Tag: @DWP

Nuclear vs Disability

2,733 miles between London and Tehran.

1,325 miles between London and Kyiv

1,554 miles between London and Moscow

2,233 miles between London and Tel Aviv

 

2,220 miles range of an F35A

2,900 miles range of a Typhoon

 

The British Royal Navy / Royal Air Force bought 138 F35B’s for use with the two fleet carriers HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales.

However, it is stated in an article published in February this year, (19fortyfive.com by Steve Balestrieri), that “Aircraft availability is a persistent issue. The UK has built its carrier designs around the F-35B and its air superiority and strike capability. However, procurement delays, maintenance issues, and rising costs have impacted the numbers present. Only a handful of the 138 F-35Bs ordered for purchase are fully operationally available.”

There is little difference between the F35A and F35B, both being variants of the same aircraft.

The F35 development has never lived upto expectations, we bought into it for political reasons not because it was going to be superior to anything that Britain and its European partners could build.

The F35 was sold to us as a next generation stealth jump jet, however it really isn’t. If it takes off vertically, or goes supersonic  it burns away it’s stealth shielding. 

The planes are difficult to maintain and are not very reliable.

The F35 cannot match the F22 fighter, but the USA will not sell us the F22, even though we are supposed to be their allies.

A brief history lesson, Britain developed Vtol (vertical take off and landing) aircraft, from the trials of the flying bedstead, to the amazing Hawker Siddley Harrier and Sea Harrier. The Harrier was the most versatile aircraft realistically that the RAF and the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm ever had. They were used in actual combat during the Falklands war, and other than accidents no aircraft were lost to enemy action.

They were so good that we then let an American company, Mcdonnell Douglas build them under license.  The United States Marine Corps still use them today, and when we supposedly were mothballing ours (putting them into storage) some ridiculous British politician agreed to give them all to the USA to use for spare parts.

So the one other aircraft the navy could use off these poorly designed carriers were given away.

Sadly another (or even the same) politician removed the steam catapult capability when we were building our two carriers, to save a couple of million quid, meaning that the Typhoon fighters that Britain are building with our European partners cannot be used.

We also had Tornado aircraft that the RAF used so well, that American pilots flying alongside them were in awe at the plane and skill of its pilots 

The Tornado excelled in both Gulf wars, and outclassed all in its ground attack role. flying faster than  the speed of sound, over terrain at below 200ft.

There will be folk arguing that it was outclassed by other more modern fighters, however at low level it truly wasn’t, and it’s stand off weapons could deal with other air threats that were way over the horizon. The Tornado could carry almost all types of weapons systems.

So again we retired British built planes in favour of substandard American ones.

As for Stealth? Well we as a British Air Industry lead the world in that too, by accident more than design, the Vulcan Atomic Bomber (Britain’s Nuclear deterrent) gave the radar signature akin to an armchair.

Instead of our consecutive governments, since Thatcher’s asset stripping of UK industry, actually investing in British technology, research and manufacturing, they have given everything away to the USA. I won’t say sold, because we profited from very little of it.

Now I am not saying we as a nation should be proud of our military might and expertise, far from it, but as a sabre rattling nation we are truly a joke.

Starmer is currently telling us he is investing more in nuclear deterrents, but the one we have, Trident, is a US system, one that can only be used with American consent, cannot be aimed at the USA or their allies, which currently we wouldn’t want to do, I agree, but given Trumps irrational behaviours, it may one day be the case. We pay America rent, to put their weapons on our submarines.

So Starmer now is stating we will be buying American missiles, to place on defective American supplied planes, to be fired at American nominated targets.

In Britain today with have people living in abject poverty, yet instead of investing in our people, we have yet another Primate Minister shouting at the world, likely, I believe,  under instructions of his paymasters in Israel, in the USA, in Russia too, whilst using fascist policies to cut funding and support to the absolute most vulnerable in our society. Branding sick and disabled people as scroungers, fraudsters, lazy and useless. That Mr Starmer is truly hate crime, and breaks so many UK and international laws, and then placing the entire country in peril,  under the instruction of foreign powers is in my humble opinion High Treason.

Mr Starmer and his Cabinet of soulless creatures need removing from power. They already are taking lives, but just how far are these, in my considered opinion, corrupt people, actually prepared to go?

Will you and your family next?

 

Dear @DWP @keir @rachel @Labour

Dear Department for Work and Pensions – DWP Keir Starmer Rachel Reeves The Labour Party United Nations Human Rights ,
Today I shall be buying Toilet paper, potatoes, corned beef (1 tin), frozen carrots and some onions. This can last me three days if I ration it.
I will use my electric cooker for around 45 minutes. I will drink around 1
5ltr of filtered water (as tap water is now likely unsafe to anyone with a compromised immunity).
I shall flush the toilet around 8 times, this is a reduction because the crohns has been effected by the dihydracodeine and morphine I am having to take because of the pain of having my rib cage separated for heart surgery. Today I may need to eat extra carbs due to my now, diagnosed, type 1 diabetes. On the plus side the medically induced constipation means until the laxatives kick in I shall not need to use pads.
I will need to pay for transport to my hospital appointment in Sheffield this afternoon.
I do not smoke, and rarely drink so no money spent there.
I shall not have breakfast or lunch, as that may be seen as extravagant by DWP assessors.
I will watch streamed tv if I can concentrate through the pain.
I may need to use additional toilet roll due to the emotional pain I am dealing with because my kids have disowned me, because the society you promote sees me as a worthless useless cripple.
I will however endeavour not to spend anything further today, due to the need to save as much as I can because of the very real risk that the government and the DWP will remove all of the money i recieve due to my chronic and life limiting health issues
I sincerely apologise that I was only able to pay into the system for 35yrs, and that despite my paying higher rate tax and all the NI contributions relating to my pay, I have had to by necessity had to claim on the national insurance policy, and that the money being paid to me can noy be now given to arms companies under the guise of foreign aid.
Yours in fear of retribution
Jonesy Jones

Disabled scum…..a life in the UK

In the UK today, if you are a person with disability or chronic ill health,and you are not wealthy enough to live by “independent means”, you have to claim what are laughingly called “benefits”.

The so called “benefits” you can claim are Universal Credit, ESA – Employment Support Allowance, and PIP – Personal Independence Payment.

Universal Credit and ESA are both means tested, so if you are wealthy enough to have savings, that are not hidden in the Seychelles or other off shore accounts, you may not get them, although if you have over £6,000 in savings you won’t get the full amount either. So people that have managed to save a nest egg when working may also lose out, until they become broke.

PIP however is about how you disability effects you. It’s not means tested, anyone who meets the criteria, can apply.

Sadly though, PIP is not fit for purpose, it limits choice as it is, however if the government then decided to restrict it further with vouchers the government would just encourage even more disabled people to take their own lives.

It’s already shameful that being ill or having a disability stops people from living their lives as they would wish.

Before I got ill I spent many years as a child protection social worker, trying to ensure children and families were kept safe from harm. I have seen PIP. and disability from both sides. I have seen a very few folk that upon the face of it play the system, but given i am not their doctor, cannot feel what they are going through I could not say for sure, but have alsi seen countless folk who have been turned down when they should have been recieving it, had it stopped for technicality, and not then got it back, had it stopped out of some bizarre consequence for daring to try to live, and had it used as a threat for compliance.

Disability payment has been used as a diversion tool by consecutive governments since 1979. It has lead to the current system whereby people have to jump through hoops often at the worst times of their lives just to get a very basic level of support.

Disabled and Chronically Ill people are told they can claim for “benefits”, but these are not “benefits” they are our entitlements we have paid for through the systems that have been in place since way before I was born, “national insurance”.

Once people claim these so called benefits they are placed in a position where they live in constant fear of their entitlement being stopped, they are condemned if they are seen as trying to live as normal a life as possible, not only by the Department of Work and Pensions – #DWP, but also by the public and even people they see as friends or family. The effects of this fear also stretches to them being seen as scroungers, as an underclass, as what certain members of previous government have identified as “eaters”.

Even simple things like going on holiday are restricted, not only as where they can go but duration, having to risk losing their “benefit” – means to live and survive, if someone in the DWP deems their holiday breeches some internal guidance.

Beyond this, things that when I was working would have been confidential to me, such as my bank account, my spending, my economic habits are now scrutinised without even agreement or  notification.

Having to live upon benefits due to illness is not an easy life, it’s not a choice or lifestyle. When I worked full time I had a purpose, I had reason to live, I also had an extremely good wage and standard of living, giving that up to survive upon benefits was never a choice. 

People see me on the few better days I have, and if I am coping with the constant pain, the exhaustion, and putting on the act, which so many of us feel we have to do,  the making out to onlookers, to friends, to family that we are coping, if I can put my brain fog and confusion to one side long enough to appear interested or focused in a conversation, then they will have no realisation of my fight, of my battle I fight each day.

Sadly though because people only see me on the days I feign being able to manage, they see me as a fake, as a scrounger, as someone living a life paid for by everyone else.

The thing is they do not see me on the days where I cannot even get out of bed to make it to the toilet, where I cannot stand long enough to make a brew, where if no one is here I don’t eat, when I only see a grey mist of disinterest, despair and hopelessness. they will not understand the living in constant pain, of every movement hurting, of not being able to undertake the most basic of tasks.

People do not have any understanding of the effects of not being able to plan or commit, of having to cancel appointment after appointment,  to the point of being struck off dentist, doctors and consultants lists. Of having housing threatening you because you had to cancel three appointments for your gas safety check.

People do not see the fear of the doorbell, the not being able to let folk in because you have not been able to complete the most basic of domestic tasks or personal care. The loss of pride in your home, in your life and in your self.

It’s impossible for many an outsider to recognise how illness strips away not only pride, confidence and self worth, but the relationships we held dear, not only friends but close family. I now have no relationship with my son or daughter, and at times only a fractured one with my parents, and sister, and the loss of countless friends that once called me “brother”.

So before you or government judges people with disabilities, with life restricting and threatening conditions, with terminal illness, before new legislarion is brought in to vilify us even more, to test our resolve to remain alive, to prevent our inclusion as valued human beings, to identify us as even more worthless, to steal our choices, to destroy any hope of living a sustainable and valued life,please think.

Disability and chronic health conditions are sadly too common, they are not expected, not part of any plan we may have, they hit us at any time, often when we begin to feel our lives are worthwhile,  whether measured financially or in the self respect we hold.

The only difference between you and someone in need of the support PIP should bring is circumstance. You may be well today, but tomorrow…..? That’s why we pay “national insurance “,  it’s why we used to value families and community.

So stop condemning the most vulnerable in society, and give us the respect and support we all as humans deserve.