Shocking figures released by HMRC (HM Revenue & Customs) today have revealed that 190 women were forced to fill in forms under the Tory government’s ‘rape clause’ legislation to ‘prove’ they became pregnant through rape.
Government rules now only pay child benefit for a woman’s first two children – unless she can prove that a third or later child was conceived forcibly. The humiliating requirement, involving the completion of eight pages of ‘evidence’ to support an application, has been widely condemned as adding to the ordeal of rape victims and an affront to humanity.
DWP Secretary Esther McVey, who recently told everyone how wonderful the government’s hellish Universal Credit system is, appears not to intend to comment on this new horror – but in April a committee meeting at the Scottish parliament had to be suspended twice after McVey outraged listeners by claiming that the rule provided ‘double support’ to rape victims.
By giving them money and an ‘opportunity to talk’ about their ordeal:
Eight years of depth-plumbing Tory government mean it’s rare that the Conservatives astonish with their callousness and crassness – but McVey managed it stomach-turningly. She has also exemplified Tory cowardice by not appearing to defend the policy in the light of HMRC’s revelation today.
Labour’s Shadow DWP Secretary Margaret Greenwood did speak out, however. She told the SKWAWKBOX:
It’s completely unacceptable that women have to prove that they have been the victim of rape to be exempt from the two child limit.
We need a social security system that treats people with respect.
The rape clause is also thought to be contributing to the already-skyrocketing child poverty. One in five UK children are currently living in poverty and the Tories know that their policies are expected to increase this number dramatically.
Comment:
There appears to be no plight or anguish that the Tories will not trample upon in their pursuit of their failed ideology. Inflicting hardships on victims of rape and on their children is about the clearest demonstration that the UK simply cannot get free of Tory government quickly enough.
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Tory Neo-Liberal Barbarians whilst the upper class welfare state flourishes.
£79b tax reliefs and subsidies for corporations (£3,500 per household), tax cuts for millionaires = £110b in the last 8 years, over 1,000 tax reliefs for the rich and better off, tax havens, tax avoidance, tax subsidies to: private landlords with multiple properties, hedge funds, grouse moor owners, public schools – austerity was only meant for working people!
Need decent welfare that treats people with respect and to tax the rich, corporations and end tax avoidance and close illicit offshore banking.
A financial transaction tax (more than the piddling 0.1% Robin Hood Tax) would be a good move as well as Windfall Taxes on Big Business – the rich and powerful legally nick the surplus labour of working people and we should collectively get more of this back as economic justice.
It is working people who really create the wealth and make societies work and we and our representatives should have the democtatic power. Kick the Toxic Tories Out!
Malevolent ‘woman’.
Margaret Greenwood’s already done for mcvile in Wirral West. The day when she does for mcvile in her SoS for DWP position can’t come soon enough.
Just a brief watch of the repulsive harridan and it’s matter-of-fact recital in that video above is enough for people to realise what the toerags are really about.
And mcvile was shacked up with philip davies…One of the two rodents what blocked the ‘upskirting’ bill by talking bollocks for hours on end.
But mcvile’ll still get an easy time of it on ‘loose women’.
May and Rudd left female prisoners without access to sanitary products.
I don’t know for how long and I don’t even know if the Tory scum have put it right yet.
I used to think women were inherently better than us, especially toward each other.
How is anyone supposed to hold onto a shred of hope for humanity while neoliberal scum like these hold the reins?
Esther McVey accused by NAO of misleading MPs about universal credit concerns
https://www.theguardian.com/politics/blog/live/2018/jul/04/pmqs-may-corbyn-gove-gove-plays-down-prospect-of-cabinet-resignations-at-key-chequers-summit-politics-live