Resign Iain Duncan Smith, Resign!!

IDS needs to go!

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!!