Tag Archives: Iain Duncan Smith

UK News

Even Our Lord Jesus Christ didn’t suffer this kind of persecution, says Iain Duncan Smith

12 Comments

Iain Duncan Smith has today lashed out at critics of his treatment of the disabled, the ill, the unemployed, and those who are in receipt of in work benefits.

The Conservative MP for Chingford and Woodford Green said: “Look, I went to look round Auschwitz in 2009 so I know about suffering, not to mention what human beings can be made to do when demonized, brutalized and starved, in a cold bureaucratic place of death.”

“Little did I know that in 2010, only a year later, I would take charge of the DWP, reshaping it into a cold bureaucratic place of death. Nor did I imagine that I would soon have the opportunity to plunge children, the sick and disabled into poverty, or to force people to work as virtual slaves at Poundland, for the benefit of the wealthiest.”

The minister continued: “The way I’m being persecuted by the disabled, the unemployed and those who have died immediately after being declared fit for work is hurtful and completely unjustified. Even the persecution inflicted upon our dear Lord Jesus Christ pales in comparison to what I’ve been subjected to; I’m just trying to get on and do my job.”

Some might say Iain Duncan Smith learnt the wrong lessons from his tour of Auschwitz. The full text of his report on his visit, as part of the Lessons From Auschwitz project, can be found here.

UK News

Remove benefit claimants from electoral register, demands Iain Duncan Smith

91 Comments

Iain Duncan Smith has reportedly demanded that those in receipt of benefits be removed from the electoral register, according to a letter leaked to the press today.

The Work and Pensions Secretary justified his request by arguing that it is unfair that people not currently paying into the system, either through working or by being high net wealth individuals, should be allowed to have a say in how public money is spent.

His letter to the Prime Minister went on to suggest that withdrawing the right to vote in this way, would provide a “much needed incentive for the workshy, ill and disabled to find work”, and for those in work to stay “in work and off benefits”. The letter also questioned whether those under the age of 25, who tend to be “more prone to idealism”, ought to be permitted to vote, albeit with a possible exception “for members of the Young Conservatives.”

There is speculation in Westminster that the timing of this letter is related to the upcoming referendum on whether the UK should leave the EU, and a possible snap general election that some are predicting to take place thereafter. In this context, barring  voters who are the least likely to vote for ‘Brexit’ or for the Conservative Party, may be seen by some as a useful measure.

A DWP spokeswoman refused to comment directly on the leaked letter, but told reporters: “Iain Duncan Smith believes that in a perfect world everybody would be able to enjoy a full suite of human rights, but with rights come responsibilities, and some rights should only be granted to those who have paid-in.”

UK News

Privatise food banks says Iain Duncan Smith

40 Comments

Work and pensions secretary Iain Duncan Smith has provoked renewed outrage with a new proposal to privatise food banks. Private companies would be allowed to operate food banks for profit, conditional on the implementation of a strict regime of sanctions to be decided by DWP officials.

Food banks are not for profit organisations which provide food to those who are unable to buy sufficient food to avoid hunger or malnutrition — problems which are often the direct result of benefit cuts or sanctions.

G4S, expected to be among those preparing a bid to run food banks across the country, caused a furor last month when they published a report proposing that food bank users should be electronically tagged and should be made clearly identifiable by wearing a special badge.

A spokesperson for the DWP said: “Iain Duncan Smith is leading a revolution against welfare, and it’s essential that nothing stands in the way of the DWP’s plan to starve the sick, disabled and unemployed into a zero-hours contract at Poundland.”