Iain Duncan Smith’s EU speech invokes ‘the have-nots’. Yes, that Iain Duncan Smith.

Movement Politics Social Justice

Mr welfare reform calls the EU 'a force for social injustice'

 

Iain Duncan Smith has claimed the European Union is a ‘force for social injustice’ and ‘a friend of the haves rather than the have-nots’.

The former Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, campaigning for Brexit in the June 23 EU referendum, said:

‘Today I want to briefly explain why the EU, particularly for the UK has become a force for social injustice and why leaving provides a vital opportunity for us to be able to develop policies that will protect the people who often find themselves at the sharp end of global economic forces and technological change.

My plea to better off Britons who have done well in recent years is to consider using their vote in the referendum to vote for a better deal for people who haven’t enjoyed the same benefits as them.

Because the EU, despite its grand early intentions, has become a friend of the haves rather than the have-nots.’

You might remember Iain Duncan Smith from such policies as:

  • The Bedroom Tax – which cuts housing benefit for people living in public housing who have a ‘spare room’, supposedly to make them move to smaller homes, (despite the lack of affordable housing). 76 per cent affected were forced to cut back on food.
  • Punitive sanctions for benefit claimants and cuts to their support. The Work and Pensions Committee has said the sanctions were ‘contributing to food poverty’.
  • Disability support ‘reform’ whereby private companies test disabled people and cut their support if they are deemed ‘fit to work’.
  • Cutting tax credits for low-income workers. The policy was defeated in the House of Lords and then watered-down by the government.
  • Universal Credit – replacing all benefits with a chaotic back-of-the-envelope system repeatedly found to leave millions worse off.

At the same time as he introduced and advocated these policies, Duncan Smith voted:

With a record like this, Duncan Smith’s intervention today could be summarised as: ‘How dare the EU punish the vulnerable. That’s my job!’ (or was until he resigned in March).

On his central claim today that migration drives down wages in Britain, the London School of Economics has found ‘little evidence of a strong correlation between changes in wages of the UK-born (either all or just the less skilled) and changes in local area immigrant share over this period’.

Industries where migrants are likely to work follow the same employment trends as the rest of the economy, regardless of immigration levels. Overall, immigration has a net zero effect on the UK economy either way.

And on housing, Duncan Smith voted for expanding ‘right-to-buy’, which has seen 40 per cent of social housing bought by tenants rented out as private housing, shrinking the amount of public housing available for people, regardless of where they were born.

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4 Responses to “Iain Duncan Smith’s EU speech invokes ‘the have-nots’. Yes, that Iain Duncan Smith.”

  1. David Davies

    There really is little than can be said about this loathsome creature. He once promised to live on the punitive benefits levels that he brutally imposed on others. His storm troopers use any means – by obfuscation and prevarication – in their Prime Directive to remove victims from benefits.

    One look at the motley crew of `outers’ should be enough to persuade any sane voter to vote remain.

  2. Ted

    What worries me is if the outers win, it will most likely lead to a coup and we will have a new more right wing PM and cabinet, with policies which many who vote out will or cannot support. People like IDS will lead the negotiations with the EU and the rest of the world in what ever trade deals they negotiate, who will they benefit most? Secondly the laws at home in the UK what will go and what will come in, I suggest working hours will rise for a start. My mate who is a HGV driver tells me he is hoping to go back to an unrestricted world where he decides how many hours he drives for each day and week.

    Secondly the aspirations of some outers range from what Norway has to a complete break with Europe, no single market, no immigration at all, deportation of many who live here at the moment and most worrying the British Army patrolling the NI and Republic boarder. If the Brexiters only achieve a Norway type deal where does that leave the vast majority of UKIPers, Daily Mail readers and right wing Tories who want to see far greater separation? Will they be happy or will they call for another referendum in a few years time?

  3. Nick

    IDS stood down as welfare minister because of this Duncan Smith and Grayling ‘must face criminal probe’ over WCA deaths
    http://www.disabilitynewsservice.com/duncan-smith-and-grayling-must-face-criminal-probe-over-wca-deaths/
    and that is all he thinks he has got away with it but you can never tell

    he has never put the sick and disabled first or second and in reality has presided only over their deaths without getting stuck in to save them from their mental anguish

    the many sick and disabled that have died over the past 6 years were told that they were fit for work but instead died ?

    who killed them ?

    how did they die as they were fit according to the DWP ?

    the sick and disabled should have been safe as they were ill and dying but no they were told they were fit for work instead and died with added mental anguish along side the medical condition that was going to kill them

    like Hillsborough this is going to take many years to find out why IDS stood by and watch over thousands of unexplained deaths of the sick and disabled

    in the cold light of day IDS has looked at the evidence against him and resigned as there is no way a court would believe he cared for the sick and disabled as he has never ever voted in their favor and the thousands that have died there families are still looking for truth and justice of which is not forthcoming

  4. Mike Stallard

    Never mind the Labour Party schmaltz. Is he right about schools? Is he right about immigration and people working well under the basic wage in intolerable conditions and forcing out decent working people?
    The answer is important. If he is right and the Labour Party does not act, others are out there waiting to pounce on the neglected working .
    (PS his record is mocked, but that does not make him wrong.)

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