Members of Disabled People Against Cuts and UK Uncut demonstrate against government cuts
Peter Walker
guardian.co.uk
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/jan/28/uk-uncut-protest-welfare-reforms
Disability activists and UK Uncut stop traffic for two hours, chaining themselves together across Regent Street in a demonstration against the welfare reform bill Link to this video.
Disability campaigners have blocked one of central London's busiest road junctions with a line of wheelchair users chained together in the first of a series of protests against government welfare cuts.
The demonstration – which brought much of Oxford Circus to a standstill for more than two hours – was the result of an alliance between disabled groups and UK Uncut, which has staged similar protests against corporations accused of avoiding tax.
The protest was organised by Disabled People Against Cuts (DPAC), while UK Uncut provided advice on how to stage an eyecatching, media-friendly event and brought along several of its own supporters.
The direct action began just before midday when a group of wheelchair users lined themselves along the northern edge of Regent Street, blocking traffic in both directions. The wheelchairs were chained together, and then chained to railings on either side of the road.
Within about 20 minutes, with traffic stationary and congestion spilling over into other streets, around 300 people were standing at the junction, chanting, playing drums and waving placards against the welfare reform bill, which is currently going through parliament.
After the road had been blocked for just over an hour, police asked over a loudhailer that the protesters move, which they refused to do. Eventually, at around 2pm, they unchained themselves and left voluntarily.
Planned cuts to the disability living allowance under the bill could see 500,000 disabled people losing money, the charity Mencap said.
Many of the disabled people taking part said they had never before joined a demonstration but felt angry at both the proposed cuts and the associated rhetoric from both ministers and the media.
"The tabloids have created this idea that we're scroungers or fakers," said Steven Sumpter, a 33-year-old who left his home in Evesham, Worcestershire, at 6.30am to join the line of chained-up wheelchair users. "This has allowed the government to do this – I think disabled people are seen as a good scapegoat."
Merry Cross, from Reading, Berkshire, said disabled people needed to work together to get their voices heard.
She said: "We're seen as quite an easy target. We're not a natural community – we don't necessarily live in the same places, and we can find it hard to get together. That makes it easy for the government to think they can target us."
Changes to the disability living allowance were likely mean her losing care assistance at home, Cross said, adding: "I've had it continuously for 20 years and now, when I'm 61, apparently I can cope fine without it. It doesn't make any sense."
Josie, 52, from Hampshire, who asked not to give her full name, said her disablity, which has left her with limited mobility and near-constant pain, was caused by a fall onto a concrete floor at work 10 years ago.
"I was doing three jobs until my accident and I was a keen hill walker," she said. "But with the injuries from the fall I can only work part time. I'm probably going to have to give them up now because the cuts will mean I get less help.
"I've never been on a protest before, but the government's plans make me so angry."
A Department for Work and Pensions spokesman said the government remained "absolutely committed to supporting disabled people", spending more than £40bn a year on support.
He said: "Households where someone receives disability living allowance will be exempt from the benefit cap, and we are giving local authorities an additional £190m over four years to ensure vulnerable people are supported through the housing benefit reform, so we are not expecting people to become homeless.
"The introduction of the universal credit, from 2013, will see a simpler and fairer system of support for disabled people.
"More importantly, there will be no cash losers at the point of transition to universal credit, and disabled adults in greatest need and severely disabled children will receive more support than now."
Saturday, January 28, 2012
Friday, January 27, 2012
Preying On Vulnerable People.
Aquis submersis 1919
Max Ernst
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Ernst
On Wednesday I received a mail about someone, called Dermot O’Connor, claiming he had been able to cure himself of MS.
‘’Dermot O’Connor was diagnosed with an aggressive strain of Multiple Sclerosis over fourteen years ago. At the time of his diagnosis, he was informed he would be in a wheelchair by the end of the year. Today, Dermot is symptom free and is in the best health of his life. How did he do it? ‘’
No neurologist would ever give such a diagnosis; they can’t because of the type of disease it is, the prognosis is difficult to predict.
There is no aggressive form of Multiple Sclerosis, there are 3 types:
• Relapsing Remitting MS
• Secondary Progressive MS
• Primary Progressive MS.
When I looked up Dermot O’Connor, I discovered he had been an international banking consultant, who was diagnosed with MS.
He has now left banking to write books like The Healing Code The Immortality Code, he is endorsed by Paul McKenna, Author and Hypnotherapist who says ‘’Dermot is a gifted healer whose skills enable others to make significant changes in their lives”
He has opened clinics in Dublin and London; he claims success with illnesses ranging from serious conditions such MS, Parkinson's disease to chronic migraine.
His first media appearance was in 2006 in the Daily Mail, a tabloid not known for news, or accuracy they prefer gossip and sensation and innuendo, not facts.
He calls it a very aggressive form of MS, which it does not seem to be, so he is trying to deceive by misusing the term out of context, to lend gravitas to his claim.
Then describes how his first symptom was that he could not talk, I expected to read he could not walk, as I thought he had Primary Progressive MS not what sounds like relapsing remitting ms.
Relapsing Remitting MS can go into remission for years; so presumably he is in remission, I wish him all the best and hope his remission lasts a long time.
What I despise is how he is preying on vulnerable people with his books and clinics by claiming he cured himself of a very aggressive form of MS.
Michael Gove criticised for awarding public funds to organisation he advised.
Education secretary made decision to give taxpayers' money to organisation that he had promoted as an adviser since 2007
• Rob Evans
• The Guardian, Friday 27 January 20
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/jan/27/michael-gove-funds-organisation-advised
Michael Gove personally wrote to the trust confirming that the education department was awarding the money to it.
Michael Gove, the education secretary, awarded £2m of public money to an organisation that he promoted as an adviser for four years.
The education secretary personally made the decision to give taxpayers' money to an organisation to fund better security at Jewish schools. Gove has promoted the Community Security Trust (CST) as an adviser since 2007.
Documents obtained by the Guardian show that Gove personally wrote to the trust confirming that the education department was awarding the money to it. He issued a public statement saying that he had "secured the funding" to the trust.
Richard Benson, the trust's chief executive, replied to Gove twice thanking him for his "personal commitment" to providing the funding. Benson's letter lists Gove as a member of its advisory board, along with more than 50 others.
The minister has taken a strong stand against antisemitism. However, questions are being asked over whether he should have taken any role in awarding the money to the organisation.
David Miller, of the Spinwatch pressure group, which campaigns for greater transparency in politics, said: "It is blindingly obvious that he should have stood aside, as this is a potential conflict of interest. This is another example of transparency rules in the UK being ineffectual and in serious need of overhaul." Miller first drew attention to Gove's advisory work for the trust.
An education department spokesman said: "Officials were aware that the secretary of state was listed as a member of the Community Security Trust's advisory board.
The then permanent secretary was fully content that there was no conflict of interest in the secretary of state making the decision to award the grant."
The spokesman added that the advisory board "has around 55 to 60 members, drawn from a cross-section of society including members of parliament and peers, police, the armed forces, academia and religious and lay leaders of the Jewish community."
"The advisory board is not part of the governance structure of CST and its members have no responsibility for, and play no part in, the day-to-day management of the charity. The advisory board itself does not meet as a separate body."
Recently Gove has come in for criticism over his support for a new royal yacht to mark the Queen's diamond jubilee, while his plan to send a copy of the King James Bible to every school in the country has run into trouble because he has so far been unable to find a philanthropic sponsor for the idea.
Gove made a pledge to give money to improve security at Jewish schools during the 2010 general election campaign, when he was the shadow education minister.
After he gained office, he held a meeting with the trust to "discuss the allocation of the funding".
The department has refused a freedom of information request to make public documents relating to the meeting in July 2010, arguing that it was not in the public interest to do so.
Gove's closest aides are being investigated by a watchdog for allegedly abusing the open government act by conducting official business through private email accounts.
Later in 2010, Gove announced that the money had been awarded to fund extra security guards at 39 Jewish voluntary-aided faith schools in England.
Gove said it was wrong that parents had been paying around £1.6m out of their own pockets to fund the security to protect pupils against antisemitic and racist threats.
All the money is distributed by the trust to the schools which then employ the security guards.
As the trust's role is essentially administrative, none of the money is retained by the trust or pays for any of the trust's work.
The trust, set up in 1994 to physically protect British Jews, says that the number of antisemitic incidents in the country has increased over the past decade.
In its latest annual survey, it says that during 2010 there were 639 antisemitic incidents in the country, of which 58 targeted Jewish schools, schoolchildren or teachers.
• Rob Evans
• The Guardian, Friday 27 January 20
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/jan/27/michael-gove-funds-organisation-advised
Michael Gove personally wrote to the trust confirming that the education department was awarding the money to it.
Michael Gove, the education secretary, awarded £2m of public money to an organisation that he promoted as an adviser for four years.
The education secretary personally made the decision to give taxpayers' money to an organisation to fund better security at Jewish schools. Gove has promoted the Community Security Trust (CST) as an adviser since 2007.
Documents obtained by the Guardian show that Gove personally wrote to the trust confirming that the education department was awarding the money to it. He issued a public statement saying that he had "secured the funding" to the trust.
Richard Benson, the trust's chief executive, replied to Gove twice thanking him for his "personal commitment" to providing the funding. Benson's letter lists Gove as a member of its advisory board, along with more than 50 others.
The minister has taken a strong stand against antisemitism. However, questions are being asked over whether he should have taken any role in awarding the money to the organisation.
David Miller, of the Spinwatch pressure group, which campaigns for greater transparency in politics, said: "It is blindingly obvious that he should have stood aside, as this is a potential conflict of interest. This is another example of transparency rules in the UK being ineffectual and in serious need of overhaul." Miller first drew attention to Gove's advisory work for the trust.
An education department spokesman said: "Officials were aware that the secretary of state was listed as a member of the Community Security Trust's advisory board.
The then permanent secretary was fully content that there was no conflict of interest in the secretary of state making the decision to award the grant."
The spokesman added that the advisory board "has around 55 to 60 members, drawn from a cross-section of society including members of parliament and peers, police, the armed forces, academia and religious and lay leaders of the Jewish community."
"The advisory board is not part of the governance structure of CST and its members have no responsibility for, and play no part in, the day-to-day management of the charity. The advisory board itself does not meet as a separate body."
Recently Gove has come in for criticism over his support for a new royal yacht to mark the Queen's diamond jubilee, while his plan to send a copy of the King James Bible to every school in the country has run into trouble because he has so far been unable to find a philanthropic sponsor for the idea.
Gove made a pledge to give money to improve security at Jewish schools during the 2010 general election campaign, when he was the shadow education minister.
After he gained office, he held a meeting with the trust to "discuss the allocation of the funding".
The department has refused a freedom of information request to make public documents relating to the meeting in July 2010, arguing that it was not in the public interest to do so.
Gove's closest aides are being investigated by a watchdog for allegedly abusing the open government act by conducting official business through private email accounts.
Later in 2010, Gove announced that the money had been awarded to fund extra security guards at 39 Jewish voluntary-aided faith schools in England.
Gove said it was wrong that parents had been paying around £1.6m out of their own pockets to fund the security to protect pupils against antisemitic and racist threats.
All the money is distributed by the trust to the schools which then employ the security guards.
As the trust's role is essentially administrative, none of the money is retained by the trust or pays for any of the trust's work.
The trust, set up in 1994 to physically protect British Jews, says that the number of antisemitic incidents in the country has increased over the past decade.
In its latest annual survey, it says that during 2010 there were 639 antisemitic incidents in the country, of which 58 targeted Jewish schools, schoolchildren or teachers.
Thursday, January 26, 2012
More Daily Trips This Year.
Gunther Gerszo.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunther_Gerszo
Today has been a wonderfully relaxed day, one both of us have very much enjoyed.
Nice to get a day like this, I am beginning to realise that there will be more of theses days, a pleasant prospect.
Also see now that as soon as I get the last few things, only 4 items, then there will be no more regular appointments.
Brilliant, no need to communicate; like right now sometimes several times per week with my case manager.
The appointments have been happening since November 2006, so not surprising to be looking forward to no more appointments.
I love the idea of no regular meetings, feels like finally getting my life back, nice not to have to check whether there were appointments coming up.
Now the better steering is on the wheelchair we will be able to get around more this year, which is another pleasant perspective.
Could not go further than our neighbourhood in 2011 because the steering for Richie was not good for outside, it was for short distances only, for inside, as it turned out later.
I have already told Richie I want to go to the park to see the spring flowers, the first of what I hope will be
Gunther Gerszo.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gunther_Gerszo
Today has been a wonderfully relaxed day, one both of us have very much enjoyed.
Nice to get a day like this, I am beginning to realise that there will be more of theses days, a pleasant prospect.
Also see now that as soon as I get the last few things, only 4 items, then there will be no more regular appointments.
Brilliant, no need to communicate; like right now sometimes several times per week with my case manager.
The appointments have been happening since November 2006, so not surprising to be looking forward to no more appointments.
I love the idea of no regular meetings, feels like finally getting my life back, nice not to have to check whether there were appointments coming up.
Now the better steering is on the wheelchair we will be able to get around more this year, which is another pleasant perspective.
Could not go further than our neighbourhood in 2011 because the steering for Richie was not good for outside, it was for short distances only, for inside, as it turned out later.
I have already told Richie I want to go to the park to see the spring flowers, the first of what I hope will be daily trips this year.
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Being incontinent.
Sainte-Genevieve Des Bois, 1965
Henri Goetz
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henri_Goetz
Today started very nice and calmly, Richie got me sitting with the big Quattron cushion around me.
Then he got my laptop, I got started right away proof reading and editing yesterdays post which I did not post in the end, because I was too tired.
All went well until I began to feel worried, then anxious so got Richie to get me out of bed and to the toilet.
As I was lifted by the hoist I started to crap in to my pj’s and carried on in the bathroom, and although Richie got me over the toilet I did it on the floor.
Half in my pj’s the rest as soon as Richie had taken my pants off, the movement seemed to trigger it off, shame I didn’t make it to the toilet.
But once I was showered and dressed I felt good again, the trauma of the rapid exit from bed left well behind me.
It best to move on and not let something like that get me down, pointless for me to get worked up by something I can do nothing about.
Being incontinent is really horrible but considering everything else, it is not the worse thing.
Never a favourite having to begin my day like that, but then it’s over and the day can really start
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
that prospect makes me very happy.
Henri Goetz.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henri_Goetz
Had quite a tiring day, two appointments back to back, both with Maurits, occupational therapist.
The first with Annelies, the council’s mobility advisor/occupational therapist, good to see her again after her maternity leave.
We discussed other types of steering for me to remain able to steer the wheelchair when at home.
Funnily enough Maurits and Annelies are pushing this more than me; we don’t live in such a big place, so nowhere much to go.
With this big wheelchair the only thing I need do is get from bedroom to front room and back, outside Richie steers, which I m ok with. .
The second appointment was with kees van roekel who will be making better support in bed.
Hopefully I will get the completed bed support in the very near future; it takes one week to make the first shell, then its tweaked and brought here to see if it’s good.
Then I get to try it out and make observations, any adjustments will be made and then it’s finished and I get it.
Basically I will be in a sort of cocoon that will support my torso once more, since being in bed deprived me of my torso muscles.
The main thing for me now is I will be supported in bed, so it will be possible for me to sit well in bed again, that prospect makes me very happy.
Cannabis taxation: a win-win all round, Richard Branson tells MPs
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/jan/24/cannabis-tax-branson-mps-virgin
Virgin boss appears before Commons committee to argue for regulation of drug and diversion of resources to crime-fighting
• Alan Travis, home affairs editor
• guardian.co.uk
The market for cannabis in Britain should be regulated and taxed, and responsibility for drug policy moved from the Home Office to the health department, Sir Richard Branson has told MPs.
The Virgin Group head said the 20% of police time and £200m spent on giving criminal sentences to 70,000 young people for possession of illegal drugs in Britain each year would be better spent going after the criminal gangs at the centre of the drugs trade.
"It's win-win all round,'' he told the Commons home affairs select committee.
Asked about his personal history of drug use, Branson replied: "I would say 50% of my generation has smoked cannabis. I would say 75% of my children's generation has smoked cannabis … If I was smoking cigarettes, I would be very worried."
He said that in his own Virgin companies he did not think staff who were found to be taking drugs should be dismissed but instead treated as having a problem, and helped.
"There are many people in companies with drink problems or smoking problems," he said.
Branson was part of a global commission on drug policy, which includes five ex-presidents and Kofi Annan, the former United Nations secretary general.
The body concluded last year that the war on drugs had failed and called for experiments in decriminalisation.
He was the first witness at the Commons home affairs inquiry into drug policy.
Branson argued that the policy of switching responsibilty for drug policy from the Home Office to the health department had worked in Portugal, where nobody had been jailed for using or possessing drugs in the last 10 years.
Portugal was the only country that had decriminalised all drugs. As a result of treating drug users rather than imprisoning them, he said, heroin use and heroin-related deaths had fallen by more than 50%.
In Britain, 100,000 young people a year were arrested for drug offences, and 75,000 of them were given criminal records, which meant they had problems in later life in travelling to some countries, he said.
"If next year those 100,000 people are not prosecuted for taking drugs, but they are helped, I think the commission would welcome Britain doing that."
He said if the sale of cannabis and other drugs were regulated and taxed, then the quality of what was being taken could be controlled.
He contrasted the lack of deaths in Portugal with the recent deaths of three teenagers in Britain from taking tablets they wrongly thought were ecstasy, citing the fatalities as an example of the consequences of failing to regulate the illegal market.
The Virgin chief admitted he had not read the UK Home Office drug policy statement, which emphasises diverting drug users from prison, but said the 100,000 arrests each year were evidence the policy was not working in practice.
Pressed by some Conservative MPs on the committee to come down on one side or the other in the debate over methadone maintenance versus abstinence, Branson said he was no expert, and it was for the MPs to establish what worked best.
Virgin boss appears before Commons committee to argue for regulation of drug and diversion of resources to crime-fighting
• Alan Travis, home affairs editor
• guardian.co.uk
The market for cannabis in Britain should be regulated and taxed, and responsibility for drug policy moved from the Home Office to the health department, Sir Richard Branson has told MPs.
The Virgin Group head said the 20% of police time and £200m spent on giving criminal sentences to 70,000 young people for possession of illegal drugs in Britain each year would be better spent going after the criminal gangs at the centre of the drugs trade.
"It's win-win all round,'' he told the Commons home affairs select committee.
Asked about his personal history of drug use, Branson replied: "I would say 50% of my generation has smoked cannabis. I would say 75% of my children's generation has smoked cannabis … If I was smoking cigarettes, I would be very worried."
He said that in his own Virgin companies he did not think staff who were found to be taking drugs should be dismissed but instead treated as having a problem, and helped.
"There are many people in companies with drink problems or smoking problems," he said.
Branson was part of a global commission on drug policy, which includes five ex-presidents and Kofi Annan, the former United Nations secretary general.
The body concluded last year that the war on drugs had failed and called for experiments in decriminalisation.
He was the first witness at the Commons home affairs inquiry into drug policy.
Branson argued that the policy of switching responsibilty for drug policy from the Home Office to the health department had worked in Portugal, where nobody had been jailed for using or possessing drugs in the last 10 years.
Portugal was the only country that had decriminalised all drugs. As a result of treating drug users rather than imprisoning them, he said, heroin use and heroin-related deaths had fallen by more than 50%.
In Britain, 100,000 young people a year were arrested for drug offences, and 75,000 of them were given criminal records, which meant they had problems in later life in travelling to some countries, he said.
"If next year those 100,000 people are not prosecuted for taking drugs, but they are helped, I think the commission would welcome Britain doing that."
He said if the sale of cannabis and other drugs were regulated and taxed, then the quality of what was being taken could be controlled.
He contrasted the lack of deaths in Portugal with the recent deaths of three teenagers in Britain from taking tablets they wrongly thought were ecstasy, citing the fatalities as an example of the consequences of failing to regulate the illegal market.
The Virgin chief admitted he had not read the UK Home Office drug policy statement, which emphasises diverting drug users from prison, but said the 100,000 arrests each year were evidence the policy was not working in practice.
Pressed by some Conservative MPs on the committee to come down on one side or the other in the debate over methadone maintenance versus abstinence, Branson said he was no expert, and it was for the MPs to establish what worked best.
Monday, January 23, 2012
a good thing to reaffirm.
Valentine Hugo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine_Hugo
Felt surprisingly quite good today after a late night; I woke up suddenly in discomfort, due to my pelvis being twisted one way and my torso the other way.
My head was following my pelvis and leaning to the right at an acute angle which was not comfortable as soon as I woke.
It is amazing how much movement my body still has even though I am totally unable to move my body at all.
Every morning when I wake, I am curious as to where my body has shifted to in the night.
When I was mobile, never sat still for very long, I was always getting up and doing something, usually as soon as I had sat down.
How I wish I could move around again, exercise and be able to feel my muscles working, a great feeling.
I loved going to Th gym, used to go every week, seems incredible now, and almost could be someone else not me.
My life now is so different now; despite everything I am still happy to be alive, a good thing to reaffirm.
Welfare reform: benefits cap would reduce payments by £83 a week
House of Lords to vote on bill that would see 20% of households that fall in criteria lose over £150 weekly.
• Patrick Wintour, political editor
• guardian.co.uk, Monday 23 January 2012
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/jan/23/welfare-reform-benefits-cap-payments
A total of 67,000 households – 310,000 individuals – will have their benefits reduced by an average of around £83 per week as a result of the government's benefit cap due to be voted upon by the House of Lordson Monday, according to updated research published by the Department of Work and Pensions.
Nearly 20% of those households losing benefit will lose more than £150 a week.
There will be a transfer from these households of £290m in 2013/14 and £305m in 2014/15. The figures come in an impact assessment published by ministers.
The Labour party has said it supports the principle of a cap, but not the way it is being implemented.
It is the first time the government has published such detailed survey data on the impact of the cap, especially the impact in terms of different regions.
As expected, families in London are worst affected by the cap due to high rents – 54% of affected households are in Greater London. The shares of other English regions are all less than 10%, with the south-east having 9% (6,000) and the north-west 6% (4,000).
Ministers are still looking at transitional arrangements and government sources were stressing it would not be expected that families with children in important stages of their school term, such as exams, would be required to be uprooted.
Such concessions are unlikely to satisfy Liberal Democrat rebel peers, such as Lord Ashdown.
Justifying the cap, the impact assessment states: "Spending on welfare increased by 45% in real terms in the decade to 2009-2010. In that year, the government spent £192bn on welfare payments, compared with £35bn on defence, £50bn on education, and £98bn on health.
"The state can no longer afford to pay people disproportionate amounts in benefit each week in welfare payments, sometimes in excess of what someone in work may take home in wages".
Iain Duncan Smith has defended the government's plans to cap the benefits paid, insisting families would not be "plunged into poverty" as a result of the proposed £26,000 annual limit.
Speaking before Monday's Lords vote on the measures, the work and pensions secretary also denied the £500-a-week cap would lead to an increase in child poverty, adding: "We just don't believe that that's going to happen."
It has emerged that Ashdown will join Church of England bishops and other rebel Lib Dems by voting against the proposals unless greater measures are put in place to ensure children living in poverty are protected.
However, ministers appear determined to ride out the opposition, believing there is strong public support for their plans to curb a "benefits dependency culture" and "make work pay".
Duncan Smith told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the plans would not provoke a rise in either child or adult poverty. "Our department does not believe that you can directly apportion poverty to this particular measure," he said.
"At £26,000 a year, it's very difficult to believe that families will be plunged into poverty."
• Patrick Wintour, political editor
• guardian.co.uk, Monday 23 January 2012
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2012/jan/23/welfare-reform-benefits-cap-payments
A total of 67,000 households – 310,000 individuals – will have their benefits reduced by an average of around £83 per week as a result of the government's benefit cap due to be voted upon by the House of Lordson Monday, according to updated research published by the Department of Work and Pensions.
Nearly 20% of those households losing benefit will lose more than £150 a week.
There will be a transfer from these households of £290m in 2013/14 and £305m in 2014/15. The figures come in an impact assessment published by ministers.
The Labour party has said it supports the principle of a cap, but not the way it is being implemented.
It is the first time the government has published such detailed survey data on the impact of the cap, especially the impact in terms of different regions.
As expected, families in London are worst affected by the cap due to high rents – 54% of affected households are in Greater London. The shares of other English regions are all less than 10%, with the south-east having 9% (6,000) and the north-west 6% (4,000).
Ministers are still looking at transitional arrangements and government sources were stressing it would not be expected that families with children in important stages of their school term, such as exams, would be required to be uprooted.
Such concessions are unlikely to satisfy Liberal Democrat rebel peers, such as Lord Ashdown.
Justifying the cap, the impact assessment states: "Spending on welfare increased by 45% in real terms in the decade to 2009-2010. In that year, the government spent £192bn on welfare payments, compared with £35bn on defence, £50bn on education, and £98bn on health.
"The state can no longer afford to pay people disproportionate amounts in benefit each week in welfare payments, sometimes in excess of what someone in work may take home in wages".
Iain Duncan Smith has defended the government's plans to cap the benefits paid, insisting families would not be "plunged into poverty" as a result of the proposed £26,000 annual limit.
Speaking before Monday's Lords vote on the measures, the work and pensions secretary also denied the £500-a-week cap would lead to an increase in child poverty, adding: "We just don't believe that that's going to happen."
It has emerged that Ashdown will join Church of England bishops and other rebel Lib Dems by voting against the proposals unless greater measures are put in place to ensure children living in poverty are protected.
However, ministers appear determined to ride out the opposition, believing there is strong public support for their plans to curb a "benefits dependency culture" and "make work pay".
Duncan Smith told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that the plans would not provoke a rise in either child or adult poverty. "Our department does not believe that you can directly apportion poverty to this particular measure," he said.
"At £26,000 a year, it's very difficult to believe that families will be plunged into poverty."
Sunday, January 22, 2012
Not Just Yet.
IValentine Hugo
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Valentine_Hugo
Its lovely getting so much support and friendship from my blog friends, I do appreciate them so very much.
It is brilliant being able to be part of this dynamic interaction of people across the globe, sharing their thoughts.
Brilliant to have this blog so I can have my say, I feel very fortunate to have the ability to access the internet.
Especially without too many restrictions by the Dutch state, this is not the situation for many.
I guess that is why it’s very upsetting to have my failing hand function stop me from writing like I have been able to up to now.
Hate writing only short posts, I am finding it difficult to even write e-mails which is extremely frustrating.
Two comments yesterday by dear friend’s Sherry and Rhapsody helped me quite a lot.
Sherry reminded me’’you are stubborn. I like that about you. =) It keeps you going, that trait of yours. Makes you frustrated at times’’ and rhapsody told me ‘’the challenge is to keep hope alive and the spirit of positivity fuelled’’.
I will keep both in mind, I feel sure that I will try to keep going for as long as I can and want to, at some point I guess its game over but not just yet.
Costa Concordia captain claims company ordered 'salute' to island.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/jan/22/costa-concordia-captain-salute-island-claims
Francesco Schettino reportedly challenges Costa over cruise collision by saying firm 'planned and wanted' manoeuvre.
• Tom Kington in Rome
• guardian.co.uk
The stricken luxury liner Costa Concordia lies off the island of Giglio.
Francesco Schettino, the cruise ship captain accused of steering the Costa Concordia into rocks on the island of Giglio in a reckless bid to "salute" the island, has reportedly said he was ordered to carry out the manoeuvre by ship owner Costa Crociere.
"The salute at Giglio on 13 January was planned and wanted by Costa before the departure from Civitavecchia," Schettino told a judge investigating the collision, according to transcripts leaked to Italian newspaper La Repubblica.
At least 12 people died trying to escape from the vessel as it listed on rocks following the collision. Schettino is being held under house arrest accused of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning ship.
Schettino said the "salute" should have been carried out a week earlier, but was put off due to bad weather.
He reportedly told the investigating judge that there was "insistence" by the firm on carrying out such manoeuvres, because it was a good way to promote its cruises.
"Costa was aware of the repeated practice of 'saluting' around the world," said Schettino.
The claims appeared to contradict Pier Luigi Foschi, the chief executive of Costa Crociere, who said last week: "I can't exclude that ships have been sailed closer to land on the initiative of some captains without informing us. But I have never been aware of this taking place in an unsafe manner."
He said steering within metres of Giglio on 13 January was "unapproved, unauthorised and unknown to Costa" and pointed to the onboard newspaper, which said the ship would stay five miles off the coast.
Schettino said he had given up-close salutes to the island of Capri and the Sorrento coast near Naples on previous occasions, as well as at Giglio, following the example of another Costa captain.
One US law firm which is preparing legal action on behalf of passengers has said: "It's too easy to say this captain acted alone."
In response to Schettino's latest claims, a spokesman for Costa Crociere said on Sunday: "Costa Crociere will not be commenting on any aspect of the ongoing judicial proceedings."
Schettino also reportedly told the judge, Valeria Montesarchio, that on the night of the collision he discovered some of the equipment which records navigation data was out of order, which could hamper investigators' efforts to reconstruct his route.
The transcript also shows Schettino at odds with Costa's account of the communication between captain and company after the collision.
Foschi has accused Schettino of keeping the firm in the dark about the state of the ship, which was listing as it took on water.
Schettino reportedly told the judge he gave an accurate description of the collision to Costa Crociere official Roberto Ferrarini and told him he would seek to swing the boat around on to rocks by Giglio port.
"Yes, do that," Schettino reports Ferrarini telling him. And when the boat grounded, Ferrarini allegedly said "At this point, more than this … We won't sink any longer."
In an interview with French newspaper Le Figaro, Foschi said Schettino had always been considered one of the company's best captains, albeit with a "pronounced ego".
On the island of Giglio, the head of Italy's civil protection agency Franco Gabrielli arrived on Saturday to take over the search for passengers left on board the listed vessel after mounting concern over the duplication of efforts – and the conflicting information given out by – the various police, military and emergency services who have been involved.
Gabrielli may decide that salvage teams can now start working on removing fuel from the vessel even as the hunt for passengers continues, suggesting that the Dutch salvage workers waiting on Giglio could have been sent into action days ago.
Fears are growing that the ship could slip into deeper waters, even though the predicted arrival of bad weather that could disturb the Costa Concordia is now thought to be further off.
Over the weekend, ferries to Giglio from the mainland were filled with tourists keen to see the marooned Costa Concordia. Some of them took picnics on to the rocks overlooking the vessel.
Francesco Schettino reportedly challenges Costa over cruise collision by saying firm 'planned and wanted' manoeuvre.
• Tom Kington in Rome
• guardian.co.uk
The stricken luxury liner Costa Concordia lies off the island of Giglio.
Francesco Schettino, the cruise ship captain accused of steering the Costa Concordia into rocks on the island of Giglio in a reckless bid to "salute" the island, has reportedly said he was ordered to carry out the manoeuvre by ship owner Costa Crociere.
"The salute at Giglio on 13 January was planned and wanted by Costa before the departure from Civitavecchia," Schettino told a judge investigating the collision, according to transcripts leaked to Italian newspaper La Repubblica.
At least 12 people died trying to escape from the vessel as it listed on rocks following the collision. Schettino is being held under house arrest accused of manslaughter, causing a shipwreck and abandoning ship.
Schettino said the "salute" should have been carried out a week earlier, but was put off due to bad weather.
He reportedly told the investigating judge that there was "insistence" by the firm on carrying out such manoeuvres, because it was a good way to promote its cruises.
"Costa was aware of the repeated practice of 'saluting' around the world," said Schettino.
The claims appeared to contradict Pier Luigi Foschi, the chief executive of Costa Crociere, who said last week: "I can't exclude that ships have been sailed closer to land on the initiative of some captains without informing us. But I have never been aware of this taking place in an unsafe manner."
He said steering within metres of Giglio on 13 January was "unapproved, unauthorised and unknown to Costa" and pointed to the onboard newspaper, which said the ship would stay five miles off the coast.
Schettino said he had given up-close salutes to the island of Capri and the Sorrento coast near Naples on previous occasions, as well as at Giglio, following the example of another Costa captain.
One US law firm which is preparing legal action on behalf of passengers has said: "It's too easy to say this captain acted alone."
In response to Schettino's latest claims, a spokesman for Costa Crociere said on Sunday: "Costa Crociere will not be commenting on any aspect of the ongoing judicial proceedings."
Schettino also reportedly told the judge, Valeria Montesarchio, that on the night of the collision he discovered some of the equipment which records navigation data was out of order, which could hamper investigators' efforts to reconstruct his route.
The transcript also shows Schettino at odds with Costa's account of the communication between captain and company after the collision.
Foschi has accused Schettino of keeping the firm in the dark about the state of the ship, which was listing as it took on water.
Schettino reportedly told the judge he gave an accurate description of the collision to Costa Crociere official Roberto Ferrarini and told him he would seek to swing the boat around on to rocks by Giglio port.
"Yes, do that," Schettino reports Ferrarini telling him. And when the boat grounded, Ferrarini allegedly said "At this point, more than this … We won't sink any longer."
In an interview with French newspaper Le Figaro, Foschi said Schettino had always been considered one of the company's best captains, albeit with a "pronounced ego".
On the island of Giglio, the head of Italy's civil protection agency Franco Gabrielli arrived on Saturday to take over the search for passengers left on board the listed vessel after mounting concern over the duplication of efforts – and the conflicting information given out by – the various police, military and emergency services who have been involved.
Gabrielli may decide that salvage teams can now start working on removing fuel from the vessel even as the hunt for passengers continues, suggesting that the Dutch salvage workers waiting on Giglio could have been sent into action days ago.
Fears are growing that the ship could slip into deeper waters, even though the predicted arrival of bad weather that could disturb the Costa Concordia is now thought to be further off.
Over the weekend, ferries to Giglio from the mainland were filled with tourists keen to see the marooned Costa Concordia. Some of them took picnics on to the rocks overlooking the vessel.
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