The Green Paper Discussion (the document link is here too!)

I’m glad this is happening. What I think is disgraceful is Starmers background as a lawyer, he knows or should know this is an infringement on peoples rights and protected characteristics yet has gone ahead with it anyway which puts his whole integrity and imo leadership into question. If he’d have run on a manifesto of taking benefits from the disabled and sick and sweeping cuts to departments he wouldn’t have been voted in so it shouldn’t be allowed to go ahead at all

And go through they will. It's disgraceful. But we don't have enough MP'S to fight our corner.

And I must say Catherine, given how awful and dangerous these proposals are, the disability charities have really let us down this week.

There has been NO PUSHBACK OF ANY NOTE FROM THE ORGANISATIONS THAT CLAIM TO BE FOR THE DISABLED. JUST A FEW VERY LACKLUSTRE STATEMENTS.

Its a limbo period.

What appears to have happened is Kendall and Timms called a meeting with MP's to basically stop a rebellion later on, then they opened the floor to comments and basically every MP

said they had been flooded with messages from mild to very abusive stating long term voters will never support them again, new MP's who barely won got angry saying they were not elected on a platform like this and the meeting then went even worse when one asked was the story true Reeves is planning on more welfare cuts this coming week, Both Ministers apparently refused to answer and that's when MP's shouted they would not vote in favour.

Starmer seems confused, If the role of an MP is just to vote for whatever the leader wants

it makes this form of governance a total waste of time, MP's are there to convey back to the Govt exactly what the people who voted for them are saying. I really am getting the vibe from Starmer he's acting like a President = vote against me I kick you out.

Trade unions refusing to stop supporting Labour are part of the problem. Just one of many reasons the British left are strategically and politically inept.

Yup....starmer is a dictator.

I can't see the Tories getting in anytime soon unless reform implodes. I can see reform/ lib dems swallowing most of their votes they hope to get back in the next election. Just about the only political good news is seeing them where they belong, as an irrelevance.

@HollisMcBobbery Then, I can only assume people are expecting Reform UK to amend their views on welfare between now and next election.

Their manifesto last year was, imo, even worse than the Labour proposal.

Here's a copy of their 2024 manifesto pledge as posted on B&W:

Reform UK election manifesto: welfare benefits promises

 Published: 17 June 2024

Reform UK has published its manifesto today.  It has less than half a page of text on benefits, under the heading “The Benefits System is Broken” and featuring a slogan of “In Britain, if you can work, you must work.”

On PIP and the WCA, Reform says: 

Face to Face, Not Remote Assessments for Benefits

Personal Independence Payment and Work Capability Assessment should be face to face. We will require independent medical assessments to prove eligibility for payments. Those registered with severe disabilities or serious long-term illnesses would be exempt from regular checks.

When benefits and work carried out a poll of readers two years ago on what sort of PIP assessment they would prefer, the results were:

• Paper 59% 
• Phone 20%
• Face-to-face 20%
• Video 1%

So this is a move that would be unpopular with the majority of Benefits and Work readers

The remainder of the text is devoted to raising the starting point for tax to £20,000 a year and an aim “Motivate up to 2 million People Back to Work”.

Reform say that:

“Reforms to benefit support and training will help people back into work. Particular focus on 16-34 year olds. Employment is critical to improving mental health. Tax relief for businesses that undertake apprenticeships.”

The manifesto goes on to warn that:

“All job seekers and those fit to work must find employment within 4 months or accept a job after 2 offers. Otherwise, benefits are withdrawn.”

You can download a copy of Reform UK’s manifesto from this link.

Anyway, it's possible some people will be too focused on ensuring immigrants don't receive benefits to care if their own family/neighbours are also 'punished'. Btw, imo, that's the route MAGA took in the US, and look at them now …. all up in arms about their welfare/healthcare disappearing along with anything immigrants get (which is very little from what I understand)! 🙄