Resign Iain Duncan Smith, Resign!!

Back in the early 2000s, the quiet man of politics, Iain
Duncan Smith, was sacked as the Tory leader but, rather than remain in
political wilderness, he began working on his return to front-line politics.

In 2002, Iain Duncan Smith went to the Glasgow scheme, Easterhouse to ‘experience poverty first-hand’.  It was
claimed that IDS had an ‘Easterhouse Epiphany’ when her ‘began to appreciate
the scale of social breakdown occurring in Great Britain’ after visiting
Easterhouse.

It was on the back of this visit that he created the Centre for Social Justice
(CSJ), an ‘independent’ think-tank which would promote and shape Conservative
welfare policy.

So how did Easterhouse change IDS’ view on welfare?  In 1994 he wrote an editorial in the Mail
where he:

Decried the growth in welfare
spending

Claimed that the present welfare
system betrays the intention of Beveridge

That is was defrauded on a large
scale

Creates a ‘class’ of people
incapable of helping themselves.

SOLUTION: “One income assessed
benefit”

Speaking in 2010 as Dept. Work and Pensions Secretary where
he:
               

                Decried
the growth in welfare spending

Claimed that the present welfare
system betrays the intention of Beveridge

That is was defrauded on a large
scale

Claimed that the welfare system created
a generation who were dependent on welfare

SOLUTION: Universal credit





Cynical people may claim that IDS’ “Easterhouse Epiphany” was nothing more that
the whimperings of a man scrambling for political relevance.

Let’s have a look at a couple of aspects of Mr Duncan Smith’s
management of the Department of Works and Pensions.

ATOS

There is an old joke in Glasgow that the ATOS assessment
building in the city should be renamed ‘Lourdes’ as even the most ill and sick
people are suddenly cured after visiting ATOS.

But this is no laughing matter.  There is
a culture within ATOS, uncovered by secret filming by the Guardian, of staff
being monitored to ensure that an ‘excessive’ number of applicants are not
successful.  Those unsuccessful with
their ATOS assessment are thrown to the mercy of the Tory’s work program
without the access to the support that they need to ensure a quality of
life.  Sadly, this culture has resulted
in many deaths within the disabled community.

Michael Meacher MP told the House of Commons that 7,100 people died after being
put into the support group after their ATOS assessment and that 1,300 died
after being put in the work related group after assessment from ATOS.

THE BEDROOM TAX

The bedroom tax was brought in on the same week as the
Tories gave a tax cut to their millionaire mates.  This policy, a housing benefit cut, affects
the vulnerable, the poorly paid, the disabled and anyone else who has a home in
the social sector that had a ‘spare’ bedroom’.

The Tories claimed that it was only ‘fair’ that tenants took responsibility for
the housing crisis that was created by short-sighted politicians.

The bedroom tax is now politically isolated with all the main parties, except
the Tories, coming out against this vindictive and blatantly unfair policy.

UNIVERSAL CREDIT

There are legitimate arguments for a simplified benefits
systems but NOT this creation by the Centre of Social Justice.  Already there are reports that over £200M of taxpayer’s
money has been spent trying to implement this policy.

Critics have warned that Universal Credit will be a disaster.  The plan to pay rent directly to the tenant
rather than the landlord has increased rent arrears from 2% to 11% in the areas
that this was trialled.  Experts have
warned of the rise of homeless people and a leaked memo from Eric Pickles
claimed that all savings from this policy will be nullified by the additional
cost borne by local authorities dealing with their increase in homelessness.

Charities have criticised the planned change that Universal Credit would be
paid monthly rather than weekly/fortnightly while the conditionality and
sanctions attached to Universal Credit have been called punitive and unnecessary.

Iain Duncan Smith is a liar.  His
political CV shows him to be an opportunist with little political
substance.  He is either a very cold and
heartless man of completely incompetent. 
Either way, he should do the honourable thing and RESIGN NOW!!