General Chat

If it comes down to who is likely to give the poorest in society and those with disabilities and those on state welfare a harder time - Tory or Labour? - I would expect it to be the Tories. If there is a plan to move people from two bedrooms to one or cut their money, Tories would again be my favourites.

And how many Tory votes will they lose by bashing the weakest in our society? About 7 across the whole country - perhaps 8 if Mrs Anstruthers-Browne in Hove votes UKIP. If it were not for the LibDems sulking every time Dave and Ian and Duncan bash these people, it would probably be a whole lot worse. ;-)

I do not dispute that a Labour Government that initially awarded various contracts to ATOS, however, my comments are mainly directed at the use of ATOS in respect of people with disabilities claiming what was the Disability Living Allowance.

I don't want to get involved in politics on this thread, but my reading of who appointed ATOS to carry out assessments for those claiming that benefit is, that it was the Conservative government that appointed them.

This followed the Chancellor George Osborne announcement in the Budget on 22 June 2010, that there would be changes made to the application and assessment process for Disability Living Allowance and he said that from 2013, an objective medical assessment will be introduced for those claiming Disability Living Allowance. They could have chosen anyone, they chose to use ATOS.

I have been through two ATOS medicals and received my award both times BUT there are tricks in order to do this. Although I gave the doctor all my medication, letters from my consultants and a comprehensive list of disabilities I still had to NOT answer the questions in the way they were posed on the dreaded form!

Thank goodness I am now retired, I just have new PIP examination to suffer in 2015.

Normally the nearest you will get to an apology from any politician is "we have listened to peoples concerns"

I have several serious health problems, my doctor says I have several serious health problems, no less than 3 senior hospital consultants say I have several serious health problems. If this or any government thinks that, if and when I need help with something, that I am going to subject myself to some irrelevant 20 questions and examination by idiots who do not appear to be able to tell the difference between a fridge and a frying pan, they can think again, as I would rather plod on than go through some of the humiliating experiences people have been subjected to by ATOS.

As supercrutch has said It was Labour who appointed ATOS and also Labour who negotiated that contract which included the criteria from which they work and make the decisions which have caused all the controversy.

Roy

Is he also going to admit Labour got it completely wrong to appoint ATOS?

I'll not hold by breath!

I agree that disability hate crime should be treated like any other hate crime, as for ATOS - GR's T&C's do not allow me to say in plain language what I think of them, on both issues something urgently needs to be done, but what and by whom, as I am :-S

Last week the Liberal Democrats & UKIP announced they are the only ones on the side of Joe Public and only they can save the UK from the nasty parties, this week it is the turn of the Labour Party to announce they are the only ones on the side of Joe Public and only they can save the UK from the nasty parties, and next week it will be the Conservative party's turn to announce they are the only ones on the side of Joe Public and only they can save the UK from the nasty parties :-S :-S :-S

The "owl of the remove" will sweep to power if he cancels ATOS contract and hangs all their officers in prominent public places. Furthermore, the bedroom tax abolition will bring many many votes from the centre left.

It would never surprise me ic Dave cancels both of these before next election. He is a pragmatist and quite likes his job.

Love the link and Guardian jobs. How about:

Digital Manager (Maternity cover)
£40,958 including London weighting
35 hours per week
Fixed term contract minimum 10 months, upto 1 year
Based in London

No, I have no idea either. Except it is to promote the digital strategy. Perhaps I will apply - I am all fingers and thumbs ;-)

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2013/sep/21/labour-disability-hate-crime-atos