The presidents of Churches Together in England (CTE) have issued a call to prayer and action in the light of the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic.
On Mothering Sunday (22 March) the presidents are asking churches and people of prayer to light a candle in the windows of their homes at 7pm.
Holmes Lane,
Rustington,
BN16 2PY
My name is Thomas, and I am a JPIT intern for 2025-6, working on the Constituency Action Network amongst other things! I grew up in the Anglican church, in a family that considered Christianity and social justice to be like cheese and biscuits; good on their own, in another league when paired together! I studied Politics, Sociology and Anthropology at Selwyn College, Cambridge, where I was part of the chapel community and the Prayer Officer for Cambridge Student Christian Movement, as well as some refugee, Palestine and climate justice work. Oh and the degree itself, where possible! I come to JPIT from a year as a Live In Care Assistant with L’Arche UK in Canterbury, a charity building communities with people with and without learning disabilities. I lived in a care home with other assistants and some of our core members, L’Arche’s term for people with learning disabilities. This experience has shaped my relationship with God and my interests in public issues, and I could feel myself being transformed on several occasions, especially Christmas Day. Christmas in L’Arche is very busy, and Christmas Dinner a key focal point. With some last minute additions making it 23 (!) for dinner in Faith House where I lived, and our designated chef out of action with flu, I found myself preparing and cooking 2 turkeys and a cross-cultural assortment of dishes with the key deadline of 3pm, and was utterly overwhelmed! Despite the kitchen being full of busy people, I felt pretty alone as dishes burnt and the clock ticked forwards, and I became far too focused on the food, the drinks, the table presentation and decoration… As the doorbell rang, in that moment I wanted nothing to do with community! And yet, as our guests arrived with smiles and joy and Christmas pudding, I felt the Holy Spirit reminding me of the beauty of a full table and the value of being together[1], with and without learning disabilities.[2] My experience of community in this and many other moments in L’Arche carries over to JPIT. The Constituency Action Network aims to help churches engage relationally with their MPs, building long lasting ties and a rapport that lasts well after the election. The power of a local congregation to involve their MP in their ministry and outreach takes social action into social justice on a wide variety of public issues, and can support a church’s internal and outward-facing cohesion and direction. It can be so overwhelming to look out at our world and its many, seemingly ever present problems and injustices. We wonder, where can we start? What can we, a minority faith in this country, engage in? When I feel like this, I try to reset the frame, and remember the spiritual and nourishing power of belonging to an active and purposeful community. I remember that we are working step by step locally to enact God’s kingdom on earth, through our foodbanks, warm spaces, debt counselling. This can only be enhanced with building a relationship with our local MP. We see the hijacking of Christian rhetoric and symbolism by those wishing to turn away the stranger and the migrant[3]. We see poverty and injustice in the UK and elsewhere being neglected and forgotten in public discourse. And we also may feel a glint of hopeful change in the quiet uptick in interest in Christianity we see statistically and on the ground. To balance these emotions and contradictions we hold can be tough, and my hope for my time with JPIT is to ground myself in the concrete steps of advocacy and relationship building, which our churches do have the power to take. I particularly look forward to the Justice conference on 8 November to frame these small scale actions as leading to the transformations of our world that God aches for. [1] Acts 2: 42-47 [2] I wrote a blog about this for L’Arche if you’d like to read further [3] Reach out in peace: Positive preparation for times of unrest – Joint Public Issues Team Source
Hello! My name is Erica, and I am the new JPIT intern (communications) for 2025/26. I am really looking forward to exploring how an ecumenical organization negotiates complex public issues and learning how best to engage Christians through media to encourage and enable church mobilization and campaigning. Aged 15, I first became actively involved in politics as part of my local branch of the youth climate strikes. Following the political upheaval which provided a backdrop to my early teenage years, including Brexit and Trump’s first election, I was a young person who could not vote, but craved an outlet to make my voice heard for a just cause. When some friends asked me to steward the climate strike on 15th March 2019, I jumped at the opportunity. I went on strike every month from then until February 2020 alongside hundreds of young people demanding climate justice from the UK government and local authorities. This undoubtedly instilled within me a lasting determination for global political, environmental, and economic justice. It also empowered me as a young person to speak about my experiences to others within the Church of England, the denomination in which I was brought up, and campaign for more to be done about the climate crisis. Since then, I have only become more convinced of the radical work that Christians should be doing within the modern world, railing against the status quo as Jesus did. Studying history at university gave me further opportunities to explore justice and how public issues have changed over time. The Methodist Church has a history of engaging with public issues which I am excited by, from its 19th Century antislavery campaigns, up to its present-day ethos of inclusion and research into reparations. My passion for social and climate justice in my teens coupled with my academic research to produce my final-year dissertation topic. By investigating narratives of environmental youth activism in 1990s postcolonial Nigeria, I attempted to uncover marginalized voices who had been stereotyped or homogenized, whilst highlighting the lack of impartiality in reporting and research. The power of institutional narratives is equally applicable to the Church, given its historic role in oppression and injustice and its contemporary responsibility to amplify justice rather than falsely claim neutrality. I am incredibly excited to move from researching injustice, to participating in and communicating justice work/conversations through JPIT, from the newsletter to podcasts to social media! Moving on from youth activism which demanded that the adults listened, into the adult world myself post-graduation, I am learning where I must be accountable for creating a Jesus-like life, responsible for my platform and how I can make a difference in the world. It helps to come back to the intentions of Isaiah 58: 6-7 – “Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin?” In a climate where Christianity is being weaponised as part of far-right hate rhetoric, it is crucial more than ever to communicate these values of justice, freedom, and compassion. I pray that my experiences can support JPIT this year in speaking truth to power; in its vision of partnership, peace, and ‘to loose the bonds of injustice’. Source
Why the UK needs a Jerry Maguire styled epiphany On the wall of my office, I have around 50 boards depicting my favourite films and tv shows – some are profound, some edgy, some, if I’m honest, are a bit cringy, but all of them are meaningful to me in some way. One of them is Cameron Crowe’s Jerry Maguire. The other day I caught myself wondering how it made the cut, and I had this thought. In the film, the title character has a late-night epiphany. Disillusioned by the shallow, transactional world of sports management, he pours his heart into a “mission statement.” It isn’t about profit margins or flashy deals – it’s about rediscovering purpose, humanity, and the original reasons he fell in love with the work. His colleagues dismiss it as naïve, even dangerous. But the truth is that Jerry Maguire wasn’t breaking down – he was waking up. I can’t help but think the UK needs a similar wakeup call right now. Last week, the government temporarily shut down all safe routes that allow refugees in the UK to be reunited with their families, and signalled its intention to tighten the rules even further when those routes are reopened – a policy that arrives against a backdrop of anti-asylum protests and growing pressure to consider withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rights. The political winds seem determined to blow us further down the road of suspicion and hostility, as though people seeking asylum are not human beings with histories, losses, and hopes, but chess pieces to be sacrificed in a Westminster game. Much of the press contributes to this narrative. While small segments try to provide balance, the most hostile voices often get the greatest airtime, and so immigration is presented as the existential crisis of our age, rather than as a challenge that can be addressed without abandoning fairness, compassion, justice, and human rights. And yet, if we pull a Jerry Maguire and write our own national mission statement – we might remember that the UK has rarely, if ever, been defined by this mean-spiritedness. Quite the opposite. We were the country that gave sanctuary to the Huguenots fleeing persecution in France. We welcomed Jewish refugees escaping the horrors of Nazi Europe, including through the Kindertransport that saved thousands of children. We opened our doors to Ugandan Asians expelled by Idi Amin in early 1970s – in this instance the government acted quickly, welcoming many despite the anti-immigrant sentiment of the time, stoked by figures like Enoch Powell. Maybe it is possible to act with moral clarity, even when parts of public opinion resist it? More recently, we launched the Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Scheme (VPRS), offering safety to tens of thousands of Syrian refugees. And just three years ago, we witnessed an extraordinary outpouring of generosity toward Ukrainians fleeing war – tens of thousands of British citizens, many of them motivated by their Christian faith, opening their homes in quiet but profound solidarity. Family reunion has long been part of that tradition. Successive governments have defended it as a cornerstone of compassionate asylum policy. Indeed, Yvette Cooper, who until this week was Home Secretary and has driven much of the current asylum agenda, once argued passionately in Parliament that making vulnerable families suffer separation in an attempt ‘to deter others’ was cruel and counterproductive – and that we should not make suffering even worse for political ends. How disturbing, then, that this principle now appears expendable. It is political amnesia – not just of our national history, but of our leaders’ own stated beliefs. Shabana Mahmood, the new Home Secretary, once wrote to government colleagues herself urging an expansion of family reunion rights for refugee children, insisting that it was both humane and practical to let parents join them rather than leaving children alone in an already overstretched care system. The question now is whether she will stay true to those convictions – or whether she too will allow this principle to be set aside. In times like these, Churches have often reminded the nation of our moral bearings and have consistently called for immigration policies grounded in compassion and dignity. Baptist, Methodist, URC and Church of Scotland churches, have been particularly vocal in campaigning for the expansion of family reunion rules, not diminishing them, and for systems that recognise those seeking asylum and refugees as human beings, not political pawns. While I fully accept there will be people in our churches along the full spectrum of political affiliation, it is really difficult, if not impossible (in this writer’s humble opinion), to make a biblical case defending such hostility towards asylum seekers and refugees. One of the most consistent messages throughout scripture is to welcome the stranger, to give sanctuary to those in need, to hear the cries of the poor, the destitute and the oppressed. This is who we are. Some argue that compassion is unaffordable when public finances and services are so stretched. But in truth, cruelty costs us much more. The government should explore giving those seeking asylum the right to work (allowing people the dignity of providing for themselves and even contributing to the exchequer), expand decision-making capacity to clear backlogs, and invest in community sponsorship schemes – these practical steps, among others, would both uphold dignity and ease pressure on the system. The real danger today is not immigration. The danger is forgetting. Forgetting that asylum seekers are not statistics but human beings, loved by God, often with heartbreaking experiences of fear and suffering. Our default posture should not be to treat new arrivals as threats but simply neighbours in waiting. Forgetting that inevitably leads to politics being driven by fear instead of facts, and cruelty instead of compassion. Jerry Maguire’s mission statement centred on this principle: Fewer clients. Less money. More caring. He was calling his industry back to what mattered. Perhaps our own national mission statement should be just as succinct: fewer soundbites, less fear-mongering, more compassion. Because if we are to remain true to […]
38 senior faith leaders from the five major faith groups represented in the UK – including representatives of the Baptist, Methodist and United Reformed Churches – have written to the Prime Minister and Chancellor, urging them to “act now to secure the futures of millions of children.” The letter addresses Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves, saying, “As Parliament returns from recess and children return to school, we urge you to seize this moment to take decisive action to drive down child poverty.” The leaders argue this must include committing the investment needed to scrap the two-child limit on benefits. Signatories include The Rt Revd Martin Snow, Lord Bishop of Leicester, Revd Richard Andrew, President of the Methodist Conference, Rabbi Jonathan Wittenberg, Senior Rabbi of Masorti Judaism, Zia Salik, Director of Islamic Relief, and Lord Singh of Wimbledon. The letter goes on to read: “Your upcoming strategy on child poverty, alongside the Budget this autumn, is an opportunity to invest in our children, both for now and for the future. However, this requires commitments that match the scale of the challenge.” “It is hard to conceive of an effective Child Poverty Strategy that does not act on the restrictive benefit cap and end the two-child limit. Faith groups have challenged the limit on moral grounds, rejecting the state’s abandonment of third and later children, and the poverty this inevitably causes. As many charities and think tanks have now shown, ending the two-child limit is also the most cost-effective way to address child poverty. We believe this must be a priority for your government.” “Across our different faiths we share a commitment to human dignity. Poverty tears away at that dignity, robbing people of the opportunity to live a full life that reflects their inherent value. It is simply wrong that millions of children are born into families that struggle to cover even the essentials.” Other senior signatories to the letter include former Archbishop of Canterbury, Lord Williams, Dr Nicola Brady, General Secretary of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, Bishop John Arnold, Catholic Bishop of Salford and Imam Dr Sayed Razawi OBE, Director General, Scottish Ahlul Bayt Society. The letter was coordinated by the Joint Public Issues Team. The letter acknowledges a recent proposal from IPPR, supported by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, to raise £3.2 billion in gambling levies to pay for the two-child limit and benefit cap to be scrapped. It calls on the government to be “ambitious and creative” in finding additional investment to tackle child poverty. Revd Richard Andrew, President of the Methodist Conference, is a signatory to the letter. He said: “It’s simply wrong that so many children are growing up without the essentials of life. This is a cry for change, rooted in our belief that change is possible. Rising levels of child poverty are not inevitable. The government’s pledge to lift children out of poverty during this parliament is welcome, but now it needs to be backed up with real commitments, including scrapping the two-child limit on benefits.” The Rt Revd Martyn Snow, Bishop of Leicester and the Church of England’s lead bishop for welfare, said: “Along with other faith leaders, I am deeply troubled by the scale of child poverty taking hold in our country. I warmly welcome the Government’s first steps to address this crisis through breakfast clubs, the expansion of early years provision, and now the extension of the Holiday Activities and Food programme. In that same spirit, I encourage the Prime Minister and Chancellor to build on those measures with an ambitious strategy this autumn. Ending the unfair two-child limit and benefit cap are necessary steps as we strive to fulfil our moral obligation to the next generation.” Zia Salik, Interim director, Islamic Relief UK said: “Every week we hear stories from our local partners across the UK about parents being forced to go without food so their children can eat, or families having to choose between heating and eating during the winter months. Years of austerity, and the cost-of-living crisis has put basic necessities almost out of reach for many families, leaving the most vulnerable to suffer. The government’s unfathomable decision to maintain the two-child limit has helped neither the reality of poverty on the ground for so many children or stopped the false narratives being purveyed on this issue, all while failing to understand the utmost cruelty of this situation on literal children. It is imperative that the government lifts this cap, as all it has done is harm children.” Rt Revd John Arnold, Bishop of Salford, said: “Too often I hear of families in our parishes and schools who are going without the daily essentials of food, decent housing and warmth. Far too many children are not only missing out on these basics, but also on the opportunities that allow them to develop and thrive, simply because their families are trapped in poverty. This robs them of the dignity that our faith insists is the right of every person. That is why I support the letter to the Prime Minister and why I urge him and the Government to take the decisive action needed so that every child can grow up with hope, opportunity and the chance to flourish.” Former Prime Minister Gordon Brown expressed his support for this intervention from faith leaders. He said: “Faith groups have a vital role to play in solving the endemic problem of child poverty. Their voices add to a growing chorus calling for the implementation of the government’s child poverty review, that should start with ending the two-child rule and taxing gambling to pay for the change.” Many churches and community groups are involved in supporting families affected by the two-child limit. With the government’s child poverty strategy due to be published this autumn, the faith leaders reaffirmed their commitment to take action to tackle child poverty, saying “As we call on your government to take ambitious and properly funded action, we reaffirm our commitment to work alongside you and do […]
Levels of child poverty in the UK are rising, and set to continue rising. 4.5 million children are currently growing up without access to the essentials of life. But we believe that should and can change. “The impact of growing up in poverty is huge. It affected me physically, mentally and emotionally. Not eating enough food as a child affects your health, weight and concentration. You feel angry and confused. A child can’t understand why they’re excluded from school trips with their friends, or why they don’t have new clothes. You feel different. I felt like I was being punished. I didn’t understand we just didn’t have the money. Poverty is a wound that festers and it casts a long shadow over a lifetime. We as a society have a chance to end this cycle.” Louise, 24 This autumn, as the government finalises its long-delayed child poverty strategy, please tell your MP that it’s time for bold action. There needs to be an ambitious plan for transformation, backed with the government spending that’s going to be necessary to have an impact. This includes abolishing the two-child limit on benefits, which on its own could lift half a million children out of poverty. Take action now If you have one minute: Email your MP through Action for Children’s website here. If you have 20 minutes: Once you’ve contacted your MP, can you encourage some others to do so, too? This could be sending a few friends and family members a message with a link to this page, posting on social media, writing a short notice for your church newsletter, or speaking about it in a group you’re part of. If you have longer: Get together with others in your church or community and arrange a time to go and see your MP, or invite them to an event, to discuss the issues and why they are important. If possible, do this in partnership with projects or groups that involve people with lived experience of poverty. Nothing beats the impact of face-to-face contact, and hearing directly about people’s experiences. For support in building a positive and purposeful relationship with your MP, check out JPIT’s Constituency Action Network. Source
In recent years, thousands of Hongkongers have made the UK their home under the British National (Overseas) visa scheme, launched in 2021. Many have found welcome, friendship, and belonging within our church communities. However, proposals in the recent Immigration White Paper may affect Hongkongers who have already arrived, as well as those yet to come. While the government has framed the changes as part of a wider immigration policy review, some proposals risk undermining the stability, security, and family unity that have been so important in helping Hongkongers settle and thrive in the UK. The principal proposal is to extend the qualifying residency period for applying for British citizenship by five years, at a time when the first cohort of arrivals from Hong Kong were approaching the point when they would become eligible, with all the security, privileges and responsibilities that involves. Senior representatives of the Baptist Union of Great Britain, the Methodist Church and the United Reformed Church have written jointly to the Home Secretary to raise urgent concerns about the impact of the Immigration White Paper on BNO visa holders, and to seek clarity. A parliamentary debate has now been scheduled to be held on this issue on 8 September 2025. Ahead of the debate, JPIT has produced a toolkit to support people in raising the issue with MPs: Source
International development agency Christian Aid has been working with church leaders and campaigners to produce a series of resources to help tackle the long-standing and “too difficult” issues around Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory. The three short films bring together the voices of UK Christians, and Palestinians in a way which helps churches start their own conversations and inspires them to act for a just peace. Campaigns and Organising Officer Jess Hall explained the films are part of the organisation’s Just Peace initiative and feature Christian Aid partners sharing their experiences and work. She added: “We understand people may shy away from conversations about Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory, seeing it as too difficult, controversial or uncomfortable. We know it can be challenging for churches to work out where to start. “Just Peace aims to build people’s understanding and break the silence. The films are available for download to use in services or discussion events and the accompanying resources, which include an Order of Service and event guide, can be used flexibly to suit your church or meeting.” The resources have received support from church leaders around the UK. The Revd Dr Simon Woodman, from Bloomsbury Central Baptist Church, said as followers of Jesus, we are called to act justly and to be peacemakers. He added: “There are unmistakable injustices so many Palestinians face daily and it’s easy to forget real people are living these realities. “Many churches can be hesitant to engage with this issue and there are important concerns but well-meaning worries can end up serving as a kind of moral paralysis; in effect they mean turning a blind eye. “These films will help churches have the courage to talk about Palestinian justice in a way that’s careful, responsible and faithful.” The Revd Claire Whitmore, from Christians for Palestine, also took part in the filming. She said: “Getting a conversation started about acting for a just peace in the Holy Land can be challenging for churches. Church leaders and members alike can be unsure about where to begin. It’s been great to work on these films and resources that can help Christians find a way in, and the courage to pray and act together as a church. “My hope is that as churches come closer to the experiences of Palestinians, and hear the voices of ordinary Christians who are seeking peace, they will be inspired to speak out and stand up for an end to the violence of war and occupation.” And Philip Austen, of the Northern Friends Peace Board, added: “As Quakers we have a strong tradition of peacemaking. My hope is that these films and resources will add to the toolbox of any Quaker Meeting to help nurture peacemaking in our communities and networks. The new resources offer an opportunity as Quakers to reach out to our local Christian communities and share our experiences and traditions of peacemaking and encourage others to get involved. “I hope the voices included in these resources will also be effective in bringing home just some of the reality of Palestinian experiences at this crucial time. It has been good to be part of this group, learning from those in different faith traditions about what some of the challenges and openings are in engaging our communities. And I have welcomed the opportunity to make connections between this initiative and the broader Christian peace network.” Jess added: “We hope church communities will come together to reflect on what they see and hear – the injustice of poverty, displacement, denial of rights and detention experienced by Palestinians – and respond.” Christian Aid is urging churches and meeting houses to join in its actions by contacting local politicians, taking part in the Fast for Gaza or joining its monthly Prayers for Peace in the Middle East. To download the films and resources, go to: Inspire your church to act for a just peace – Christian Aid. Main image: Majid Fathi/Christian Aid Source
Child poverty has steadily increased over the past 15 years, but it is clear how that trend can be reversed. It requires government and institutions to prioritise poverty reduction, and a significant financial investment in measures that will have an impact. In the autumn, the Government will publish its long-awaited Child Poverty Strategy – laying out what government will do alone, as well as coordinating institutions across society in the fight against child poverty. The signs are that the strategy will say good things. The big question mark hanging over it is whether, in the current fiscal context, the government will find the resources to make the financial investment that is necessary. This week the Institute of Public Policy Research, supported by former Prime Minister Gordon Brown, has published research showing that increasing gambling levies to the levels in many of our neighbouring European countries would raise £3.2Bn – enough, if invested well, to lift half a million children from poverty. The charity Action for Children produced research earlier this year that found that the most cost effective way to invest this money would be to end the two child benefit rule. This rule denies Universal Credit, the main benefit supporting families on low incomes, to third and later children. It is a major driver of poverty, with large families having a poverty rate 50% higher than smaller families. The revenues from levies on gambling would open the door to abolishing the two child rule. Over the coming weeks, faith leaders, charities and politicians will be reiterating the case for government to invest in our children, and begin to turn the tide on child poverty. You can add your voice today by signing Action for Children’s petition here. In the News: Gordon Brown urges Rachel Reeves to hike gambling taxes at Budget – BBC News The gambling industry is a licence to print money. Tax it properly – and turbocharge the fight against child poverty | Gordon Brown | The Guardian Lord Williams backs Gordon Brown’s child-poverty campaign– Church Times Watch: Gordon Brown calls on Labour to scrap two-child benefit cap | ITV Source
Did you know you can apply for grants to assist you in holiday clubs, uniform groups and for general child/ youth work. It can sometimes be tricky to know how to resource an event or venture that has a missional focus if you have limited finances. Holiday clubs are always in need of more pens and glue, kids in uniform groups may need help subsidising the purchase of uniform and refreshments are always needed for a hungry youth group – the URC are keen to help ensure these financial concerns are not a barrier to fulfilling missional work. There have been a few applications for grants just recently and each application is asked to send back a report and photos of how the money was spent. Bamford Chapel, Rochdale, used the URC material ‘sparks and stories’ to present their holiday club, turning the church into a giant campsite. The ‘Holiday club grant’ enabled the church to hire a badge maker and to pay for craft and science equipment. St John the Evangelist, Kingston Park, applied for a ‘links to uniformed groups grant’. The Church held a Christmas tree festival and hosted a cake fundraising event at it. The uniform groups are new and so are low on funds, the Church were delighted to offer trees for them to use purchased with the grant money. London Street URC, Basingstoke applied for a ‘general CYW grant’ and were able to take 8 children to camp in Wessex. While at camp the children joined in with high ropes, zip wire and skate boarding. The camp also enabled the children to bond and to meet other young Christians from other churches. 1st Haydock girls brigade group which meet at Christchurch URC, Haydock applied for a ‘links with uniformed groups grant’ to enable them to subsidize the purchase of uniform. The church felt that being able to help subsidize uniform made it more accessible for families to join, thus ending with 18 new members. Through the ‘general CYW grant’ Heath URC, Halifax were able to buy a URC advent pack for each child who attends their beaver pack. The leaders really appreciated using the packs during their December meetings. After the Elders of Tadley united, Tadley attended the excellent “Growing Your Church” course hosted by Wessex Synod they decided that some “re-focusing” on their children’s work would be a vital factor in their “long term growth plans” for the church! Thanks to the support of the C&YW/DDF Grant they have now run 3 successful events with between 6 & 8 children each time, and more events are already planned for this year and envisaged for next year. Click the link to apply for a grant or to find out more.bit.ly/CYWgrants Source
Last month the Leader of the Opposition gave a speech about disability benefits that resurrected the discredited “Skiver v Striver” rhetoric of 15 years ago. This time it is “Makers v Takers”, a slogan which she did not make, but took from US debates in the early 2010s. This pattern of misrepresenting the poorest is not only a modern phenomenon. In 1753 John Wesley, the founder of Methodism said, “So wickedly, devilishly false is that common objection, ‘They are poor, only because they are idle’. Yet no matter how many times we challenge these wicked falsehoods they evolve and reappear. Last month’s speech followed the well-worn modern formula. A new ridiculous statistic is produced; this time a think-tanker had tortured a spreadsheet to find the maximum amount a very unusual and very hypothetical person could get from the benefits system and then used this hypothetical to indicate disabled people were actually having it quite easy. The shockingly high poverty, destitution and hunger rates for disabled people in the real world were of course unmentioned[1]. There were also quick shareable soundbites, the most notable of which was that Motability cars are given out for food-intolerances[2] – a lie of the same calibre as “immigrants are eating the dogs” – which has provided social media fodder for those who want to be unpleasant to disabled people. I have gone through the speech line by line and factchecked the claims, but a blow-by-blow account would give them more respect than they deserve. To take the claims seriously you would really have to want to be fooled. The question is why do so many people want to be fooled and why do politicians so frequently oblige? What is to be gained by insulting the disabled? It is important to realise this rhetoric isn’t needed to make the case for change. The speech was clear that the proposed cuts to disability benefits were driven by perceived financial and ideological concerns. I would argue those concerns are misplaced, but they could form part of a respectful and truthful political debate. The nastiness of “skiver vs striver” is used to solve a political problem. The British public have wanted disabled people to have higher benefits consistently for more than 25 years[3]. Taking money from disabled people is not a good look. The solution is to present people relying on disability benefits as not really disabled, not impoverished and potential cheats who are better off than ordinary workers like you. None of that is true; 15 years ago implying these things created a climate of fear and hatred towards disabled people which sadly seems to be returning; but the payoff is that it makes cutting benefits for disabled people more palatable. It is worth noting that as the current Government also tried to convince people that its package of disability benefit cuts would not cause hardship. Rather than directly painting the disabled people losing out as undeserving “takers”, they chose instead to say that more people would move into work. This, they claimed, would minimise the number of people being made worse off, and even make many better off. These are not new claims to put alongside benefit cuts, but a minute’s engagement with reality shows that while millions would lose out from the cuts, at best only thousands would be helped into work – leaving millions of already disadvantaged disabled people worse off. Again, the political reality that the public don’t want to take from disabled people was dealt with by misrepresenting the reality of disabled people’s lives. Facilitating deliberate ignorance In 1786 Charles Wesley wrote the sermon “On visiting the Sick”. Then, just as now, illness and disability were linked to poverty. The opening passage of the sermon says: “One great reason why the rich, in general, have so little sympathy for the poor, is because they so seldom visit them… Many of them do not know, because they do not care to know: they keep out of the way of knowing it; and then plead their voluntary ignorances an excuse for their hardness of heart. “Indeed, Sir,” said person of large substance, “I am a very compassionate man. But, to tell you the truth, I do not know anybody in the world that is in want.” The tired rhetoric of “skiver vs striver” is the modern way of “keeping out of the way of knowing” about the poverty and injustice faced by many disabled people in the UK. Its purpose is to allow us to feel like “very compassionate people”, while doing extraordinarily uncompassionate things. Taking money from the poorest makes them poorer My next blog will be about the claims that disability benefits are unaffordable[4] and how increases in employment and in poverty are now going hand in hand. But before we can have that conversation it is important to reject the conveniently simple notion that cutting disability benefits will not hurt disabled people or will only hurt people whose disability is trivial or non-existent. We may want to believe that there are pain-free cuts to make, and sadly politicians are willing to tell you this – but it is simply nonsense. Taking money from the poorest makes poor people poorer. Anyone proposing such cuts must justify their choice acknowledging that reality – anything else looks like “voluntary ignorance”. [1] Income poverty amongst the disabled is around 33% higher for disabled people, 62% of people classified as destitute have a disability, and 7 in 10 families referred to Trussell food banks contain someone with a disability. [2] PIP enhanced mobility component which is used to pay for Motability cars. This is not based on any clinical diagnosis, and certainly not food allergies. It is qualified for via a functional assessment – ie to receive the benefit that you can use to access a Motability car you must, amongst many other things, prove to the DWP that you are unable stand and move (aided or unaided) for more than 20m. It is also important […]
