Official thread: ‘Get Britain Working’ White Paper released Tuesday 26th November

Hi all,

Back now and got my digital highlighter

I’m 8 pages in and finding that I’m highlighting a lot

I’m now using an app which allows me to save self highlighted pdf - would readers of this thread be open minded to me posting that instead of screenshots if I end up highlighting too many pages? I’ll see where I am at the end but I can use different coloured highlights to show the really interesting nuggets etc…

okay, I’ve finished highlighting the white paper pdf and as I feared I highlighted too many pages to screenshot so I’m posting the completed highlighted version below

I did try to colour code but my head got overwhelmed a third through so it’s a bit all over the place 😝 - yellow is kind of general tibbits, red are the parts that I think Kendall and co may want to take a second look at (made me feel a little uneasy, or slightly dodgy area/language or needs a rethink before being a realistic ‘bucket list’ item on Kendall’s checklist) and blue & orange are parts that stood out more than the yellow in a somewhat positive way

(And the other colours 🤷‍♀️………I’m autistic and like a colour code even if it’s not entirely obvious even to myself)

I also didn’t highlight the youth chapter as I wasn’t sure how many scope readers were in the 16-24 age group - I gave the start of that chapter a unique hot pink/purple highlight if you want to quickly locate that part

Now in the coming days I’m sure I’ll have a very vocal opinion and several takeaways that I’ll share with the forum (well the one or two of you that don’t think I’m off my rocker)

I do have 2 immediate takeaways that I think are valid:

> This is very much labours ‘part 1 of 2’ plan to reduce the welfare bill & get people into work (part 2 of 2 is not due till spring 2025). Having read through the whole white paper (though I’ll need to reread some parts a few more times) for the most part it was pretty positive - there were some good ideas and some very ambitious ones (a 10-15yr plan that labour will need at least 2 to 3 terms if they are to reap the major rewards). There were some parts I had to question the realism but if they were sincere about working directly with disabled ppl & organisations then I think these could be adjusted to be more ‘achievable’

> back in June many disabled wanted the tories out so badly that they were willing to make it happen at all costs (and didn’t listen to the risk of labour having a huge majority and almost blind in hope that labour were going to be this big saviour party for them). Some still don’t see how the rapid welfare bill is a huge problem for the uk economy and any responsible party in charge had no choice but to address it - there was always going to be hard times incoming for this community but it would be tougher under some parties than others.

In 3 to 4 years time we will be on the eve of the next general election and as things stand labour have upset a lot of ppl since July and a kemikaze/stride Tory gov or a farage reform party (or a coalition of both) are very likely to get the protest vote and win - and I’m 100% sure that disabled people well-being would be in significantly more danger than anything labour can come up with (think dystopian and eugenics)

Every disabled person needs to ask themselves what price they are willing to pay in 42+ months time in order to continue keeping the tories & reform out of power?

Once you’ve answered that you need to ask yourself if you are going to refuse to jump any hoops labour may come back with - or if you are open to reasonable compromise (such as the hoops being lowered) and at least be open to try and jump them (part of the compromise being Labour acknowledging if you do try but don’t have the ‘ability’ to clear and recognising each individuals personal limitations). If you don’t try you’ll never know and if it doesn’t work then you’ve enforced your ‘long term sick status’ in theory

liz Kendall last week at the dwp committee said something along the lines of disabled are more likely to find and stay in work in a job they find enjoyable and that’s so true and I hope Kendall truly feels that way as I think that could be a key to labour’s white paper finding success - my advice would be to think about the things you enjoy doing/hobbies so if you need to see a work coach down the line (and their mentality does change under labour) you have an idea what you’d be open to try and prehaps by then work coach’s may actually be able to help you find the ‘right’ way forward health and well-being wise for you that also ticks dwp boxes

Sorry went on a bit of a rant

I really hope Kendall and her team make themselves more accessible and give disabled ppl more opportunities to be able to chat and share ideas & viewpoints going forward (focus groups prehaps, visiting local charities, etc….)

I’m sorry but this is an extremely damaging viewpoint that isn’t strictly true (prehaps a scope moderator can back me on this)

The wca consultation had only just over 1k responses and still managed to achieve some concessions (tories were planning to go much worse then they actually did)

The pip consultation had over 15k? and in the dwp committee party Kendall had clearly been affected by some of the responses

consultations are a massively important way to get our voice heard and it would be in the disabled community interest to respond in our 10’s of thousands

And when was the the last time an in person achieved anything (apart from getting the right to protest laws tightened)

I hope no scope member reading takes your advice on that one if I’m being honest