Spartacus' own, Sue Taylor, clashes with The Sun's Political Editor, Tom Newton Dunn - and wins hands down!

Got a reply from that SUN reporter, see it below and my reply to him;

On Fri, 16/3/12, Newton Dunn, Tom <tnd@the-sun.co.uk> wrote:

From: Newton Dunn, Tom <tnd@the-sun.co.uk>
Subject: Re: NEWS
To: "k. jackson" <lilyrainbow123@yahoo.co.uk>
Date: Friday, 16 March, 2012, 21:34

Mr Taylor,
Thanks for writing. It's a shame we disgust you - it's not our intention.
If you actually read today's story, you will see we clearly state your alternative viewpoint, as held also by Brendan Barber.
May I suggest that these are government statistics which we are simply reporting, so your beef is when them and not us?

Furthermore, if you don't believe the country's bloated welfare system - paid for by hard working taxpayers - is not in need of serious reform, you are very much in the minority of British people.
Regards,
Tom

Tom Newton Dunn
Political Editor
The Sun
Press Gallery, House of Commons, SW1A 0AA

MY REPLY:

Mr, Newton Dunn

What a flippant sarcastic reply to somebody who has dared to question your reporting, I certainly DO agree that some of the Welfare Systems needs some reform I don’t think I said differently, the point of my objection is that the genuinely sick and disabled in this country are being hounded into the ground by the people from ATOS who are deliberately ignoring the professional and learned reports from GP's Specialists etc, and making very sick and disabled people even more sick and disabled, the suicide rate for people who just cannot cope with the evil and prejudicial tactics of ATOS is climbing at a rate of knots and not one single newspaper is even interested let alone reporting on it. The facts are out there. If there were any other sector in this country that was having a mass suicide rate such as what is happening to the sick and disabled, there would be headline news round the world.

Let me also point out another FACT and that is 0.03% of any fraudulent benefits claimed are made by people claiming disability benefits. These are ABLE BODIED people claiming DISABILITY benefits, and that is the fault of the incompetent DWP staff, NOT the disabled people of this country. 

The witch-hunt people like yourselves are waging on disabled people is (and i am sure you will jump up in glee) having the desired affect, hate crime on the disabled is rising and disabled people are being attacked and harmed. One man actually had morons deliberately push his wheelchair into oncoming traffic to see if he was "really disabled" he was nearly killed - there are many more instances of this and they are rising at a rapid rate, and all caused by people like yourselves who actually do not report the true facts, the true figures, and the TRUTH. I can back up what I am claiming - can you???

I sincerely do not expect your newspaper to show a balanced reporting ethic, its just to much to ask on this issue, the Disabled people of this country can see clearly the news "blackout" that is happening right across all media's, but we wont be beaten - we may be slower than most other groups, but we will eventually be heard. 

I now reply to your comment in regards to the "hard working taxpayer" let me actually educate you as you seem to have no idea just what the "hard working taxpayer" is actually paying for (yourself being one of them). They are paying on a daily basis, millions and millions of pounds to a government backed company called ATOS who are cheating them with false decisions of which in excess of 40% are being overturned. That’s twice the Gp's and specialists time (paid for by hard working taxpayer) to complete yet more reports, it is paying for extra staff to have these appeals heard, and that also is millions of unnecessary money the "hard working taxpayer" is paying for. This company is paid on "results" i.e. they get paid for every "client" that is taken of their benefits and put onto JSA, it does not matter whether their reports are correct or not - its the money that counts. Let’s also not forget that this company have been caught out using fraudulent methods of claiming even more money from the "hard working taxpayer". 

Also the "hard working Taxpayer" is paying for the companies (of which there are to many to name) who are tax avoiders and who are bringing this country to its knees, I don’t see your newspapers doing major front page headlines and witch-hunt’s on these issues, and these companies owe BILLIONS of pounds to this country.

Finally, MP's expenses, the "hardworking taxpayer" is also paying out millions of pounds to pay these people for fraudulent use and nothing is done to claim these monies back. 
I dont seriously expect you, as a reporter for the SUN newspaper, to give honest and true facts or even work from a level playing field, but yes you disgust me when you are putting seriously disabled and sick people (the most vulnerable people in this country) not only at risk not only by claiming (and wrongly so) that all disabled people are scroungers, but inciting behaviour from the general public to actually harm and cause disabled people injury. THAT IS DISGUSTING. 

Also remember that many Disabled people have had working lives, have paid in FULL their taxes, National Insurance contributions, pensions, and are only getting back what they have paid into. They are neither scroungers nor liars.

I have, and very easily so, found out the true facts and figures, so stop hiding behind "you are only quoting Government statistics", you are quoting what you are being told to quote, and it is unacceptable that this Government is using methods of bullying and intimidation that this "democratic and caring" country usually associate with dictatorships.

Just know that disability can happen to anyone at anytime of their lives, it has no preference for age, race, or creed when it hits, it is devastating and life changing, it smashes lives apart and caused problems that are incomprehensible, and to attach a "blame" on any disabled person is despicable and unacceptable.

Didn't Cameron himself claim DLA, was that or has that ever been questioned or has he and his wife ever been pilloried?????? 

What is coming across loud and clear to disabled people is Cameron's intense dislike of any disability, you may pooh hoo this statement, but when you consider that Cameron himself has had his father (who was disabled) and his son (disabled) die within a year of each other the question is being asked (and gaining momentum) "has this man truly worked through his grief - is he fit for the office of PM" because grief can cause very dangerous and unthinkable reactions in every single one of us, and the way this man is hounding the sick and disabled people of this country is totally unthinkable and having very dangerous and in a lot of cases fatal results.

All the sarcastic and dismissive replies in the world do not even touch sides when dealing with people who are sick and disabled through no fault of their own, (especially children) and any newspaper that actively incites anger and harm towards truly disabled people through stories that are sensationalised and unbalanced, need to look at their own morals and ethics, because you know what Mr. Newton Dunn, one day it could be YOUR family that is attacked in the street, YOUR family left to cope with crippling disabilities and nowhere to turn, YOUR family that suffers this witch-hunt, and believe me I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy.

Get some heart, get some conscience and stop being part of this government’s despicable treatment of the truly sick and disabled show some empathy and balance out the playing field.

Regards
S. Taylor

New! PIP Consultation . . . From Spartacus

NEW! PIP Consultation

Consultation downloads (including alternative formats)

Awareness-raising downloads

The Government’s consultation on the criteria for Personal Independence Payments (PIP), which will replace Disability Living Allowance (DLA) runs until 30 April 2012. As the new benefit is so different from DLA, it’s really important to publicize it  and  encourage as many as possible  to respond – not just claimants but people who  might support them like Occupational Therapists etc.

As the official consultation documents are difficult to read and understand, the Spartacus team have produced unofficial guides and advice to help as many people as possible to respond.

Responding is important for two reasons:

1. The government have given assurances about taking responses into consideration so they get the criteria right. This is our big opportunity to avoid the dreadful mess ESA  (Employment Support Allowance) has become
2. If it becomes obvious that they haven’t we can then hold them to account and push them to honour the commitment.

To make sure we can do that please send us a copy of your response to the DWP – we won’t do anything with your responses except count them unless we have to. Let’s make sure the Government knows they’re being watched.

Suggestions for responding to the consultation

We recommend you work through the documents in the order suggested. To try to make things as easy as possible and, we hope, avoid anyone feeling overwhelmed, we have created one big document and also broken it down into bite-size chunks. It’s entirely up to you how you tackle it:

Please could you:

• Download either the full document or the separate sections – each bite-size chunk has everything you need to answer the questions it covers.
• Download the response form if you want to use ours.
• Work through the questions, using the response form to record your thoughts/answers. You don’t have to answer every question although it would be great if you can.
• Down load the “how to guide” if you’re a bit stumped for ideas and not sure how to answer the questions.
• Email your completed response form, as an attachment, to the DWP – the email address is pip.assessment@dwp.gsi.gov.uk
• Once you’ve done that please send us a copy of your response to pipresponse@spartacusforum.org.uk  In the body of your email, please could you type: “I give you permission to use the content of the attached response in communications with the DWP in relation to the PIP consultation, without revealing my name and contact details”
• Check back here regularly for updates and to see how many responses have been sent.

Consultation downloads

Raising awareness – let’s hit 10,000 individual responses

There are bound to be lots of people who don’t have a clue what’s going on, not just people who get DLA but also professionals involved in people’s support, families and carers of people who get or should get DLA. Part of getting the consultation known about is creating our own Heineken effect – reaching the parts others can’t.

To do this we have created a few ideas and tools to use. Even if you’re scratching your head thinking, but I don’t know anyone, we’re sure you do. We’ve made a little ideas sheet to help you think about the kinds of things you could do:

• Tweet about it – look out for tweet ideas
• Post up links on your FB page or another forum you might be  a member of eg ME awareness UK
• Put up a poster – you can download one we have created
• Talk to your GP, OT, Physio etc
• Ask to put up a poster in the places you might go church, support group, community centre, art group – basically anywhere you go where there might be other people who are affected
• Download the ideas guide to help you have a think

Awareness-raising downloads

Note:

There is no comments area on this page; to discuss the consultation or get help, go to the Spartacus Forum at www.spartacusforum.org.uk

Right to Work campaign pledges support for Remploy workers . . .

Right to Work campaign pledges support for Remploy workers

Posted: 15 Mar 2012 05:00 PM PDT

Unanimous support was offered to Remploy workers resisting the closure of their factories by the Right to Work AGM on 11^th March 2012. The pledge followed the announcement by government last week of the implementation of the findings from the Sayce Report, the review of disability employment support published last year.  The report was commissioned from the disability charity Radar for allegedly as much as two million pounds.

In her speech to the AGM, Linda Burnip, DPAC, emphasised the devastating impact of current government policies on disabled people. DPAC is not satisfied that enough will be done to protect the futures of more than 1500 disabled workers who will be left without employment.  Of those Remploy employees made redundant from previous closures only 6% have gone on to find further employment. At a time of recession it is irresponsible to push large numbers of disabled people onto the mercy of the ever restricted welfare system. Moreover as local authorities tighten their eligibility criteria and cut back on front line services disabled people are being increasingly left socially isolated and alone. Remploy workers facing the closure of their factories face the loss not only of their options for paid work but also of vital social networks. DPAC does not support segregated employment but we believe that starting to end this practice by   throwing people who’ve worked in sheltered workplaces for 20-30 years is wrong. The place to start an end to segregation is in the education system and disabled children must have a legal right to mainstream education.

The Right to Work campaign have called on anti-cuts groups to show solidarity with and support local actions called by Remploy workers to resist the government’s decision. Mark Dunk of the Right to Work campaign said, “The Tory government’s plans to close Remploy will throw thousands of disabled people onto the growing unemployment scrapheap. Those who had some independence and security as Remploy workers now face having their lives dictated to them by multinational corporations operating government workfare schemes. The Right to Work campaign will do all it can to support Remploy workers fighting back against this disgraceful attack.”

Remploy closures have been justified by claims that money saved in this way could be reinvested in Access to Work, the government scheme which provides support to disabled people in mainstream employment. This was the recommendation of the Sayce Report. However, whilst implementing the finding to close Remploy factories, adversely affecting thousands of disabled people, there is little hope that the government will be so diligent in implementing the finding to invest in Access to Work. A statement by the Office for Disability Issues last week said that the Government aims to focus  money on disabled people themselves rather than institutions “by recycling monies freed up from Remploy over time into more effective and proven employment programmes such as Access to Work“. The language is clearly worded not to create any expectation of investment any time soon.

Disabled people are therefore going to lose and lose again as  thousands more are set to join the ranks of those currently living in fear, dependent on a benefits system that is disappearing before our very eyes. Yet again the government has shown how ruthlessly it is willing to exploit the social model and the language of inclusion to ease through its vicious and unrelenting attacks on disabled people. Whilst preaching integration, the government is snatching away yet more and more of the support that disabled people need not only to participate equally within society but to live at all. This is being done with the complicity of the big charities, profiting from the government’s calculated lip service to inclusion while the lives of disabled people are cast aside.

Are you a DWP Jobcentre Customer, on a Welfare to Work (Workfare) Programme, or worried about a referral?

http://www.consent.me.uk/ 

Are you a DWP Jobcentre Customer, on a Welfare to Work(fare) Programme or worried about a referral?

Then you need to Protect YOUR Personal Information!

(1) Consent form: Never sign this Data Protection waiver when you attend any Welfare to Work Programme appointment. Your entitlement  to welfare benefits  does not depend upon signing it and any form like it can be ignored.

(2) Withdraw consent: You can use this standard letter to withdraw consent and get back your Data Protection rights,  from the DWP Jobcentre or any Welfare to Work Programme Providers or Subcontractors.

(3) Sign here please?: Check out the dedicated page on the fact that you do not have to sign many Jobcentre and Work Programme documents, like Action or Employment Plans. Or forms to acknowledge receipt of provider or subcontractor letters , attendance at induction sessions, declarations or agreements.

(4) Your CV: Remember that you do not have to give either the Jobcentre or any Work Programme Provider or Subcontractor a printed or electronic copy of your CV to keep. Though it might be reasonable to provide evidence of your ability to create, maintain and make use of one, which could mean only showing them a version of your CV, do not give them a copy to keep.

If you have already given your CV to the Jobcentre and agreed to the Jobseekers Agreement (ES3JP) section allowing  (a) retaining it or (b) sending it to any “prospective employers by the most appropriate method“,  you can withdraw your consent to stop such sharing.  Jobcentre guidance on use of your CV confirms “no action” should be taken if you do not wish to use it’s Job Broking Service.

Sample of a CV and tips that can help protect your privacy.

“There is no legal requirement for a Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) customer…to supply their provider [or DWP Jobcentre] with a CV…, an e-mail address or a telephone number. ”
Source: DWP Central FoI Team

“Claimants only have to ‘show‘ Providers a copy of their CV, they do not have to use the DWP’s or Provider’s job brokerage service if they don’t want to. Providers do have to ask the claimant for permission to contact prospective employers. In short, the claimant is correct in quoting the Data Protection Act.”
Source: IndusDelta

(5) Words to avoid: Phrase your demands carefully. Don’t say, “I refuse. . . .” Say,  “I do not consent to share my personal information because I do not want to give up my  Data Protection Act rights” 

(6) Benefit sanctions: Check the dedicated page www.consent.me.uk/sanctions, to consider whether following anything suggested on consent.me.uk could lead to loss of benefit payments through a compliance doubt sanction.

(7) Contact: Tell your Jobcentre and Work Programme Adviser that you prefer only to be contacted by letter.  Or use a standard letter to explicitly remove consent to contact you by landline or mobile telephone, including text/sms or email.

“There is no legal requirement for a Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) customer….to supply their provider [or DWP Jobcentre] with a CV…, an e-mail address or a telephone number.”
Source: DWP Central FoI Team

“There is no internal guidance that says it is a condition of Jobseeker’s Allowance that  claimants must provide their telephone number or their email address…providing a telephone contact number is notmandatory”
Source: DWP Central FoI Team

“However, if during the information gathering process by DWP with the customer, the customer provides an email address, a landline telephone number or a mobile telephone number, then it is reasonably expected that they have given DWP implicit consent to use these media in order to contact them. DWP would not routinely seek express consent or permission to use these media for contacting the customer, if the details had been supplied by the customer. ”
Source: DWP Central FoI Team

(8) Tips: Email, Telephone, CV and Job application tips that help protect your privacy.

(9) Sharing your information: Be aware all Work Programme Providers and their Subcontractors are DWP Jobcentre Data Processors, which means they share any personal information you give them with DWP Jobcentre,  without the need for further consent. Personal information you share with the DWP Jobcentre is also shared with all Providers and their Subcontractors for delivery of the Work Programme, without the need for further consent. The Work Programme referral letter states the DWP Jobcentre only shares your “contact details“, in fact they share considerably more.

“Providers receiving any SAR requests are required to notify DWP and provide us with [all] the personal data they hold to enable the Department to meet our legal obligations.”
Source: DWP Central FoI Team

“In addition, in order to carry out their functions under the Employment, Skills and Enterprise Scheme, the Work Programme provider may needadditional personal information from the claimant. If the claimant does not wish to [consent to] provide this information it may be the case that, with the provider, they can investigate ways in which they can still participate in the Scheme, without the additional information being provided.”
Source: DWP Central FoI Team

(10) Third Party: Consider telling your Work Programme Adviser to place a formal note on your Action Plan or DWP Jobcentre Adviser to amend your Jobseekers Agreement (ES3JP) so they both state you do not consent to your personal information being shared with and obtained from any third party, such as but not exclusively employers or training providers.

“…if a provider wanted to share your personal data with a non-contracted organisation [third party], that does require your consent. In these circumstances the provider will ask you to sign a consent form. Should you choose, you can refuse permission.”
Source: DWP Central FoI Team

Note: According to page 1 of the Jobseekers Agreement (ES3JP) Jobcentre Plus claim they can contact an employer for feedback, without the need for further consent, about any job they have told you to apply for.

Tip: You can of course tell any employer (in advance and in writing is best)  that you do not consent to them giving the DWP Jobcentre or any Work Programme Provider or Subcontractor any feedback on either a job interview or job application.

(11) Fully informed and freely given consent?

“Consent obtained under duress or on the basis of misleading information does not adequately satisfy the condition for processing.”Source: Information Commissioners Office

“Conditions relevant for purposes of the first principle: processing of any personal data…The data subject has given his consent to the processing.”
Source: Data Protection Act (1998) Schedule 2

“For consent to be fully informed and freely given you need to tell the customer exactly why you need the information, what you are going to do with it and whom you might share it with. We cannot put any conditions on a customer to try and persuade them to consent.“
Source: DWP Jobcentre policy on Consent

“Consent shall mean any freely given specific and informed indication of his wishes by which the data subject signifies his agreement to personal data relating to him being processed.”
Source: European Directive 95/46/EC on Data Protection on which the UK Data Protection Act is based

“1. Everyone has the right to the protection of personal data concerning him or her. 
2. Such data must be processed fairly for specified purposes and on the basis of the consent of the person concerned or some other legitimate basis laid down by law.”
Source: Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union – Article 8 – Protection of personal data

(12) Important Notice: Get copies of the 2008 DWP Jobcentre Notice on: ‘Customer Consent to Sharing/Disclosure of Personal Information‘, plus Jobcentre guidance onConsent and consider giving copies to Work Programme Providers and Subcontractors to explain why you will not share personal information they do not already have or update the information they already have access to from the DWP Jobcentre. Visit the ICO website to fully understand your Data Protection Act (1998) rights.

Right to respect for private and family life
Everyone has the right to respect for his private and family life, his home and his correspondence.
Source: Human Rights Act (1998) Article 8 ECHR rights to Privacy

(13) Obtain your information: Read details on how to get copies of personal information the DWP/Jobcentre holds about you and official information held by the DWP/Jobcentre and Providers.

(14) Destroy your information: You can request the DWP Jobcentre to remove any Sensitive personal information they have recorded about you, by using this standard letter. You can can also use this standard letter requesting additional personal information held by Providers or Subcontractors be destroyed.

Recording Sensitive Information on LMS*
“The consent will remain valid while the claim remains live, unless the customer requests that the details be removed…any fields/indicators that contain sensitive information must be amended/re-set to ensure that all traces of  the sensitive information have been removed.”
Source: DWP Legal Group Information-Devolution and Governance
*Labour Market System database.

(15) Starting work?: When you do get a job you can just complete ‘Part 4 Declaration‘ of your ‘Signing on Booklet’ (Part 4 ES40JP) and return the booklet to the Jobcentre.

(16) Barriers to employment assessments: Remember that whilst Jobcentres and Work Programme Providers may ask you to complete assessments or a ‘Looking for Work‘ (LFW1) form, you are free to withhold providing answers, be selective in what and how you answer, or just decline to complete.

“LFW1 is intended to be helpful and inform the interview, but completion isnot mandatory.” (original emphasis)
Source: DWP Central FOI Team

(17) Work Programme induction: Consider bringing copies of pages 2 and 3 of yourJobseekers Agreement (ES3JP) with you to any Work Programme induction or assessment, as it contains relevant answers to questions you will be asked and helps to limit how much information you give. This suggestion is based on the fact that Providers and Subcontractors already have access to this information, so no point giving them more than they already have.

(18) Be vigilant: New forms are being created by Jobcentre Plus, Work Programme Providers and Subcontractors that use small print to hide the fact that if signed you are consenting to give up many of your Data Protection Act rights.

(19) Jobseeking evidence: Jobcentres use a ‘Looking for Work‘ form (ES4JP) for you to record your Jobseeking efforts, consider only showing this and nothing else to Work Programme Providers and Subcontractors. Do not give them any copies to keep.

(20) Identity checks: You will be asked questions and for proof of identification by Work Programme Providers and Subcontractors, just show them your ‘Signing on Booklet‘ (ES40JP) and the Jobcentre letter referring you to the Work Programme.

(21) Your library: Visit your local library to find out about independent courses that can help and support you with Job applications, CVs and job Interviews or Career advice.

Got a question? email@i.do.not.consent.me.uk or use the contact form.

As DWP Jobcentre experts have found there is “little evidence” that any Welfare to Work Programme “increases the likelihood of finding work” and the Social Security Advisory Committee saying they are regarded as “punishment” of the sort usually reserved for criminal behaviour or prisoners like “community payback“, you therefore might wish to follow the evidence based pragmatic suggestions above.

“What will really matter in the long run is the level of employment opportunities, and the Work Programme will make not one jot of difference to that.”
Source: Whitehall Watch

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