I really really hope that women's groups and indeed individual women are picking up on how utterly dismissive Esther McVey's response was to Frank Field raising the issue of some women in his constituency being forced into prostitution due to UC.
The exchange -
Frank Field -
"I wrote to the secretary of state about, how Universal Credit's being rolled out in Birkenhead, how it's not going as well as we're told in the House of Commons, where some women have taken to the red light district for the first time. Might she come and meet some of those women's organisations and the police, who are worried about women's security being pushed into this position?"
Mc Vey's "response" -
"Well the Rt Hon gentleman knows my door is always open to him, and I did receive a letter on Friday, but really we need to work with those ladies, and see what help we can give them from the various charities and organisations. In the meantime, and I ask that perhaps he could tell those ladies and the work coaches can, that now we've got record job vacancies, 830,000 job vacancies, and perhaps there are better jobs on offer^.."
She sits down.
Oh that's alright then, don't worry poor women who are being economically forced into extremely dangerous situations and forced into risking their mental and physical health,on a regular basis, just to survive - don't worry.. Esther is here to save you!! Whilst patronising you at the same time..
Just find a 'respectable' job. Simple says Esther. Never mind that many of these women ARE ALREADY WORKING (600,000 WORKING single Parent's losing £2400 a year on average), she never seems to acknowledge that In-Work poverty is a THING. Never mind that many of these women have caring responsibilities and some have health problems restricting their working hours.
She has just dismissed the experiences of thousands of real women as if they are NOTHING. As if it's all 'scaremongering'. How do people think these women FEEL when Esther is saying it's all so simple, just GET A JOB ladies..?? I know how the former me would have felt watching her dismiss us struggling women, especially if I were watching that on parliament tv whilst getting ready to go out and risk my life and mental and physical safety in order to put food in my Children's mouths and pay my bills due to UC losing me £60 a week and more for advance loans, in work or not..
Her response in relation to these women was disgusting and I am hoping against hope she will be pulled up for such callous disregard of women.