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Owen Jones and the case for engagement at #NetrootsUK
Pervasive in yesterday’s successful #NetrootsUK day at Congress House here in London was how people could feel part of Society. Not a Big Society, just Society. Nick Clegg and David Cameron have given ‘divide-and-rule’ a whole new dimension instead, by pitting the public sector workers against the private sector, by pitting indigenous people against immigrants, by pitting younger people against older people, and by pitting the disabled population against the non-disabled population; they have not supported the unemployment and disabled, but actively sought to stigmatise them through their policies.
For Nick Clegg and David Cameron, this is particularly deceitful as they have senior experience in public relations. As Nick Cohen writes this morning in the Guardian, any Keynesian policy to reverse now the shocking decline of Britain would take years to implement, and indeed Lord Skidelsky, who is the official biographer of John Maynard Keynes, feels that Vince Cable is not a Keynesian (George Osborne is clearly not).
The case for engagement is even more compelling, when many people feel utterly disenfranchised by the Tory-led BBC. The routine news coverage of the BBC borders on a Pravda-esque approach to journalism (an image I thank James Macintyre for). Without the social media, it would have been impossible for disabled campaigners Sue Marsh (@suey2y) and Kaliya Franklin (@bendygirl) to get their messages across about the lies which the government, with the assistance of the BBC, have been spreading about disabled people, as evidenced in the Spartacus Report.
That is what made Owen Jones’ speech at the #Netroots conference so special, in my view. But it was very special for another reason. Ed Miliband, in his final hustings at Haverstock Hill Comprehensive School, poignantly warned us that we must not view the Unions as the evil uncle of Labour. What truly appalled me was to see an army of young ‘activists’ in their 20s, armed with their iPhones and Blackberries, saying that the Unions are ‘irrelevant’ to them. The Unions are in fact the largest democratic movement in the UK with over 3.5 million members. Union membership is not closed to Labour. Crucially, the Unions campaign very actively for the enforcement of rights of citizens, particularly in employment. The fact that Thompsons Solicitors, an eminent law firm, is on the ground floor of the building #Netroots was hosted in for the second year-in-a-row is a testament to that. John, who helped to organise yesterday’s event superbly in my mind, took time to explain his ‘Stop employment wrongs‘ project which he had been working on. This is incredibly relevant to members of the Society I wish to live in.
That Society, symbolised by allegations of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice and a fine to banks for the #LIBOR scandal, at worst is a society driven by shareholders with only thing in mind – their shareholder dividend – is utterly galling. Yes, maybe I’d like a stop to the ‘something for nothing society’ – maybe the Tory-led BBC would like to launch a campaign on millionaires in the cabinet paying more tax on their dividends, as strictly speaking that is income rather than wealth for the economic moral-purists.
Owen’s talk in full which I recorded from the front row yesterday afternoon
Sue Marsh (@suey2y) at #NetrootsUK
“We had no media covering the stories of sick and disabled people, especially regarding welfare.”
Sue Marsh gave a brilliant talk. Here is my version of what Sue said.
Charities had Government contracts which they did not want to use. Media journalists said, “It’s welfare – it’s not news”. Taxi drivers said, “True but there’s lots of people trying it on”.
We couldn’t necessarily march, go to radio shows, but we formed a community. There was a sense of palpable belief. Everytime a new blog started, you felt there was a network of like-minded people suffering. There was genuine ‘terror’, and we could see that big things were happening for sick and disabled people. We knew we had to make a choice as to whether put the heating on, or to buy food or not; but we could not tell anyone about it.
I had tears streaming down my eyes, as George Osborne introduced further cuts. Neither the Conservatives or the Liberal Democrats had announced the actual abolition of the Disability Living Allowance. The message for disabled people was bad – disabled people are the most vulnerable people in society.
Two years ago, I didn’t even know about blogs. The Welfare Reform Bill was something we could campaign on. People have lobbied MPs before, but we lobbied using Twitter. People were frightened to put their name to it, but people were frightened. Anyone can become disabled. We campaigned on everything – we even took a picture of Kaliya Franklin’s bottom. We even managed to get a motion passed at the Liberal Democrat conference. We tried everything – using Twitter and Facebook – and it worked. The Guardian started reporting our reports at the end of 2011, on the basis of the evidence we had presented. We found that our ‘Adopt a Peer’ campaign was much more successful than the template e-mails which had been successfully used elsewhere (for example, by 38 degrees).
A MP once complained that he had received 600 emails in one morning, and we were told in fact to calm down! However, we needed to present evidence. Somebody had shown me the bare bones of #Spartacus. The Government totally misrepresented us – they had said there was ‘broad support’ for their changes, but in fact 92% opposed it. The increase in the amount of claims was false as well. Our first target, £2000, was raised within 24 hours. Suddenly help come from everywhere, including Alastair Campbell. Suddenly, people had something to rally about.
We were adamant that it had to be from sick and disabled citizens, or their carers. It was our voice – we were being misrepresented by our press and our politicians. Everyone wrote their bit, and magically produced a report within 4 weeks. Declan Gaffney gave up his Boxing Day and his New Year’s Day. It was just magic – you could feel from a group of people who had no hope with sparks coming from all over the place, finally changing the narrative. The name for the report (Spartacus) was a frenzied-affair.
The Employment Support Allowance debate then started. We won those votes in the House of Lords; the media, and we, had no idea we were going to win. We won eight amendments in the Lords. The Government used parliamentary privilege to overrule them all, and it was very disappointing. Suddenly I had an opportunity to argue against Chris Grayling on #BBCNewsnight. We didn’t win, but we only lost by 16 votes.
We now have a voice. We now have contacts at the BBC, The Guardian, The Times, and Sky. We didn’t have that before.
Sue’s blog: Diary of a Benefit Scrounger here
Sue Marsh has just reminded that medicine is a wonderful profession
It is many years since I set foot in a hospital as a Doctor (in the early 2000s). The last decade however has taught me a huge amount about being a patient in the NHS, mainly from the time I completed accelerated neurorehabilitation after a six coma due to bacterial meningitis in 2006, which left me physically disabled.
In a nutshell, there’s no “ifs, ands, or buts”. Doctors, nurses, OTs, speech and language therapists, physios and health care professionals, I firmly believe, should be amongst the highest valued members of society.
However, Sue Marsh has just written a blogpost in the famous blog ‘Diary of a Benefit Scrounger’. This single blogpost has reminded me what an absolutely wonderful profession medicine is.
It is really an honour and privilege for those who work in it. Sue’s blogpost explains the importance of Doctors listening to the patient, and making use of all possible clues in making the correct diagnosis. They say that most of the history can be obtained from the history, even before examining the patient. Sue’s blogpost is a brilliant description of that. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, more famous for having written the Sherlock Holmes detective novels, was a leading physician in his day-job, and a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians.
Sue’s blogpost also should also remind Doctors that, instead of grabbing for the notes, it’s always worth listening to the patient directly. And above all the patient is always right, and knows more about his or her own condition that you do (if you’re a Doctor).
Welfare Reform Bill suffers three heavy defeats in the House of Lords amidst success of the Spartacus Report campaign
The government suffered an extraordinary threefold defeat on its Welfare Reform Bill in the House of Lords last night (11 January 2012), as campaigners and peers combined successfully to oppose cuts that would hit sick, vulnerable and disabled people particularly badly.
With a few exceptions, the Liberal Democrats voted with the government as they generally have throughout the divisions in the Lords on the welfare bill, but their support was overwhelmed by a big turnout from Labour and crossbenchers. Crossbenchers Lord Patel and Baroness Meacher, and Labour peer Baroness Lister, were among those who fought an expert rearguard action against the coalition, with a few Liberal Democrats also rebelling. Crossbenchers have also been furiously lobbied by disability campaigners arguing that they should not be made to suffer for the economic crisis.
The votes are a huge triumph for Sue Marsh, Dr Sarah Campbell, Kaliya Franklin, and other disabled activists and researchers who, this Monday, published the ‘Responsible Reform’ report (#SpartacusReport). This research document caused an Internet sensation with their #spartacusreport campaign, as it galvanised charities, NGOs, politicians from all parties, churches, medical professionals and public figures into lobbying for a substantial rethink on welfare reform. Peers and MPs were subsequently inundated with pleas to stop welfare and disability cuts this morning, with thousands of copies of the report exposing the sham of the government’s consultation on Disability Living Allowance (DLA) being sent on to decision-makers and policy experts. The Catholic Archbishop of Southwark, Peter Smith, also expressed serious concern.
Plans to means-test employment and support allowance (ESA) payments for disabled people after only a year were rejected by peers. The means test would have applied to cancer patients and stroke survivors, and was denounced by Lord Patel, a crossbencher and former President of the Royal College of Obstetricians, as an immoral attack on the sick, the vulnerable and the poor. “If we are going to rob the poor to pay the rich, then we enter into a different form of morality,” He also said: “I am sympathetic to cutting the deficit, but I am highly sympathetic to sick and vulnerable people not being subjected to something that will make their lives even more miserable.”
The government was defeated by 224 votes to 186, even though Lord Freud, the welfare minister, claimed that the cost of the amendment would be £1.6bn spread over five years. The other defeats were over plans to time-limit ESA for those undergoing cancer treatment, and to restrict access to ESA for young people with disabilities or illness. Lord Freud countered that the 365-day time limit was not arbitrary and was similar to limits imposed in France, Ireland and Spain, and struck a “reasonable balance between the needs of sick, disabled people claiming benefit and those who have to contribute towards the cost”.
The defeats do not augur well for the government’s chances in future votes in the Lords on the bill, which includes housing benefit caps. The bill is at report stage before returning to the Commons.
In addition to last night’s humiliating defeat, the Conservative Mayor of London has been revealed to have opposed disability cuts; major charities, the TUC, the thinktank Ekklesia and others are calling for a legislative pause; and both the Scottish Government and the Welsh Assembly are declining to pass the traditional consent legislation for the UK parliament on the Welfare Reform Bill.
The House of Commons has the power to reverse the Lords amendments. Royal Assent is currently timed for March 2012.
Blog recommendations for http://shibleyrahman.com
Although the blog is left-leaning, I enjoy reading it, because it gives a fair and balanced perspective, which isn’t the case with many aligned blogs.
Walaa Idris, popular Conservative Blogger, speaker and political activist
http://www.walaaidris.com/blog/
Dr Shibley Rahman’s blog and website are one that I read on a daily basis. His non-partisan and open-minded thinking appeal to the less tribal of political followers, and always make for thoughtful discussion.
Spidey, popular Liberal Democrat Blogger, political activist and Executive Committee memner for West Woking Liberal Democrats.
http://www.spiderplantland.co.uk/
I can’t recommend his website highly enough. Dr Shibley Rahman brings a dazzling intellect to political debate. If you want knee-jerk, tribal reactions, go elsewhere! Shibley’s opinions are always balanced, never clouded and definitely worth reading.
Sue Marsh, the ‘Diary of a Benefit Scrounger’ blog
http://diaryofabenefitscrounger.blogspot.com
Razor-sharp thinking and the only Labour blog I read – Shibley’s a gem among rocks!
(Also @LiamRhodes, popular Conservatives tweeter)
Liam Rhodes, popular Conservative Blogger, CoAmber Valley Conservatives
http://www.onenationtory.com/
The site is great and the content even better. Shibley does a great job and this site is a testament to his hard work!
Andy Kinsey, Creative Director, Andy Kinsey Designs
(Also @andykinsey, popular Labour tweeter)
http://www.andykinsey.me/
In moments of lucidity, Shibley Rahman breaks through barriers of subjects normally considered taboo such as dementia, alcoholism and a unique but welcome brand of Labour party politics…worthy of your bookmark.
“Rightly Wry, Satirically RIGHT” Conservative Blogger
(Also @Parlez_me_nTory, popular Conservatives tweeter)
http://www.wicksie.com/
Shibley’s blog is excellent, providing interesting insightful opinions and some alternative views, a good read.
Jimmy Chen, Ethnic Minorities Officer in Colchester CLP
I very much like the blog exactly as it is. I find it immensely readable, and altho’ we’re both ‘Lefties’, I enjoy your sometimes alternative slant on the movement. Gives me food for thought!
@yorkierose, popular Labour tweeter
