The coalition government’s moral crusade against benefit fraud took a twist as it released a survey of the top ten excuses used by those caught in its propaganda drive to vilify those on benefits.
The UK`s media frenzy on biting the bait of the ridiculous could be said to be more motivated by a bank holiday slow story day, rather than in-depth journalism but portrayed again is the unemployed as the dregs of society with low morals and intelligence.
Highlighting the 1.6 billion lost to fraud each year, Lord Freud, Welfare Reform Minister said: "Benefit fraud is no joke, and yet our investigators are routinely dealing with barefaced cheek and ridiculous excuses for stealing money from the taxpayer.
"Universal Credit will simplify and automate the benefits system. This will make it much easier to catch people who make false claims."
Amongst the excuses given and bare faced cheek described by Lord Freud has been how “It wasn't me working, it was my identical twin” and also "I didn't know I was still on benefit."
However what seems to have been missed in the compiling of such lamentable excuses by desperate individuals confronted by Gestapo type fraud investigator questioning, is the cheek of the resources and money spent on a survey that produced little of value.
Behind such costs is a whole department where it turns out that of all the "Billions lost through fraud" are actually moneys paid to call centre staff, plus the fraud back office staff, legal teams and on top of this some serious questioning of the government’s own figures, especially on “official error” which constitutes a part of the fraud figures.
Richard Hawkes, chief executive of disability charity Scope speaking in response to this latest attack said: "The government really has to stop over-simplifying the debate on welfare and using unusual fraud cases to support changes which could have a serious and negative impact on the lives of hundreds of thousands of disabled people.
This obnoxious spectacle of a government comprising of at least 38 “millionaire ministers”, portrayal of the unemployed as people to fear, the mugger in the ally way or simpleton thief bears nothing to the reality that poverty pushes you into. Here the ten pound earned on the side to give your child a little extra has become a symbol of contempt in a propaganda war of cuts, which will lead to many being forced onto the streets and into destitution rather than building a society where the moral crusade against need was beaten back and dignity restored.
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From the horse’s mouth… Here
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