General Election 2024: General UK Politics Discussion here

[Mister M]

12 minutes ago, RollingJ said:

Your first sentence I totally agree with, but to apparently target the specific group we are talking about here seems to have been dreamt up by someone so far to the 'right' with zero empathy, and certainly not something I would expect from any thinking administration - Labour or Conservative. Aiming it at those who are receiving treatment in the community, and will be much more stable in themselves seems  a much saner idea.

 

It does seem as if what Kendall was proposing was a continuation from the previous regime:

https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/mental-health-inpatients-were-ordered-to-attend-work-coach-interviews

 

Not that it makes it right for Labour to continue with this, absolutely not. 

Another concern of mine is that at least 4 of the previous DWP ministers have been admonished for suppressing reports which their own departments had written.

https://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/tories-silent-on-why-their-ministers-sat-on-dwp-research-for-six-years/

And although Kendall criticised the Tories for this, I wouldn't put it past her to do the same

[RollingJ]

21 minutes ago, Mister M said:

It does seem as if what Kendall was proposing was a continuation from the previous regime:

https://www.benefitsandwork.co.uk/news/mental-health-inpatients-were-ordered-to-attend-work-coach-interviews

The 'assumption' at the end of that piece was clearly incorrect, but, and don't take this wrong, the current administration do appear to be going after those least able to help themselves - very un-Labour.

[XboxMan2024]

1 hour ago, RollingJ said:

The 'assumption' at the end of that piece was clearly incorrect, but, and don't take this wrong, the current administration do appear to be going after those least able to help themselves - very un-Labour.

Yep, the main reason that 3 and half months ago I voted Labour in the first place was because they said they wouldn't pull this right wing nonsense... So much for that.

 

[hackey lad]

2 hours ago, Mister M said:

This has got disaster written all over it:

 

Mental health patients could get job coach visits

 

Does she realise just how poorly someone has to be before they actually get admitted to hospital? 

It's now 10 years since I worked on the front line in psychiatric care, however I remember well the fact that someone had to be at serious and immediate risk of taking their own lives or that of others before they were even considered as an in patient.

Most patients in psych hospitals are experiencing auditory hallucinations, suicidal impulses or mania - and be receiving heavy duty anti psychotics for this. 

Kendall says the pilot studies for this are successful. However I would question this, and I dare say there have been policies which have been successful at pilot level, yet have not been successful at all when rolled out nationally.

If the DWP are desperate to dragoon as many people with mental health difficulties into the workplace why start with those at the acute phase of their illness? Why not target those who are receiving treatment in the community, and will be much more stable in themselves?

Or is this designed to pacify right wing press who think that people with mental health problems are often those who are simply experiencing life's problems which are medicalised by woke medics ?

Liz Kendall on the front bench of any government is a frightening thought . 

[peak4]

26 minutes ago, XboxMan2024 said:

Yep, the main reason that 3 and half months ago I voted Labour in the first place was because they said they wouldn't pull this right wing nonsense... So much for that.

Not decrying you at all, but I think the warning signs were there; I was rather hoping my current (Labour) MP was going to be suspended from the party just pre-election for his pro EU comments/stance, then I could have voted for him with a clear conscience as an independent.
Starmer and his allies have spent much effort in ridding the party of left wing members; one only has to look at the concerted campaign against Corbyn and co.
Even post election MPs such as Zara Sultana have effectively had the whip withdrawn; yes it was all performative politics on both parts, but at least she had the courage of her convictions, and considered what she has promised her own constituents in order to get elected in the first place.

I think  Starmer feels that a left wing party would be unlikely to get elected, and with the shift towards UK right wing populism, coupled with our current media ownership, he's likely correct.
I'm very disappointed there's no Leveson-2 announced; most of the press are out to get him anyway, so starting to deal with this at the beginning of a 5 year stint would seem reasonable.
It's almost as though he's positioning the party a little to the left of One-Nation Conservatives, hoping to attract those Tories who object to the right wing extremists who have taken of their own party, as well as traditional Labour voters, who would see this incarnation of Labour as the least worst alternative.
I really hope he is able to steer that very fine line, and is able to set this country on a course towards more social harmony and economic prosperity; I have my doubts though.
Decent article I read earlier by Peter Oborne, himself an ex Mail Telegraph columnist
The Conservative Party is becoming the enemy of liberal democracy
The two remaining candidates in the Tory party leadership contest articulate a far-right vision that has almost nothing in common with traditional Conservatism

[hackey lad]

Yvette Cooper ( Mrs Balls ) has been very quiet a lately , not her usual vocal self . Anyone know why ? 

[cressida]

Don't rock the boat.

[butlers]

I see naughty " man.of the people" Farage seems not to have declared thousands of pounds in foreign funding.

 

[RollingJ]

No surprise, @butlers - he probably 'forgot', like he's forgotten to represent and help his constituents.

[XboxMan2024]

This thing about mental health Patients getting work coaches is a waste of time and resources IMO, the very fact they're mental health Patients should clearly point out they're not capable of working?

 

 

Edited 19 hours ago by XboxMan2024