A report from the Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Methodist Church, the Church of Scotland and the United Reformed Church
Truth and lies about poverty
‘The myths exposed in this report, reinforced by politicians and the media, are convenient because they allow the poor to be blamed for their poverty, and the rest of society to avoid taking any of the responsibility.
‘Myths hide the complexity of the true nature of poverty in the UK.
‘They enable dangerous policies to be imposed on whole sections of society without their full consequences being properly examined.
‘This report aims to highlight some comfortable myths, show how they have come to prominence and test them against serious evidence.’
Link to the report:
http://www.jointpublicissues.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Truth-And-Lies-Report-smaller.pdf
6 Responses
Congratulations to the people who put this excellent report together.
It is based on statistical research and tells the truth behind the figures that politicians and the media misuse for their propoganda
I and many are sick of lying politicians, lying officials, lying journalists etc.
As the government is so keen on the word mandatory.
I would make it mandatory for every politician, newspaper, radio and tv journalist to be sent a copy of this report and to read and understand it.
No more “politicians statistics”
We just can not put the blame on politicians. They tell the people what we want to hear and when its a different answer to that we want, then we complain they do not ever answer. If we can not get the message through that it is just wrong the way the cuts are and will hurt those most poor in society, then we need to find alternative methods. Too many of us are just sitting back and moaning. We need to galvanise and get on the streets and tell the people the truth about the cuts. But just blaming the politicians will change nothing.
Ian, I totally agree that people have been just moaning online and not actually doing anythings about these hideous cuts(and this is just the start, much worse to come)but not sure if you’re referring to disabled people/people with long term health problems or everyone moaning? What I mean by this is that in the case of disabled people, we suffer a lot physically and mentally, so often doing practical things like marching/standing in one place for long, can be very difficult/impossible and day to day life is such a struggle, with pain levels etc.
In the case of non disabled people, campaigning against cuts, there is a long way to go and you rarely see younger people at any of these events, why is this? In my own case, I have very much become involved with local campaigning here in Norwich, have also gone on a march last October 2012 through “The Hardest Hit” , that ended in Hyde Park, but I really suffered from that as I wasn’t up to the physical walking and standing in Hyde Park. It’s often difficult if you’re not a wheelchair user as they had a special area set aside at Hyde Park, where they could park, but nothing for anyone else, but someone kindly found myself and some others some plastic chairs.
I protested outside Atos in Norwich 2 weeks ago and have asked around if someone with a car coming to it could bring some kind of seat for me, as won’t manage the standing otherwise. I got up bright and early yesterday(sat)to attend a public meeting of “Norfolk Coalition against the Cuts” and will continue to do as much as I am able. I am very concerned that more people are not protesting, what will it take and how can we get through to them? If you’re old enough to remember Margaret Thatcher, you will remember the “Poll Tax” riots, how massive they were and it brought her down?
Everyone that writes on this forum is contributing to the protest against these discriminatory and unjust policies.
You can call it moaning if you like, I call it airing our freedom of speech.
On the sidebar a thread mentions the DWP complaining about activists intimidating charities into quiitting the workfare schemes.
Merely by protesting on Twitter and Facebook and writing emails to these charities has in some cases garnered the required result, they have pulled out.
It is precisely because of the points raised above that sick and disabled people have been targeted. Very difficult to get out on the streets and protest when you are too ill to leave the house or it is just impractible to get to where a protest is taking place.
Who brought in Atos, Unum, Welfare cuts, Workfare, Mandatory work for no pay?
The Could’nt Care Less Amongst the General Public are Just as Guilty as the
Politicians in Wrecking Further the Quality of Life For the Poor
Poverty is Degrading but so too is the Evil Lack of Care For the Poor amongst
People with Money than Morality who are Utterly Out of Touch
Social as Well as Political Revolution is Needed
It is Better to ” Moan ” than to be a Silent Majority Zombie
Destructive Public Spending Cuts whilst the ” Official Opposition ” Stands about
like Dummies in a Trance is a Good Enough Reason to Moan
Tax the Rich Hands Off the Poor