It's been a dark week in politics
1. The National Living Wage
In another example of shameless Tory newspeak, the National Living Wage introduced today is not subsistence based, is still a low wage by international standards and was developed without consulting the Low Pay Commission. Also, it’s not available to under-25s.
2. A judge refusing to believe representations on behalf of a woman because her MP put an ‘X’ in the email
Jess Phillips MP reported this week that a judge in a benefits tribunal had refused to accept her representation of a constituent because her warm tone suggested she was ‘writing as a friend rather than in a professional capacity.’
Another e.g of where being a human & an MP is unacceptable. A letter to Michael Gove. pic.twitter.com/CmNUOc975J
— Jess Phillips MP (@jessphillips) March 30, 2016
(h/t Political Scrapbook)
3. The return of paupers funerals
The State Social Fund Funeral Payment, a benefit for those who don’t have friends of family who can pay for a funeral, hasn’t increased since 2003. It stands at £700, while the average cost of a funeral in the UK is £3,702.
This week, MPs warned that Britain faced a return to ‘paupers funerals’. In fact, that process is already underway. The BBC found that in 2013-14 councils carried out 2,580 ‘public health funerals’, an 11 per cent increase from four years earlier.
It’s official: we are living in a Dickensian dystopia.
4. The Sun asking women to share cleavage snaps to win £1,000
A propos of nothing the paper pull out a call this week for ‘bravellous’ cleavage snaps.
Thankfully, a pack of virtuous Twitter trolls stepped up in response.
@TheSun Knew this photo would come in useful one day. Fingers crossed I win. (cc @MelissaCole) pic.twitter.com/0eNRbP91dv
— Chris Smith (@cpsmithy) March 30, 2016
.@TheSun AV A LOAD OF THIS X pic.twitter.com/Spc3vht6nK
— netflix & phil (@PaleCompanion) March 30, 2016
5. The Grassroots Out tie
Seriously, our eyes hurt. Just stop.
It’s quite hard to describe just how bad these Grassroots Out green ties are. Great effort by everyone involved. pic.twitter.com/cIaUkbARqo
— Jim Waterson (@jimwaterson) March 31, 2016
Niamh Ní Mhaoileoin is editor of Left Foot Forward. Follow her on Twitter.
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