We are now into our second term of having a Tory government. I, amongst many cried again when they won the last general election, just like I did the time before. My immediate thoughts were that they were going to ruin this country and to destroy the poor. I really wasn’t wrong was I?
I remember living under Thatchers rule or “that woman” as we had to call her. Her name couldn’t be uttered in our house. My father lost his job as a steel worker and as a result he became unemployed. I remember having no decent shoes to wear, all had holes underneath that I used to fill with cardboard. But that wasn’t unusual then, most of my friends did the same thing.
I remember food bring short, and my mother managing to spread a small amount of food between us all. I remember the coal strikes and the blackouts that went with them. But along with that I remember that they were doing the right thing and sitting round a candle at night wasn’t so bad. Even now I remember the miners and their struggle. They had a terrible time. But their struggle instilled in me the thought of never giving up.
As I got older I remember the massive marches against the Iraq war. A war that should never have happened, but it did and thousands of innocent life’s were lost. If you haven’t seen the film we are many I suggest you watch it.
It’s fantastic. I realised then that war is wrong, well I already realised that but it enforced my view.
But today we have a different war going on. We have a war against the poor, the disabled, the sick, the vulnerable, the nurses, the doctors, the NHS, the students, the older people, women nearing retirement age, the elderly, and the planet. This war is happening around us everyday and their command office is parliament. Indeed a war is being gaged against parliament itself by the Tories. No one, and I mean no one is safe.
The poor and the disabled were the first to be targeted. After all it’s easier to attack someone when they are already down. We first had the council tax supplement and the bedroom tax thrown at us. How dare someone have a spare room or a room that a child over 19 is sleeping in? It’s simply not allowed. Then we had the work capability assessments, the gods of ATOS declaring everyone fit for work. Maximus are now helping ATOS and are behaving much the same way. Not content with that the government now want to take a further 2 million people off the sick and into none existent jobs. The DWP will be working alongside GPs into “assisting” people into work. The scheme is on trial now and as we know trials never stay as a trial they end up becoming a permanent fixture.
The unemployed have had universal credit thrown at them. This was coincided with the implementation of new rules stating 35 hours a week job search alongside your “voluntary” (workfare ) work. Usually at a charity shop like Barnardos. To add to this we have endless punitive sanctions and Jobcentre staff becoming bullies and ogres to their clients.
We’ve had junior doctors striking for the first time against the governments new, unreasonable contracts. We already have a 24 hour NHS, but it seems that the government don’t realise this. They want our junior doctors to work longer hours than they do already which will put patients at risk.
Nurses are threatening to go on strike and let’s not forget the dismantling of our precious NHS. We only have about 1/3 left of the NHS and we need to fight to keep it. Virgin care have already won a bid to run a part of the NHS and sadly this is the way it will continue. Hospitals are being either shut down or scaled down. I know my local hospital is being scaled down. Mix that with our devolution plans, and it could be a reciepe for disaster.
We’ve got young people demonstrating outside parliament. Yet more of their grant system is being taken away. Many won’t be able to afford to study anymore. It’s plain wrong, but the Tories want to make education elitist again.
We also have women who should be reaching retirement age bring told that they can’t retire. I’ve met some of these women and their stories are shocking. But they’ve got a good campaign going and I fully support them.
They want to frack under our houses without permission. That could be catastrophic. You only have to look at Australia and America to see how dangerous this is.
We’ve got China taking over our steel production. Making more jobless and believe me China will produce sub standard steel. It’s wrong, just wrong. No wonder Mr Cameron was so welcoming to the Chinese minister when he arrived in our country.
And let’s not forget that this governments long term economic plan is to make our country bankrupt.
Single parents have been targeted time and time again. Obscene job seeking rules being implemented and the constant lowering of the return to work age. The story party just don’t understand that young children need their parents. It’s a concept they don’t really understand. Maybe that’s because they ship their children off to boarding school as soon as possible. It’s never been harder to be a single parent.
For the first time ever there will be no investment in social housing. To add more injury to this they are building so called affordable homes that will not be affordable to most. They’ve also sneaked in a bill to ensure that the bad private landlords can rip their tenants off even more and the laws that previously enforced them to keep their homes in a liveable conditions have been loosened. Ensuring that it won’t be long before we once again have cellar dwellings etc like we had in Victorian times.
There’s so much more I could write about, and I apologise if I’ve missed anything out.
But one things certain our country is being destroyed right before our eyes and there’s not enough of us fighting against this. They will not stop until they destroy everything that they dislike. Which will most likely be everyone apart from themselves.
Please join us and fightback against this massive injustice thrown upon us. We need your support. Do whatever you can to raise awareness. Object to what they are doing. Join a trade union, join protests. Help us to make Britain great again before they totally destroy it.
Says it all doesn’t it.
The poor side of life 
I am glad someone is fighting for us, these people need a wake up call. I have seen you a few times on Thursday when I have been in the job centre to see my work coach or on the computers. The job centre is a joke, when I see my work coach the advisor next to him is always on his phone at his desk. But I get told to take my call outside my there g4s heavies and don’t get me started on them. Every time I am in there is always the older one sat down. Now surely that’s a waste of money if they want to save money then stop cutting beniefits cut the two above that would save them money straight away. I am with you people all the way if I wasn’t scared of coming standing with you and being seen by the staff I would. KEEP IT UP
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Thank you!!!!
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The work you do is incredibly important. You’re bringing public awareness to the problems on a local level and are also helping individuals and at times steering the desperate away from suicide. Ignore the doubters and shouters my friend, and carry on because we need activists like you. What I’ve noticed about you is that you’re in for the long-haul, even when there’s snow on the ground! That takes some dedication.
I know there’s been some argy bargy recently and you’ve had some criticism outside this blog. There’ll always be an element who think the way to go is to deafen everyone and disrupt local businesses. In my opinion, and I’m a resident of Ashton, it’s not the way to get the locals to come over to our side of the fence and will only piss people off. But we’ll see! Been an activist myself and seen it all before.
Just don’t get disheartened and keep up the good work. I hope to join you once personal circumstances allow.
It’s time to take the Labour Party back by the way. It’s OURS!
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Thank you!!!
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Reblogged this on sdbast.
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Tweeted @melissacade68
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Thank you
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Reblogged this on disabledsingleparent.
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Hi But you don’t address the big question; why are the Labour councils locally and across the country going along with the Tory agenda. I remember the 80s and the fightback by Labour councils against the cuts and the tremendous local and national campaigns. You cannot just blame the Tories because you are not addressing the real issue; why has the Labour Party betrayed the working classes in this country? And hoping that the election of one man;Jeremy Corbyn as its leader is suddenly going to change the Labour Party is akin to believing in messiahs. One man cannot change a bankrupt party. It will not change the real politics of why you and TAC are stood outside Ashton Job Centre each week.
Bernadette Hyland aka LipstickSocialist http:// lipsticksocialist.wordpress.com Freelance Writer Mobile no. 0757 9964 305 @lippysocialist
On Tue, Jan 19, 2016 at 6:33 PM, The poor side of life wrote:
> seercharlotte71 posted: “We are now into our second term of having a Tory > government. I, amongst many cried again when they won the last general > election, just like I did the time before. My immediate thoughts were that > they were going to ruin this country and to destroy the poor” >
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SInce the 80’s the laws have been changed to never allow Councils to not set budgets. The ways and means to mount campaigns have been removed under the Lobbying At and other new laws, and campaigns cost money – which council would risk being accused of cutting care or children’s services to wage a political campaign? What is YOUR solution? You want everyone else to be campaigning, and you dismiss the revolution in the Labour party with what can only called ignorance (as one who is part of the return to Labour values along with hundreds of thousands, I feel able to say that). Lippy socialism needs to grow up, I think. Charlotte is actually doing something to help those hurting, but you cam only rant about the impossibility of change. Charlotte and many others are building that change one person at a time and need our heartfelt thanks, and support.
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Thank you so much. It’s hard work but one day we might get there
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I’m trying my best. If it’s not good enough that’s fine but at least I can say that I tried. Sorry! I make no excuses for anyone else! Neither do I agree with everyone else! I just do what I can
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I can’t answer for their actions and neither do I agree with them doing this. Devolution I feel will be a trap and they haven’t looked at all the possible pitfalls. Yes they needed to stand up for themselves I agree! I have spoken to them about this as well and they know my views. I actually brought it up at the last public council meeting and will be doing again.
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I know that one man cannot change anything but we can make a difference. We’ve achieved loads just by doing what we do outside the Jobcentre for so long. I certainly don’t give up and will always challenge their actions. Sadly I also know that we will not get any local labour support. The ones that do support us are working so can’t attend, however social media has been amazing and they share our work that way. I will keep asking my questions
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Charlotte, in some of the answers above, you seem to be almost apologising for trying to actually do something, and that saddens me. Correct me if I’m wrong, but there is a lot of negativity apparently aimed at you. which is so unfair, Yes, you’re just one person, but you’re a great person. Never let anyone shake that certainty. The cases you have documented through your blog are immediate and raw, and a far better commentary on the evil that is being done to people than a pile of mainstream press reports. I hope that among the increased numbers now joining the party there are some who can join with you, and share your work. If I lived closer I would make every effort to be there, because what you’re doing is so important, supporting people really on the edge. You have a lots of knowledge to really help people who are distressed, bullied, reduced to penury, victimized. You provide real practical help and support, down to scarves and gloves, phone calls, etc. You’re amazing.
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Thank you so much for your support. I really needed to hear some kind words today. Many thanks
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