Yvette Cooper dishes out injustice as opposed to fighting it….

January 1, 2012

The other annoying thing that has been irritating me recently is this Women of the Year 2011 or on Twitter with the hashtag #realwomanoftheyear. Irritating because the likes of Yvette Cooper is on there. What the deuce has Cooper actually done for ordinary women? Well, when she took over from Purnell in 2009 as Minister of State for Work and Pensions did sod all, she carried on his regressive policies. Are we supposed to forget that, and just because she has argued that women will suffer more than men regarding the cuts? No shit, Ms Cooper! Does Labour expect us to indulge in some collective amnesia? Swallow the blue pill and hey presto, realise Yvette Cooper aint that bad wearing my new improved rose tinted glasses?!!! Force myself to forget the time Cooper spent at Work and Pensions, gloss over the realities of her policies?!! Policies that were an attack on working class women, the very women she now argues will bear the brunt of the cuts?

Cooper  followed the ideology of neoliberalism, her voting record never ever deviated from the NL line (still doesn’t even in “opposition”). Cooper stated in 2009:

In the 80s and early 90s, including the recession, the number of people claiming incapacity benefit rose by a million. And too many people ended up on long term sickness benefit without help to get back to work. That must never happen again. Those who can work need help to get back into jobs as soon as possible, so they don’t get trapped on long-term benefits. That’s why we’ve introduced this stronger early medical assessment alongside more support in work.

If I didn’t know it was Cooper, I coulda sworn it was Iain Duncan-Smith

Furthermore, Cooper on “work placements” *cough* Workfare in August 2009

We are investing £5bn to help people who have lost their jobs. We are determined to give the right help and support to everyone who is unemployed. We want to make sure that short-term job losses are not allowed to turn into long-term unemployment which can scar communities for generations. The longer people are left out of work, and without recent work experience, the harder it is to get a new job.

And who says the Tories are the party of law and order.

Conference, the police need strong powers to cut crime – alongside strong checks and balances to guard against abuse. But behind the rhetoric the Tories are making it harder for the police to do their job. Making it harder for the councils to use CCTV. Abolishing ASBOs, replacing them with weak injunctions the police can’t enforce. Voting to water down counter-terror powers so we can’t ban terror suspects from London in Olympic year.

So no, definitely NO, Yvette Cooper wouldn’t get my nomination nor my vote. Mine would go to Labour MP, Socialist and LRC member, Katy Clark. Unlike Cooper, she doesn’t shaft working class women.

And don’t get me started on Angela Merkel!


Miliband’s class war on the poor

January 1, 2012

It is a shame that Mister Ed didn’t get a visitation from his Socialist dad, Ralph, on the night before Xmas instead it looks like he had a visit from the unholy trinity of Samuel Smiles, Milton Friedman and Sir Keith Joseph. telling him he’s not being hard enough on those damn benefit scroungers. Somehow I reckon Ralph was spinning in his grave.

Beleaguered Ed Miliband is to make a bold bid to boost his flagging ratings by condemning the ‘evil’ of scroungers who refuse to work. The Labour leader wants to shrug off his party’s ‘soft on spongers’ image with a major  U-turn on his stance on the benefits system.

He will admit Labour blundered by not doing enough to combat the work-shy. 

And he will say that people should get state handouts only if they have paid their taxes first.

Mister Ed is such a one-trick pony, he will do anything for a vote, if you want to increase your popularity just kick the crap out on unemployed people, resorting to the good old tried method of triangulation (“blame the poor”) hoping that the right-wing populism will chime with “decent hardworking” Labour voters.

Canvassing during the last Election, Mr Byrne was shocked by doorstep fury among Labour voters at benefit spongers – and Labour’s failure to tackle the problem.

‘Decent Labour voters see their neighbours lie about all day and get benefits while they are working their socks off, and say, “Why should I vote Labour when they let this  happen?” ’ said a source.

Personally, “hardworking Labour voters” should be getting worked up at the banking system and bailouts and the rich getting so much richer. And hey, we only have Liam Byrne’s version of the word on the Labour voter’s doorstep. In any case, the constant lies and rubbish publish by scaremongering newspapers aided and abetted by Bullingdon wastrels and PPE New Labourite graduates (just see the roll call of shame)

And how does Byrne know that Beveridge would be shocked, “turning in his grave if he knew we spend £20 billion a year on housing benefits”.

Er, possibly more likely turning in his grave at the widening gap between rich and poor, increase in poverty and the emphasis on greed. But back to the meaningless nondescript Mister Ed who reverts to again to kicking the poor. I am waiting as well for him to quote the “man in the constituency” who can’t work due to sickness… But Mister Ed is now Dr Ed, who needs a real medical doctor’s intervention when you have fake Miliband who can sniff out real ailment

Oh, and quit stating ‘something for nothing’ system, ‘scroungers’,  and ‘benefits dependency’. Labour is quite content to mimic the ConDems. Both parties are ideologically pitted in attacking the most powerless in society by engaging in divide and rule. We may be all in this together but Osborne, Cameron and Miliband with prefer to chuck benefit claimants out of the life boat and into the sea to flounder and sink.

What’s even more obscene while these leaders condemn lazy benefit scroungers jobs are ever shrinking and disappearing. Looking for work can be disenchanting and demoralising as good jobs are hard to come by yet Cameron/Osborne and Miliband don’t care about that as they are entirely happy with claimants to do any old shitty job with no development nor prospects. And any old shitty job includes working for your dole as part of the various workfare schemes. If people, apparently, spend 8 minutes looking for work it is possibly to do with the fact there’s nothing of significance out there. But don’t despair further sanctions and conditionality, even though DWP’s own research demonstrated sanctions…don’t work yet that NL pernicious poisonous Purnell still went ahead. And lets not forget who brought in there vicious attacks on the welfare benefit system?

All this will mean people will be inducted in  the evils of Workfare. I am sure Mister Ed will sleep safely at night safe in the knowledge that there “scroungers” are being punished. Ask yourself, when will it stop? When benefits don’t exist anymore, cap in hand visits to the local charity being interviewed by some uncaring bureaucrat with their own ideological axe to grind. The safety net is well and truly gone, simple really, you starve. And Byrne and Miliband don’t give a shit.

But Cameron/Miliband believe the unemployed shouldn’t have high expectations nor be able to choose what job they go for but because they get money from the state they should be expected to go for any old shitty job. It also costs money to look for jobs. If the ConDems are so keen to help unemployed people then will they give them free broadband to seek jobs out on the internet? Nah, somehow I doubt it as bashing the poor is much more fun then looking for pragmatic and helpful solutions, 30-40 years ago it would have been odd to attack people on the dole but the ideology has shifted and now it’s about wholesale attacks on the welfare state and the benefits system. I know who the enemies are and it’s not just the ConDems.

What of these proposals….Will they work? What happens if someone hasn’t had a chance to pay tax? Greed, iniquity and cruelty have replaced a system that supported people based on security (wasn’t called social security for nothing) and based on collective support.

With the recession biting hard, job losses in the retail industry (so much for the private sector coming to the rescue) and more job losses overall. Miliband and his merry band of witless clowns (“jokers to the left, clowns to the right”…. ) just wanna kick the poor.Who cares about the human cost, Byrne and Mister Ed don’t.

The extent of the economic damage caused by the illness emerged as new figures showed that the use of anti-depressants and sleeping pills is soaring. Last night charities said the economic turmoil, increased job insecurity and mounting unemployment have contributed to growing levels of depression over the past three years.

Miliband could show some authority, leadership and foremost, an alternative but Labour has hitched a ride on the ConDems coat tails, exposing his cowardice and sheer uselessness. When Mister Ed had the cheek to address an audience (during the leadership contest) with “comrades” it disturbed me as that man as no right to use that word and he was only using it to engage with the trade union movement for opportunistic but let’s be clear, Miliband too is declaring class war on the poor.

And with that I have cancelled my Labour Party membership.

Liam Byrne is apparently making a speech later this month during the 70th anniversary of the Beveridge Report. Maybe we “evil scroungers and work-shy” should be telling him in no uncertain terms what a load of vicious lies Labour is spouting. Opposition? More like capitulation!

See Madam Miaow on this as well.

Byrne on Beveridge and those unemployed scroungers


Goodbye 2011 hello 2012

December 31, 2011

2011 started with an Arab Spring, uprisings in the Middle East, imperialist intervention in Libya, anti-cuts protests, global occupations from Wall Street to St Pauls, London, protests inspired by UK Uncut, 26 March demonstration in London. Later on strikes in June and strikes at the end of November. Here’s to the continuation of the resistance in 2012.

Happy resistance 2012!

Here’s some pix to remind us all of 2011…that was the year that was.

London - Egypt demo

Anti-cuts protest in Camden

March 26 2011

March 26 2011 - outside Fortnum and Mason

UK Uncut protest inside NatWest

Slutwalk

Pro-Choice rally

Outside Paternoster Sq

Outside St Pauls

30 Nov 2011

Nov 30 2011

And my own two personal choices…. can’t forget the heron…


Waves crashing off the rocks around Mumbles

December 28, 2011

Around Mumbles, Swansea


My list of must-see films

December 28, 2011

Just wanted to say thanks to everyone who commented on my annus horribilis post or contacted me offline or via Twitter/Facebook. Thanks for your kind words!!

I have been remiss in seeing films in 2011. These are a list of films, out at the moment, I want to see:

1. Margaret

2. Dreams of A Life

3. Puss In Boots (I love the Shrek animated films)

4. Girl With A Dragon Tattoo (see if it’s as good as the original!)

5. Mission Impossible (I like the franchise….)

6. Shame (released in Jan)

7. Sherlock Holmes: A Game of Shadows

If anyone has any recommendations, please say.


Merry Xmas everybody

December 24, 2011

Went to the Swansea Winter Wonderland, which was wet and rainy. The Big Wheel was opened to the elements so shivered. Went on the Mad House ride and I screamed constantly for about 5 minutes as being thrown around, up and down and around and around. Other ‘alf was stoic and screamed for around 30 seconds. Birthday was OK though spent a lot of it travelling in very heavy rain.  Nice time scoffing chocolate and drinking Sauvignon blanc.

Happy Xmas…everybody


2011: an annus horribilis

December 21, 2011

I wrote this time last year that I hoped 2011 was an improvement. Well, it was spectacularly worse. To quote that great thinker Homer……Simpson there weren’t any dizzying highs, or creamy middles just terrifying lows. I suppose for the past year I have been restrained to a certain extent but having run the gauntlet of numb, pissed off, numb, pissed off, numb again. I have gone from employed, financially stable(ish) and healthy to unemployed …I still feel raw, undeniably let down, shafted, bullied and bitter over that and if I wanted to write about that experience I can’t due to various legal constraints…trying to come to terms with an injustice is hard. And where damage is done and nobody gave a damn!

I am sure there are many others out there as we are all “innit” together. My GP reckons that due to the economic situation many employers are setting up employees to get rid of them on the cheap. Indeed. So going from employed to unemployed in one fell swoop was a real kicker. The middle of this year culminated in me thinking seriously of suicide, with what had happened with my job I just crumbled and I wanted to disappear, my life was on a knife-edge, I couldn’t believe what was being done to me, it seemed so Kafka-esque where there were accusations made about me yet I wasn’t allowed to defend myself.  I couldn’t cope with trade union full timers who seemed more intent on selling me out than defending me (in the end after countless emails and arguments I eventually got legal support…. Word of advice, get your support from rank and file members NOT full-timers, as they care!). The thing that kept me going over the months from March to August was watching the herons in the park, their tranquil behaviour instilled a kind of calmness.

Coupled with this shit, my health disintegrated. Colds, flu, chest infections, asthma (“What”? …. “Yes”, said the GP). Constant tiredness. If sleeping was an Olympic sport then I would be gold medal material. The assumption was because I was very depressed and anxious I would be tired. But to be on the safe side I had some blood tests, came back that my thyroid gland wasn’t working properly. The number of times I have been to that hospital for tests I think a seat should be reserved for me.

And of course being unemployed, your income plummets substantially and the daily grind of filling out application forms becomes your day. I am starting to wonder whether I am employable or more to the point, unemployable. So many people chasing for so few jobs yet the ConDems still blame the unemployed. Though I do wonder whether I am persona non grata. I’d hope I woulda got a job by now but no. What’s wrong with me? I have skills, experience and knowledge….yet…….!

Ok, by this stage I am wondering whether this looks like one big whinge but for the past year I have been in dignified silence mood, well sorta, but sometimes life and  luck (or the lack of it)  takes the biscuit. What I have got to lose? Life for me, and countless others, is in dire straits. I have no idea what 2012 holds. I try to hold out for a hopeful 2012 but the constant onslaught of shit has numbed me to the core, anxiety seems to have disappeared, comfortably numb is guaranteed due to chemical intervention (wonder drug Citalopram).

I am sure there are people reading this who can relate to some of it, things never crash-land in your life one at a time. Just experiencing one of these things is bad enough but three…misfortune or carelessness. Or just exceptionally bad luck.

But of course, the end of the year is nigh, and as I sit alone in bed tapping away at my laptop late at night (my partner took a job in Bristol, I see him at the weekends) I  start to feel cheated, frustrated and angry. The blood tests found something else out accidentally, at the age of 41 (42 on Friday) I am entering the menopause along with cysts on my ovaries. GP thought the cyst would go instead from today’s scan I have more. So next stop is gynaecology before that I need to speak to my GP. She talked to me about HRT etc. but I couldn’t take it in. I just felt another blow had taken the wind out of my sails. I told myself it wasn’t a big deal yet I can’t believe how shit I feel about all this. It feels like I am mourning some loss (if that makes sense).

And yet I try to carry on campaigning and being an activist concentrating on the struggle against the ConDems, it proves helpful but sometimes life and bad luck intervenes so I end up staring at the ceiling lying in bed listening to Rachmaninoff on Radio 3, wondering why nobody wants to employ me and mind racing about finances. Sometimes just seeing others in the same position makes me feel less alone (does that sound awful?) yet there are times when I do feel alone and isolated, where I want to barricade myself in. I wonder if I am turning into a female version of Yossa Hughes (“Gis a job”) as I think I have a lot to give, organisational skills and well composed pix of herons. Constantly saying to myself that it was my former employer’s loss doesn’t really sink in nor telling myself that I was a valuable asset. Obviously they didn’t see that. Again, as my partner, would reiterate, “Their loss, they don’t know a good worker when they see one!” But it doesn’t stop the despondency, moving on and coming to terms with this nasty blip in my life which is a goal but at the moment seems futile as I have no energy and my expectations are low. It also knocks your self-esteem, belief in yourself and confidence (and that was alway low) getting yourself back up by your bootstraps is impossible for the time being.

Thanks for reading this, I just wanted to share this, I have been keeping a lot of this to myself. Would like to thanks comrades and friends both in person and in cyberspace for being helpful, supportive and kind. I just can’t believe all this shit. I really can’t. I dare not hope for a better 2012. That just feels too scary. The struggle against those vile ConDems continues and on a collective level we will all feel the pain. Fight continues.


The nightmare of “Hard Times” workhouse – a christmas tale

December 20, 2011

A chill wind blew through the cracks in the already disintegrating new workhouse building. Mister Bumble paced the corridor muttering at the shoddy and shabby peeling paint and silently wishing they hadn’t used unpaid labour to build this workhouse. But it was estimated that thousands would be saved if qualified and skilled labour was junked in favour of unpaid labour. “Oh well”, thought Mister Bumble, “at least my office is warm”. As he walked quickly towards his office shivering as gusts of wind rattled through the windows more cost cutting as insulation and draft excluders are not worth the expense for these people. Mister Bumble shook his head vehemently while pursing his lips thinking about “these people”.

When Mister Bumble attended the job interview for jail keeper (well, in the advertisement said it said, “facility manager”..) he was asked a number of questions by the board of private trustees who run the “facility”. Three of them, one was the Personnel Manager, Mrs. Corney, a middle-aged woman with a pinched face peering intently at Mister Bumble. Mister Limbkins, a rotund man red in face staring at the plate of Hob-Nobs in the centre of the table and Mister Heep, a polar opposite to Mister Limbkins, sitting straight tapping his bony fingers on the table.

“Good morning, Mister Bumble, I am humbled that you could attend at the last moment”, said Mister Heep

“Now, Mister Bumble, the job entails overseeing of this new exciting and efficiently run facility, which, as you know, was only opened recently by Iain Duncan-Smith”, cooed Mrs Corney

“Do you think you have the capabilities for this job, Mister Bumble”? asked Mister Limbkins

“You must also have some knowledge of the type of people being admitted here”, sniffed Mrs Corney

“Yes”, interjected Mister Heep, “these people, they just don’t try. There are jobs, unpaid jobs. But will they take them”?

Mister Limbkins tutted and shook his enormous head, “Indeed Mister Heep, they won’t do what they are told. They demand pay and conditions. PAY AND CONDITIONS”! shrieked Mister Limbkins spluttering bits of biscuits.

“Workshy, that’s what they are. Scroungers too. They want their benefits but won’t do anything, just lounge about at home, watching Jeremy Kyle and going out shopping in Oxford Street. SHOPPING IN OXFORD STREET”… Mister Limbkins coughed violently and looked like a coronary was on the cards.

“Well, the ConDems soon put an end to that nonsense. If these lazy workshy scroungers couldn’t get a job then NO BENEFITS, and the workhouse”, grinned Mrs Corney

“An absolute money saver, no shelling out benefits or housing benefits or tax credits or disability benefits. Just warehouse the lazy blighters in this state of the art detention centre”, said Mister Heep

“Ha! Erm…no Mister Heep, I think you mean state of the art facility”, interrupted Mister Limbkins.

“Oh yes, humble apologies”, stated a startled and embarrassed Mister Heep

“Well, Mister Bumble, do you think you keep these lazy miscreants in order”? asked Mrs Corney

Mister Bumble sat there, he too was staring at the ever diminishing plate of HobNobs, eventually breaking out of the spell of the desire for biscuits and chocolate and nodded his head.

“Of course I can, it is important to instill order and discipline and I can keep my beady eye on these scroungers. Making sure they work their fingers to the bone for their keep”, maintained Mister Bumble….

That all seemed like an eternity as Mister Bumble sat in his luxury well heated office. Unfortunately, his room couldn’t keep out the cheap and nasty stench of the food given to the inmates. Fortunately, for Mister Mumble his food was tasty and aromatic. He was pleased with himself, he had passed his probation period, discipline and order was top priority and this workhouse has been awarded most productive (though there had been rebellions which thankfully with the help of the TSG, water canons and plastic bullets was quelled quickly).

“Oh yes,” thought Mister Bumble as he sat back on his chair, “another year is ending and another is approaching. The workhouse, ah yes, the way forward for the 21st century, totally breaks the human spirit”… He checked his drawer just to be on the safe-side that it was well stocked with plastic bullets and tasers… just in case, you know some aren’t broken enough.

Merry Christmas to you all…..And a happy New Year


Disclosure and mental distress

December 20, 2011

It’s a funny old world, isn’t it, statistically speaking..? Around one in four people experience mental distress yet the stigma, demonisation and unfair treatment that surrounds this is unbelievable especially when it comes to employment.

The issue of mental ill health is still being swept under the carpet in most workplaces, with just four in ten employees saying they would feel confident to disclose a mental health problem to their employer.

That’s according to the latest research by the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (CIPD), published today to coincide with the launch of a new guide to help more employers to manage and support mental health at work, which has been developed by CIPD and leading mental health charity Mind.

The survey of 2,000 people in employment in the UK reveals that despite more than a quarter (26%) of employees having experienced a mental health problem while in employment, too few employers are taking positive steps to manage this increasingly business critical issue. 

Just 25% of respondents say their organisation encourages staff to talk openly about mental health problems and only 37% say their employer supports employees with mental health problems well.

Anyone surprised? Me neither.

Furthermore

Just over a third of respondents say their employer supports employees with mental health problems well. In contrast 21% of workers say their employer does not support mental health at work well, while 31% do not know what support is available, suggesting poor communication is part of the problem.

Having experienced a roller-coaster ride of employment in every aspect of a job from start, middle to finish I have had varied experiences. Some positive some downright offensive. It never ceases to amaze me the number of times I hear the phrase “duty of care” as the reality is ever so different. It’s a great stock phrase to chirp when many managers aint got the tiniest clue what it means. And sometimes it translates with employers seemingly understanding (nodding head symapthetically) while at the same time trying to find cunning ways of getting rid of you through legal or not so legal methods, it happens and to many people. No matter with all the legal requirements and policies in place people with mental health problems are still unfairly treated.

In the present unenlightened attitudes and ignorance exists and the fear has increased correlated with the attacks on the benefits systems and constant demonisation of disabled people. More fear. More stress. More silence.

In May this year, research found:

One in five workers who had disclosed a mental health issue at work said they had been fired or forced to quit.

One in five people are scared of losing their job if they admit they are suffering from stress.

Though Paul Farmer – CEO of MIND (as this research was conducted by MIND) states,
There are reasons to be positive though, as research suggests a large amount of employers say they are happy to discuss mental health issues with a job applicant.

Well, that may be true but it depends on each workplace. Some do, some don’t. Managers and Personnel get training (though how adequate that training is I don’t know) but rarely have I seem training for workers overall. One workplace I was in did have a day on mental health training but it was headed by professionals not a user in sight. It is vital to have training given by users as they know what it’s like plus it gives a voice to say what our experiences have been so far, to discuss good practices and the bad practices.

Listen to the people who have been through the system and the barriers they face when it comes to employment. You know, it would be great if for once you’re allowed to get on with your life without the constant worry that your mental history will be used as a tool of oppression against you.

Have a look at Managing and Supporting Mental Health at Work: disclosure tools for managers which has been developed by MIND & CIPD Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development. Any good?


Defend pensions!

December 19, 2011

It is a truth universally acknowledged that right-wing trade union bureaucrats have a historical tendency for capitulation and betrayal; from the ’26 General Strike, Grunwick dispute, ’84 Miners Strike and so on. The union rank and file activists stand firm while the bureaucrats sell them out. And today, it is no different on the pension dispute. I couldn’t make the emergency lobby outside TUC Congress House today but have been watching the news unfold and capitulation by the Unison/GMB/Unite bloc. Pissed off? Damn right. If these deals are rammed through then getting workers to strike will be tough because many will be asking themselves whether there’s a point for industrial action if your own leadership eventually sells you out then what’s the point (and I am sure that’s the method in the madness of some union bureaucrats). How’s about the USDAW-isation of the trade union movement all submissive and compliant …

Anyway, there have been no concessions been made by Maude and his cronies it is still work longer for less, even better with the bitter chill of pay freezes. Barber and Prentis believe that 30 November was a “proud day” and “seen a new atmosphere in the negotiations”…. yet those two want to cave in. So much for militancy and radical action. This all smacks of splitting the movement. It wasn’t just the ConDems who were unnerved by the Nov 30th strike but also the trade union bureaucracy. Militancy scares the crap out of them. Nevertheless PCS is standing firm and showing no capitulation.

As the LRC press release says:

Leaders of the TUC and some trade unions have split the trade union movement today by capitulating to the Government, betraying not only their own members but also undermining the teachers’, civil servants’ and health service workers’ unions.

No matter how some try to dress it up, the Government has made no concessions on any of the key issues that brought 2 million workers out on strike on 30th November.

Public sector workers will still have to pay more and work longer for their pensions and yet some union leaders, led by Unison, have agreed to suspend action, and recommend acceptance to their members.

Even worse, by accepting the Government’s ultimatum, these unions have agreed to the exclusion of fellow unions from future negotiations.

Caving in reflects a disastrous misjudgement, which not only divides the trade union movement, but strengthens the government at a time when it has been looking increasingly divided and weak.

Yet all is not lost. The outline deals agreed to by some union general secretaries are not final deals. They must be approved by union executives and by union members.

Today reinforces the need for united grassroots organisation in our trade unions. The LRC will back any unions seeking to fight on for fair pensions for all, and will work in a non-sectarian way to build alliances to organise against those union leaders who are asking their members to make unjustifiable sacrifices to their pensions.

In the coming months and years, our movement is facing a massive attack on living standards, public services and welfare. This is a brutal class war – forcing the costs of the economic crisis onto its victims. We need to resist and fight against these attacks.

We must build and reinforce the confidence of trade union members to stand up and fight, and to reject these shoddy deals. Just as John Prescott labelled John Hutton ‘a collaborator’ for his role in the producing a report recommending public sector pensions attacks, we have no reservation in labelling those union leaders who signed up to deals today as collaborators too.


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