to account and to be struck off for breaking that oath in the first place. They should not have a right to practice if their aim is to hurt others less fortunate than themselves. Shame on them!

    Their actions amount to medical extremism and no civilised country should put up with it. That Britain’s politicians are prepared to do so — with media backing — should be, and is, deeply worrying to the British people. It is behaviour more suited to Stalin-ism and Nazi-ism than to our democracy.

    Some of us are sick and we cannot work! That, is the end of the story. Punishing us is morally reprehensible, as is forcing us to live in poverty. I gave up on the British medical establishment because the British medical establishment had nothing to offer me in the way of help. All they offered was ridicule, disinterest and disbelief.

    Something has to be done. The only question is, what CAN be done?

    I have thought long and hard about this matter. The problem is we are facing three giants. The media. The government and ATOS. They are powerful foes. Giants that have to be slain and we are like a group of David’s, hobbling on to the battlefield, already hurting and in pain, with nothing more that a sling and a few smooth stones; but, David won his battle with Goliath because he was prepared to stand up and be counted while everyone else trembled in fear. (You can read his story here if you wish: http://christianity.about.com/…..oliath.htm ). We must do the same.

    I cannot call on others to take action if I am not prepared to do so myself. (I leave that behaviour to the politicians.) So I am willing to be the first of what I hope will be many David’s. This much I promise you: this fight will not be won by shouting from the sidelines and shaking an impotent fist at the enemy. It will be won by taking the fight to them with all the fury you can muster.

    What I intend to do is extreme but then, so is the war forced upon us. We must fight fire with fire but I do not expect others to fight in the way I am because, I have decided to go on a hunger and water strike.

    Expected time to live: Between three and five days.

    This protest will begin at midnight on Monday may 20th 2013 and will end in either victory or death soon after. Whether or not my fight becomes a pointless and empty gesture or, a carefully aimed and effective stone in my sling shot aimed at the enemies head, depends on you and people like you.

    NOTE: This decision is NOT the result of a depressive episode. I am thinking clearly and I am in my right mind as I type this.

    The Plan and what YOU can do to help:

    On Monday I will eat my last meal and take my last fluids. The media will be able to reach me through this number 0750 88 1975 7. Please respect this number. It is for MEDIA ONLY. Do what you can to get it to as many local, national and International press offices as possible. Search for them online.

    Get Organised:

    Make You Tube videos, start twitter accounts if you don’t have one, get on face book and start a support page etc. Do it quickly, you will only have three to five days remember.

    Use every means possible to get the word out. Talk to editors and journalists but be calm, reasonable and intelligent when you do it. If you rant and rave and fill your email with red fonts, capital letters and insane raves about the NWO and David Ike, no one will listen to you.

    Get onto newspaper web sites online anywhere in the world — not just here in Britain — and write comments about the protest. Go onto medical websites and do the same. Talk to students in Universities, perhaps personally, or through Student Union pages online. Contact every Christian Church you can find online in the country and send them an email asking for help. Contact other support groups. Contact male charities. Contact every MP and member of the House Of Lords you can find, regardless of what they say about not being able to help people who are not their constituents. Remember to save their email addresses in your account. You may need them later.

    Use your telephone and your computer and raise a long, loud and ferocious — but well reasoned and polite — stink.

    If you are dealing with journalists watch it. They can be like friendly but deadly snakes and try and get you to say something dumb or even ambush you on TV programs. If you cannot answer their questions in ways that will help, say nothing or tell them you need time to think about it. The focus should be on the protest but use your own story if it helps. If you find yourself in a TV or Radio studio and they treat you badly, never be afraid to leave, citing your refusal to be abused any longer.

    The idea is to do three things.

    Raise awareness of the plight of victims of ATOS and to get ATOS stopped!

    To shame those in power and the media and medical establishments, not just by calling them to account here, but also by threatening their world wide reputations.

    To raise enough pressure to call a halt to this war on the sick once and for all.

    Remember! This is not just about you or me, it is about everyone one of us. It is about fighting for what is right and decent and just. It is about those who have already died; those who are dying now and those who will die early deaths tomorrow if this monstrosity is not stopped quickly.

    When you feel like you are tired and want to give up, that is the time to give up giving up! You and I do not have time to wait for someone else to take on this battle. We have to do it and we have to win it. I will do what I can, will you?

    Well, will you?

    WHY AM I DOING IT THIS WAY?

    ATOS have stripped all of my benefits away and left me with nothing. I cannot pay rent or council tax. I cannot buy any food once my money runs out. Soon I will be homeless and on the streets. While I am still in my home I will have no power or heating. I have no family left. I will go from poverty to extreme poverty and at 60 years of age I will not last long anyway.

    The appeal process is long, fraught with obstacles and hard to undertake alone. None of what is offered to me, or you, is guaranteed. It is a bureaucratic nightmare designed to make us give up and go away from the sheer stress they are putting us through.

    It is like walking a tightrope without a safety net while the government and ATOS try to push you off with long polls. If I am going to fall to my death then I will do so when I am ready and not when the government decide to give me that final nudge and the medical establishment decides to walk by on the other side and pretends not to see.

    It is my life. I shall end it in my way while I still have that choice. I will not be murdered by savage unfeeling suits in Westminster and the civil service. If you can use my protest to get the help you so richly deserve and to remind the British people what compassion and love for others means, then do so.

    This has been my motto as a Christian: Alteri serviens consumor – “In serving others, I myself destroy”

    I have tried to live by it. My protest will be the ultimate test of that motto in my life but there is nothing noble in this. It is the weapon of desperation forced upon us by the evil that made the war against us.

    George Rolph

    Downham

    Bromley

    Kent.

  27. Protest Update Ending Day Two.

    Time now 03:56am

    Fuzzy thinking when I awoke that unfortunately coincided with a telephone interview with a local journalist. I went on a long rambling speech but Patrick, the journalist was patient with me. Bless him. Photographer coming by later today as Patrick is doing a story on me.

    My thinking began to clear up as I moved around more during the day and by lunchtime I was clear headed again.

    No pain or other ill effects today. I did wake up screaming half an hour ago but that is PTSD related. When I woke I heard a child in the distance screaming for her mummy and wondered if that had set me off. Hyper vigilance is another symptom of PTSD. With me it is the soft sounds that get to me. With others it is loud noises. Especially among combat victims. Anyhow, I thought as I am awake I should make this report.

    I got a call from a man today representing what sounded like ‘The Wow Commission” ? He was not a journalist but wanted to know what I was doing and why. We talked for a while and he seemed a pleasant chap. He gave his name as Rick. He told me he might be able to talk to a UN Rep at some point today, (23rd May)I think. That’s cool. He is also doing a radio interview on ‘Old Git Radio’ on the Internet and said he will discuss the protest on the show.

    Got an email from a Dear friend of mine in the States. She is a published author and writes under the pen name of Brooklyn Nicola. Her first book is a collection of poems she aims to help traumatised kids with. Kids that cut themselves, are suicidal and perhaps suffer from Bulimia etc. She has been there herself and I was one of her counsellors for many years. It has been wonderful to see her grow stronger. The book is called ‘Flowers In The Storm.’ She was kind enough to name me in the dedication along with others who had helped her, and to sign the copy she sent me. If you know a teen troubled in these ways, please, point them to the book. They will get it, even if you do not. The poems are beautifully done and used in a very intelligent, unusual and structured way.

    She is doing all she can to help and has written to every British MP asking them to take action. She did this after spending a day researching who ATOS are and what they are doing. She has also contacted a Guardian Journalist she is aware of.

    I wanted to share with you what my American friend has been doing so I am including here just one of her efforts to help.

    Ms. Nicholls,

    Thank you again for your reply. I was able to find the MP for Bromley and have sent an email.

    However, time is of the essence. Considering the time difference, you should receive this in the third day of my friend’s hunger strike. Regardless of his constituency, this should be a matter for MPs across the UK.

    Even as an American, a simple Google search can inform me of the horrors for which ATOS is responsible.

    Here in the US, our disabled are diagnosed by a doctor. The doctor decides if they are fit to work. ATOS uses a computer. A heartless system that does not take into account the situations surrounding the answers being given in the assessment. It does not feel compassion. It does not show mercy.

    I have a diagnosis of PTSD, as well. It’s a complex illness that relies heavily on our environment. There are people, like my friend George, who cannot keep a regular schedule because of the flashbacks and night terrors that are often associated with PTSD. His ability to type or to dress himself or to walk 200 meters are physical capabilities. The capacity of the mind is something completely different.

    Those of us who have PTSD have experienced extreme trauma that has left us haunted. For George, it was abuse as a young child and into his adulthood by significant others. For me, it was rape and abuse at the hands of an uncaring father. These things are not considered by the computer ATOS uses. It sees only what it is programmed to see.

    The point is today the victim may not be a member of your constituency, but tomorrow it may be. One does not let a fire burn and hope it does not burn down the entire house. Water would be poured on the first hint of a spark. By doing something now about the injustices that ATOS is inflicting on, not just George, but constituents across the UK, it may be the life of your own constituent that you are saving.

    I appreciate your time.

    Sincerely,

    [Real name removed]

    Now THAT is what I call action and from 6000 miles away too! Do YOU know someone in another country that could help in the same way? If so, you need to move very quickly and get the ball rolling.

    In other news I had a visit from the police and paramedics today. Who do you think sent them? Was it someone from this forum thinking they were helping out and being compassionate? Thankfully no. It was the local Labour Party.

    My mobile battery was dying and I had to put it on charge for at least an hour to get some life back into it in case a journalist called. I have to give them priority obviously. I sat on the sofa and plugged it in and suddenly came over exhausted. I had been through a bad night and it was catching up with me.

    The next sound I heard was a banging on the doors and window. I had fallen into a deep sleep. I sat up and saw a face at the window. I put my glasses on and staggered to the door and called out, “Who is it?” A gruff voice replied. “It’s the police. Open the door!” I asked what they wanted. “Just open the door now!” Came the rather scary and insistent reply. It got my goat up. “Have you got a warrant?” I asked. “No” said the voice. I replied “Then go away. I do not want to talk with you.” The police officer softened his tone. “Is your name George?” he asked. “Yes.” I said. “We have come to talk with you and to see if you are alright. We have had a report that you are engaged in a protest, is that right?”

    “It is.” I replied.

    “Then we want to talk with you to see if you are OK. We do not require a warrant to enter your premises under section 17 of the Police and Criminal Evidence Act. Please open the door.”

    I thought about that. Trying to keep them out was probably a bad idea as was shouting at each other behind a closed door. I opened the door.

    “As you can clearly see I am fine. Thanks for coming to check on me but please, go away now.” I tried to shut the door but the two police officers placed a foot in the door. This was getting scary again. We talked for a while during which one of the officers called his sergeant for advice and was told if I was OK and not nuts, they should find out what it was about and leave me alone. I decided to let them in as it was clear they were not going to go away.

    They were polite and firm once they entered the house. We went through to what passes for my living room and began to talk. Everyone involved slowly relaxed. It seemed they had brought paramedics with them. After a while they asked if the paramedics could check me over and I agreed.

    To cut a long story short. I was able to educate the police officers – who had never heard of ATOS – as to what was going on around the country and how I came to find myself in this situation. I asked them how it was that ATOS were clearly killing people but the police were not acting. I saw that strike home. Perhaps we should be making criminal complaints against ATOS?

    The two paramedics finished their examination and seemed satisfied. I then began chatting to them about ATOS and asked how can it be that a physiotherapist nurse could carry out a legal assessment of a psychological problem. The paramedics both said she was not able to do so and it was disgusting that she had.

    After an hour chatting, I signed a medical waver and everyone left, but not before letting slip who had called the police in the first place. Nice of my left wing MP, don’t you think? A simple email would have been good. In any event, the two police officers and both paramedics shook my hand before they left and I now regard them as our friends in this fight.

    Later I got a voice mail on the mobile and this annoyed me. I had been careful to ask in first post here about this protest, that people not abuse the mobile number as it is for journalists to contact me. I have to pay to listen to messages and that drains the money on the phone. I have nothing to replace that with so please, people, don’t use it. Give it to reporters. Thank you.

    So to sum up. A fairly busy day and in some ways, an eventful one. I am feeling fine as I write this and I am going to try and get some sleep once I post it.

    If you want to help and you can help, even if it is just writing emails to MP’s please do. Consider writing to the BMA, to any other useful medical organisation you can find, such as GP associations. Also Barristers, lawyers and of course local and National papers. Only give my mobile number to reporters please. Refer everyone else to the posts here and this great and useful Site and perhaps to my You Tube page here: https://www.youtube.com/user/DumblyBrilliant. As well as any other films on You Tube you might think are useful.

    Anyone got a support page on Facebook together yet?

    Thanks everyone.

    George. 5:10am May 23rd 2013.

  28. Protest Report. Day Three.

    Time 11:50pm.

    It has been a busy day and eventful 24 hours but more about that later. First a health update.

    I have a mild (very mild) background headache. The tummy rumblings are becoming audible and I am amazed at how much urine you pass when you have not drunk anything for three days! The urine is getting markedly stronger though. My breath stinks as well.

    When I woke yesterday morning (Wednesday 22rd May.)I was very muddle headed for a few hours. Unfortunately, during that period was when the local newspaper journalist called to interview me. I rambled on for ages, poor man but he was patient with me. His name is Patrick and he works for a paper called ‘The News Shopper.’

    A photographer was due to call today from that paper at 3:00pm. However, the horrible story of the Woolwich killing happened and he had to go and cover that story so he is coming on 24th May in the afternoon instead.

    After the interview I came over very tired because I had a bad night (Nightmares) and was shattered. I sat down on the sofa, put the mobile phone on charge and the next thing I knew there was a loud banging on both the window and door. It was the police and very threatening they were too. They loudly demanded I opened the door to them and threatened to kick it in if I did not .After telling me that under P.A.C.E. Section 17 they had a right to enter without a warrant, I opened the door.

    After some further discussion and one of the officers seeking guidance on his radio from his sergeant, the message came through to see if I were a nutter and if not, to get information about what it is all about. We all trooped into my living room. They asked what it was all about and I told them. I then also told them about the need to protect males from domestic abuse.

    They seemed impressed by my knowledge of that issue and the chat was a good one. Then two paramedics came in and did a health check on me. Everything OK apart from a slight rise in blood pressure. When they all left we shook hands and parted as friends.

    I was struck by a brief longing for an ice lolly in the PM.

    Today (Thursday. I got another wake up call from the police.) Two young women. Great on talking and goin’ by da book’ not so good on listening. Eventually they left. 10 mins later, paramedics turned up. I showed them the medical waver I had signed yesterday and they left again. Interestingly none of the police officers who have so far come to my house had ever heard of ATOS. I suggested investigating them for murder and medical malpractice.

    Called in the afternoon by Ian Jones from http://www.petition.com He invited me to post on his blog which I will try and remember to do.

    After that came a call from Heidi Alexander MP. My local MP. She told me she had called the police yesterday out of concern.

    She also told me lots of other MPs had been getting messages from people and passing them to her. That is GREAT news. It means that more and more MPs around the country are starting to get a feel for peoples anger.

    This is why I asked you to contact your MP and any others you can. Even though they will all tell you that parliamentary rules state that they cannot help people outside of their constituencies, they will all also become aware of the issue and the protest and the effect on people in this country. For those of you doing this, very well done. Please keep it up. Sooner or later it will dawn on even the dimmest of them that something is starting to happen among us peasants and they will hear the sharpening of pitch forks.

    Ms Alexander and I then discussed what had happened at ATOS. After that she told me that she thinks the government are “making life hard for people” and that she has, “said so.” I said, thanks but that is not enough. ALL of you have got to say it with one voice and at the same time.

    “Yes well. I am able to offer you vouchers for a food bank if you need them.” She said.

    “I am on a hunger and water strike I said, I have no need of them but if I ever do need them I will bare that in mind.”

    “Please take a drink” she said.

    “No! I said. People are dying out there. This is not just about me. It has to stop. People like you have got to stop it.”

    She then told me she had contacted the DWP but they needed my National Insurance number and date of birth. I provided her with both and she said she would call them straight away. She said she wants to resolve this for me. I thanked her and said. “What about all the others?”

    A phone rang in her office and she had to take the call and so that question did not get answered….Yet!

    Soon after her call, the DWP rang and said they want to give me money. Just not enough to meet my bills. £60 pounds short in fact. I said no thanks. I have tried poverty. I don’t like it. I want what you took away reinstated and so do all the other people you have been doing this too. He sounded very panicked. I think the MP put a rocket where the sun don’t shine. His name was Ian Wiffen.

    Later I was called by a reporter from The Sunday People called Keir Murdi. He wants to do a story in the Sunday paper. He is sending a photographer tomorrow afternoon.

    So, tomorrow I had better put my best modelling face on. Should I wear a top, or just pout and show my man boobs?

    This evening I was contacted by a lovely man called Michael Stewart Copeland. A name I recognised from my reading of various online newspapers.

    Michael works for the Social Development Committee in Northern Ireland. He has a ton of contacts and is sure many of them will back the protest. He also has contacts within the BBC, so this could be just what the doctor ordered, if you will pardon the poor choice of words.

    He also invited me to post these updates on his Facebook page. A wonderful offer I jumped at. You can view them there if you search Facebook for his name and log in. Say hello to him and his wonderful friends and followers for me please.

    I cannot leave without mentioning Jess my American friend. She works a full time job and she still finds time to work hard to get the message out to people and has been talking to MPs in Britain via email. She is such a lovely person. I love her to bits. Anyway, she set this up. (http://goo.gl/q8wYO Shortened URL) Please, if you can spare the time, drop by and make a comment. Let her know her efforts are baring fruit.

    That’s it really. I feel remarkably well considering.

    Anyone who wants to help can do the following: 1. Contact every MP, in your constituency or out of it. 2.Contact as many journalists here and abroad as you can. Their email addresses can often be found on newspaper web sites. 3. Write to Lawers and Barristers organisations. 4. Write to student unions in local Uni’s and ask them to get involved and send them this. 5.Write to TV and Radio Stations and personalities if you know any. Bono will be too busy saving the world but others might help. When I say “write” I mean knock off a quick email.

    A good tip is to collect the email addresses in your computers word processor as a long list. Choose the top address for the main recipient and cut and paste all the others in the CC field underneath.

    Please, only give my number to journalists and ask them NOT to leave voice mails because it eats up the limited credit on the phone to listen to them. My number is: 0750 88 19757 Don’t abuse it, please.

    Thanks for your support everyone. See you tomorrow with another update I hope.

  29. PROTEST UPDATE: Ending Day Four

    12:07am 25 May.

    Quite an interesting day, that ended in the most amazing conversation with a lovely police lady; but first a health check.

    Woke up at around 10:30 am. No nightmares last night but I was restless so only light sleep until the very early hours then at what I would guess was around 4:30pm I finally zonked out. No police called today but they are coming in the morning (Sat) to check on me, bless ’em. No idea what time. I hope it’s not 7am though.

    When I woke I was out of it for quite a while. I seemed to have intermittent concentration for a couple of hours. No thirst as such, as I still seem to be producing saliva, but I did have sticky eyes. It felt like my eye lids wanted to glue themselves together whenever I blinked. However, when I washed my face that went away.

    Tummy rumbles went off with a vengeance. I bet they could be heard two miles away. However, no pain in the stomach and the rumbling stopped after an hour or so.

    Yesterday, when I cleaned my teeth, the temptation to swallow the water was huge but I spat it out. This morning no such temptation happened so it was easy to do. Breath still stinks though.

    The day began for me with phone calls and ended the same way. I may get the order of them mixed up because I have the memory of a goldfish, as Ian likes to say, about certain things, and dates, and timings are three of them.

    A lovely lady called Paula called at around 10:30am I think, (I need to keep better notes) to wish me well and let me know she is supporting me via Facebook. I wish she hadn’t though because a journalist might have been trying to get through and given up when he/she could not reach me. That is why I asked that you PLEASE respect the number and I thank you that so many have. It was sweet of her and I understand why she did it though.

    A photographer turned up in the afternoon. He was from the local newspaper called the Newsshopper. What a smashing man he was too. The poor guy had to go and photograph the scene of that horrible murder of the soldier in Woolwich by those two Muslim nutters, and he was still shook up about it. I felt for him. I think the photographers first name was Osborne but if I am wrong and he sees this, I hope he will forgive me.

    He asked me to walk about 100 yards or so up the road, turn and walk back to him so he could take pictures. I strode off confidently when something strange happened. My legs started to turn to rubber. At first they got normal again really quickly. However, when I turned to walk back they got really rubbery again and my feet felt as if they did not know where the ground was. Peculiar feeling. I had to lean on a car for a moment and as soon as I stopped walking my strength returned. Only to vanish again as I started walking once more.

    Ian phoned me at one point. I forget who he works for now. (Sorry Ian) He told me that he had spoken to one Sonia Poulson of the Guardian news paper. She told him that the Guardian was not interested in “suicide stories” and if it had been just a hunger strike it would be more effective because a hunger and water strike is “too short.” Sounded suspiciously like psychology to me and I was not born yesterday. A sort of – ‘he wants publicity then tell him to drink water and he will get some’ – idea. Sorry. No!

    It is amazing how many people think that because you have a mental illness or some bad physical disease, you must be stupid also.

    The Daily Star got a journalist to call me too but he was on a fishing expedition and not really interested in doing a story I don’t think. I can’t remember his name and I forgot to make a note of it.

    Frank, a nice man from Bromley Samaritans called to tell me that they are always there in case I want to talk to them. I bet you would never guess who told him about me? Go on try! One more time?

    It was the Guardian newspaper. I explained to Frank that I was not taking my life, I was giving it. (Holy Bible: John 15:13 for the non Christians that might not understand the difference yet) We chatted, he was nice and it was cool.

    Mike Allen a presenter and News Editor for the radio station Preston FM called to chat. He told me that they may do a story on the protest at the weekend or on Monday. When I said I might not be here then, he said “Well, we can do it posthumously. I almost burst out laughing when he said that. Northerners huh?

    I had a long chat in text on Face book with Laura again. Desperately trying to offer help but the help on offer was more hoop jumping and I am not doing that. She has a wonderful and caring heart though so I mean no ill will towards her.

    Chatted on Gmail chat with my dear Christian sister Jess In America. That is a lady that knows how to love.

    Early in the evening I came over suddenly tired again. I laid on my couch and crashed out. In my dream I could hear a telephone ringing loudly. Then it stopped and then it started again. Then it started once more and I woke up to find it was not a dream at all. It was Ian. I was so tired I have no idea what we talked about. I know he was urging me to drink and I know I said no. He’s a trier that boy, but I am a very determined man when I set my mind to something. He will cotton on eventually.

    I went back to sleep.

    At around 10:00pm the phone rang again and woke me up. This time I was glad. The dreams were starting to take on a familiar edge to them. It was Det Sgt Chloe Ayling calling from Catford police. That is one clever interrogator and highly intelligent lady.

    Have you ever spoken with someone on the phone and thought to yourself that this person, who you have never seen, is beautiful, if only in mind? Well, she was like that. I love smart people who do not reek of snobbery and this lady is one of them. She gently coaxed the whole story out of me and I found myself willing to tell her. Trust me. You have no idea how hard it is for people to get me to do that. I have developed a skeleton story about the abuse that led to me having PTSD that caries all the main facts but leaves out the details, because it hurts me to remember them. She got everything. Every grimy nasty inch of that story flowed out of me and yes, it was painful to do. I could not have done it face to face but on the phone she got almost all.

    I told her things about the abuse I went through I have not told another soul. I kept just one thing back and I never tell anyone those details. She gently, carefully, and with exquisite skill, eased out that story in a two hour telephone call that left me breathless with admiration.

    What an asset to abuse victims she is! Not only because her counselling skills are second to none, but because she does not just listen and prompt intelligently, she treats people with respect and acknowledges their own intelligence. What is more, she took the time to research me on the Internet before she called. She is utterly devoid of arrogance. Catford police have a star among them and it is a rare thing indeed for me to say that about any police officer. I have met maybe three like that in my sixty years. In a way – and she would probably hate me saying this – but I hope she is never promoted out of her field. She is brilliant at what she does.

    She also gave me a great idea for finding the future treatment of my PTSD (if I end up having a future that is) which has been impossible to find up until now.

    Anyway, she is sending the police to check on me in the morning.

    All in all I am astounded by how well I still feel. Weakness, yes. Slight head ache now and then, yes. Muddy headed at times, yes. Slight ache in the kidneys at times, yes. Apart from that. I feel OK.

    So ends day four.

    I want to say a huge thank you to everyone who has been firing emails to MP’s. Great job guys. Could some of you target Barristers and lawyers? Tell them about my protest. Ask them why they are not taking ATOS to court for manslaughter, or culpable homicide or even medical malpractice. Ask them, if they are sympathetic, to talk to judges and tell them what is going in. Not one police officer I have yet spoken too knew about ATOS apart from Chloe. Is the same thing true in the legal community? Ask THEM to stand up and speak out in public too! They take enough of the public’s money, it should not hurt them to give some time for free, back to the public.

    I said to Det Sgt Chloe Ayling, that in Germany just before the war, Hitler and the Nazis had taken disabled people and herded them into camps to die of starvation. We, along with people from many other countries, left Europe covered in blood to fight those monsters. Today in the UK, this government have taken ATOS who were introduced by the last lot under Brown, and are using them to do the same things, just without building the camps. THAT is something the legal community should be very angry about. Let’s see if we can make them so!

    George Rolph

    1:47am

  31. Boadicea ( properly Boudicca)
    I thought I made it clear that I am not “Right wing”, I am a Socialist, apparently more left wing than you are, for believing the Tory propaganda about Ukip. They are running scared of Ukip., and the MI5 set-up of Farage in Edinburgh proves that.
    You look to me to be a Tory stooge who wishes to foment unrest about Farage & his party.
    Human-Rights is enshrined in British Law, and would not be easy to dismantle.
    I am sorry to post this when much more important posts have been put here since my last note.
    http://www.wrp.org.uk

    • Boadicea or many other derivatives of spelling are all correct, as no one can be exactly sure how in those days. It’s just a noun.

      I make no assumptions about any individual, or their opinions, and I’m capable of doing my own research into why I have the opinion I do of UKIP.

      Maybe it’s best not to assume too much about individuals posting here?

      I consider all the political parties as a bunch of infighting treacherous rats, and most would dump their mother’s in a skip for some gain, – so it’s not particularly the individual UKIP Party or Farrage.

      I’m also well aware of all sorts of propaganda irrespective of it being Tory, or New Latory, or UKIP/BNP. (Sort of similar to trusting my puppy in the room alone, with a sausage left on the coffee-table)

  34. We wish you to live George, and continue the fight!

    Some are listening and reading of our attacker’s crimes against the most vulnerable targets they can abuse.

    Stay alive, and watch them squirm in the courts!

  35. I thought things were as bad as they can get under Cameron, now we find ‘Labour’ has exactly the same bash benefit claimants attitude , so where on Earth do we go from here? WTF?

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