WTF are Frothers? Have you seen them around and wondered? Not a quiche, but a protest group. Tory, Labour, Lib Dems - Common Goal - Protest Against the Cuts

[MmeLindor.]

What are the Frothers?

The term "Frothers" came about one dank and dismal November day in 2011. A frustrated user of the parenting forum Mumsnet started a thread about her dismay at the cuts that the Conservative/Liberal Democrat government was inflicting on the British public.

She stated that she was not "quite a frothing berserker but I am getting rather cross with our government messing with the good stuff".

The good stuff - policies, benefits, institutions that had taken years to achieve were being cut for no good reason, often leaving gaping holes in the fabric of British society.

The NHS, with which we Brits have a love-hate relationship, but like a favourite sibling, we wish to protect from harm.

Sure Start, a successful scheme that supported parents who were struggling and offered children from deprived backgrounds a better start in life.

Universal Child Benefit was cut for those families who had one earner bringing in more than £44k a year. If both parents each earn less than £44k, they keep their UCB payments. This obviously hit single parents and families with a single earner hardest.

Disability Living Allowance and Employment and Support Allowance - which enabled those with disabilities to live a decent life, without feeling that they were begging for assistance or were a burden to the taxpayer.

Student Fees, the introduction of which, contrary to Lib Dem pre-election promises, means that a whole generation of young people will have to think carefully before applying to higher education.

These and many other cuts are being made in the name of austerity. We are "all in this together", but some of us are deeper in this than others.

We all understand that there are sacrifices to be made but why should these sacrifices be borne by those who already have so little?

The general public seems oblivious of the dangers being faced, they are unaware of the injustices being wrought on the already disadvantaged.

The government is winning the war of the headlines. They have blasted the recipients of DLA and ESA as scrounger and cheats so often that the general public believe it. They misinterpret data to "prove" their points. Teachers are painted as being irresponsible and greedy, while the bankers rake in the money.

The poster on Mumsnet was not alone for long. Within a few days, a group of over 30 posters had formed. They asked themselves, "What can we do?".

The idea of a blog was born. Three days later the blog had over thirty authors signed up, a Facebook page and a Twitter account.

The Aims:

• to open the general publics' eyes to the injustices being created by the governement

• to inform those who are facing cuts about their rights

• to link with other activists and charities, in order to put pressure on the government

Are you a Frother?

Come and join us.

BLOG

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

twitter is a pita sometimes, i saw yesterday loads of tweets claiming facebook was deleting spartacus links, which wasn't true apparently...

that poor woman!

And presumably she now has to/had to do it again? How awful.

here

TeWi yes she'd have had to do it again

An ATOS assessor (alledgedly) amde my ex soldier friend repeatedly get on and off a bed to see if it still hurts as bad after many reprititions, whilst he quietly sobbed in pain

Becuase having shrapnel in your spine, PTSD and other stuff vanishes on repetition

I can entirely believe that.

It's another side of the thing I find so bizarre about the idea of time-limiting any disability payments at all, how many conditions can we guarantee will get better with time? It's like they've convinced themselves that disabilities will go away, or that the ones that don't would go away with a bit of exercise and a job's the best kind of exercise so you don't need benefits... and forgotten to check out how much of that is nonsense and makes no sense.

One of the Baronesses had to point out to Freud that extending the ESA time-limit wouldn't stop people going back to work earlier if they wanted to and he just mumbled in response.

There's a bloke from the guardian trying to find out what's going on with 42a: you can read his breakdown on yesterday here it's very good but you sort of have to read it backwards which is a bit awkward

This is the latest relevent bit:

I'm still awaiting a definitive ruling on the government's position on Lord Freud's "ambush" amendment last night.

As I wrote earlier, Labour - after consulting with the House of Lords clerks - believes that Freud's amendment stands.

Labour peer Lord Bassam has tweeted this:

Labour Lords have taken advice from clerks & we will seek final clarification of the position on Welfare Reform Bill amdts [amendments] at Report Stage.

He added this:

If Govt do not amend to make the Bill free of contradictory clauses, Labour, XBs [crossbenchers] & interested parties will table clarificatory Amdt [amendment].

Some of you I know are mystifed by the clerks' ruling. Skyburial tweets a link to paragraph 38 of House of Lords standing orders. It states:

An amendment to a Bill must not be inconsistent with a previous decision given on the same stage of the Bill.

I'll update you when I hear more.

you can tweet questions to @bbcquestiontime before 8.30pm today if anyone is skilled at fitting rage into 140characters!

Will just check who is on.

Putney MP Justine Greening, Shadow Foreign Secretary Douglas Alexander, Deputy First Minister of Scotland Nicola Sturgeon, former Liberal Democrat leader Paddy Ashdown and journalist Kelvin MacKenzie

hmm. suspect they want to talk about scotland with that lot. (why? whether it's a good idea or not, it'll get blocked and never happen!)

Am gobsmacked at Freud. Not much time atm to do much tweeting or blogging, but am frothing in spirit with you all.

Peachy
(((hugs)))

God, that ATOS post is horrible. Poor poor woman.

I will have to put the mobility post back to middle of next week. We have our landlord pre-move inspection on Tuesday so will have to spend Monday cleaning. And then we have visitors on Tues evening.

Sue Marsh will be on newsnight tonight - spartacus is getting more coverage now I think BUT they weren't pushing youth ESA as their main issue, so I don't know how much they will talk about it.

Mme hope mve is fgoing well; HATE inspections!

Will catch newsnight either tonoight or in morning, have homestart coming to ee me tomorrow (not srue how I feel- bit weird going from Orhganiser back home to recipient here) but some time early on.

From the Benefits & Work newsletter:

It?s not just peers who stand accused of dirty tricks in relation to benefits. The DWP and tribunals service have been cooking up one between them, it seems.

Your ESA and DLA appeals can now be withdrawn simply by a decision maker telling a tribunal clerk, without providing any evidence whatsoever, that you told them on the telephone you no longer wish to carry on. It will then be your responsibility to try to get your appeal reinstated within a tight time-limit. The shock change to the principle that appeals can only be withdrawn by the claimant themselves, and only in writing, was introduced last month in a bid to reduce the growing backlog of appeals.

The new rules apply provided that the decision maker has not yet prepared the bundle of papers and sent them to the tribunals service.

• So, basically, the decision-maker just has to shove your case in an unused office, ring the tribunal and tell them you withdrew. After you hear about it (if you hear about it), you will be put under pressure to re-present your case. Obviously, you won't mind that because you are perfectly healthy, cope well with stress and hadn't been remotely worried in the first place

Reminder that the PIP/DLA issue comes before the Lords on Tuesday.

in other news cb cut being reconsidered

I know that cut is unfair to single parents, but not one of the most unfair in the bunch, especially when families with a 44k+ earner are not the most vulnerable generally speaking.

www.telegraph.co.uk/comment/9010069/We-need-some-tough-love-to-get-people-off-welfare-and-into-Pret.html

Wow.. what on earth has been happening. This thread moves so fast, I am struggling to keep up. Finished little post on Nhs financing, but there are far more important subjects to blog about by the sounds of it. Save my information one for when you're really stuck for anything else!

I feel so sorry for that lady.. awful awful scenario.

sorry not been on much.. back to school n work this week so not much time.

Unfortunately, yummy, the government's moving at breakneck speed ... getting all their victim-blaming, socially divisive, banker-loving policies signed off before the nation realises what's happened! The thread ain't moving half as fast as they are. Thank god for the Lords. (No wonder the condems want them dumped for an 'elected' second house.)

Thanks for doing your NHS post! The NHS is up next week, as is the DLA and there will be further shenanigans over the ESA and the housing limits. Argh.

Annoyingly newsnight wasn't a great interview - not SM's fault at all, presenter was just really pro-government - arguing tory MPs PoV, cutting her off etc! She did manage to get some good points in, but wasn't given a chance to really explain how it works and why we are upset. Very frustrating.

SM looked knackered too, I hope she's holding up okay still.

I followed a quote from liberalconspiracy - I don't trust them; they publish lies, but it's sometimes worth looking for the kernel of truth - and found this amazing page on Channel 4 news. Just look at the numbers. www.channel4.com/news/welfare-reform-is-benefits-culture-a-myth

^I followed a quote from liberalconspiracy - I don't trust them; they publish lies, but it's sometimes worth looking for the kernel of truth - and found this amazing page on Channel 4 news. Just look at the numbers.

www.channel4.com/news/welfare-reform-is-benefits-culture-a-myth

Wow! Thanks for that, garlic. I knew it was low, but I had no idea the number of long-term (5+ years) claimants was 0.3%.

That link should be propagated more widely!

God, yes. It's rock solid data, too. Long-term claimants had already fallen by 90% - basically, the problem no linger exists and all this "benefits culture" gobshite is nothing but lies; a witch-hunt.

Interesting article on R4 Today earlier, about removal of DLA. Peter White, their disability issues correspondent made the point about the low rate of fraud. Not a pro-Govt piece, for once.

Thanks garlic. It's not much, but at least I feel like I am helping spread a bit of info to the masses. I am always amazed when doctors speak out against privatising the NHS when they themselves are contractors with their own profits.

Trying to keep up with the bills, lords etc, but not succeeding very well. Is anyone on top of it enough to summarise so far? Or is there something already on the blog... Will go look. Sorry.....

Yes.. Sorry. Yesterdays "quite improper" post summarises it well. Pity what it's saying is so disappointing... That the lords decision seems to have been overruled... .. I am perplexed and upset. The post is right in that most people don't believe that could happen as we are used to fairly honest governments, at least ones that play reasonably fair and within the principles we expect.

Fantastic post, Yummy. Thank you for explaining the incomprehensible!

Given the depth of my ignorance, I'm not the best person to have added the bit at the end: "Next Monday, 16th Jan, the Lords will consider major aspects of this Bill including making half of all hospital beds private." Does it need changing?

www.guardian.co.uk/uk/interactive/2012/jan/10/welfare-reform-bill-guide-interactive this is quite neat