Scope's reply to the governments planned concessions to the green paper.

We are literally the ONLY COUNTRY in Western and Northern Europe which actively places Disabled people in a negative light.

There's such a thing as toxic positivity, and telling people who are concerned not just for their security but their very lives that they should basically be the better person or look on the bright side is frustrating.

It's hard all round and people have different situations and outlooks, and I don't wish terrible things on people but it's hard to feel pity seeing any of these politicians under stress, considering what they've been doing to millions with a smile and a smirk.

The harder they feel defeated the better so they don’t come for us again 🤞. By the time of Timms report Rayner will probably be PM I wonder if she hates the disabled ?

Hi @uruloki - good to have you join us. I think we're all feeling a bit battered & bruised with recent events (& the media mainly hasn't helped), & yesterday's debate before the vote on the bill's 2nd reading was difficult to watch, from the MPs that spoke from their conscience, & those that spoke with feeling about their disabled constituents giving them a voice, to the actual vote.

Yes, a couple of us have been thinking the same about this Bill that they want it certified as a money bill, & now the clause about PIP has been removed, it's perhaps possible (& why did it say underneath the Bill that it was expected to be certified as a money bill before the actual debate?)

We have to hang on to the fact that there are a lot of good people fighting our corner, e.g. charities for disabled people & organisations that have helped with their unbiased opinion. The fight's not over yet.

Sort of think scrapping the PIP part of the Bill because of the backlash the Gov't had received might have been part of the already decided plan a few days ago @secretsquirrel1 - I'd have liked to have been a fly on the wall to have heard what they discussed!

I'd like to think the rebels are still watching too; they have a week to reflect & regroup. The proposed 4 point rule was calculated to cut as many disabled people as possible from PIP, but I don't think they'd contemplate this again, tho I'm definitely concerned that Timms review might not be co-produced with disabled people & the charities that support them, if the Green Paper 'consultation' was anything to go by.

Increasing NI contributions has hit businesses, & particularly small businesses according to the Federation of Small Businesses. This Gov't certainly doesn't seemed to have thought clearly, or listened.

The Gov't needs to build up trust with us all. On that note, Full Fact noted,

''In July 2024, Sir Keir Starmer made a pledge outside Number 10, that the public’s “lack of trust” in politics “can only be healed by actions not words.”

In saying these words, it seemed reasonable to expect trust-healing actions to follow. Unfortunately, this has not been the case.''

& later,

''The Prime Minister has failed to respond to more of our correction requests than any other minister, after making claims about convictions, immigration, and interest rates.''

Please see their full report on this Govt's first year: https://fullfact.org/politics/concerning-inaction-labour-government-first-year/

I don't think it's necessarily a loss of emotion for somebody. I don't enjoy seeing her that way and I was quite surprised to see it. But I think it's hard to properly feel sorry for somebody who has been a big part of this onslaught without apparent feeling themselves for those they're trampling and it's understandable people are feeling the way they are to varying degrees.

I'm not sure if she was in distress or just tired, but you do make a fair point too.

Can't be any worse than Marjorie Taylor Green interrupting President Biden's State of the Union address, or the New Zealand MPs staging a Haka in Parliament.

Having attended some very heated union meetings, I can only imagine how it feels to be in the Commons. Adversarial is definitely the word!