Liars - Damned Liars and benders of the truth - & the Department of Work & Pensions

There are Liars, Damned Liars, and the manipulation of statistics 
by the UK Dept of Work & Pensions

encouraged by the Daily Mail

THE WINTER FUEL PAYMENT

Truth about Winters in Europe –

British Elderly Citizens in Europe are Cold. Cold cold…..

“Just as I was yesterday, I am typing Emails sitting up in bed. I am  fully clothed in three jumpers, two pairs of trousers and a track suit.  My dear husband, similarly dressed, is tucked up beside me

“I am having to survive on my pension of £5300 per year. I have several friends here who all get the allowance (THE WFP) – note she did not.

“when we arrived in France aged 60, we were in good health.  However, as the years go on, many of us are beset by various illnesses and the frailty of old age.  I have had several operations and many investigations in hospital for various internal and ophthalmic problems.  My husband had a hip replacement three years ago and two other operations since then.  He was diagnosed with lung cancer a year ago, for which he is being treated with chemotherapy.   I am, of course, at the age of 77, his only carer.  To read more go to http://www.lefourquet.net/Hardup-dossier.doc

France and Spain and of course the rest of Europe are frequently colder than Britain in Winter . Britain ‘enjoys’ the warming effect of the Gulf Stream

See this map for 3.00 a.m. on the 30^th December 2014

(map complied at the Climate Unit- the University of Maine – published every day)

What follows is an edited form of a deeper analysis of the manipulation by the DWP, of the true statistics by a colleague Roger Boaden – The original is here www.lefourquet.net/HOT&COLD.docx

The untruths of the Dept of Work and Pensions.

The DWP claim that France and Spain are HOT countries in the winter!

The Daily Mail reports and relishes, nay even gloats over the plight of British Citizen Pensioners in France and Spain  - visit www.lefourquet.net/DailyMailWFP12-14.docx

How the DWP promotes its untruths.

The UK’s Met Office produced a report (Dec 2012) for the Department for Work & Pensions (DWP), which listed temperatures for the countries identified above, as follows:

Ireland:                  5.5°C  

United Kingdom:    4.1°C               SW England:    5.6°C  

Italy:                      5.7°C  

France:                  4.9°C

France after

      Adjustment:      7.0°C   + including tropical island temperatures from Caribbean & Indian Ocean

Spain:                    7.2°C

Spain after

      Adjustment:      7.3°C   + including the archipelago of the Canary Islands

[NOTE WELL -- all of the above listed temperatures fall below 8°C]

This figure of 8.0°C is significant. A UK Government publication, ‘Cold Weather Plan for England 2014’ states the following:  ‘…. the negative health effects of cold weather start to occur at relatively moderate mean outdoor temperatures (5-8°C depending on region), and days at these temperatures occur much more frequently than days where the temperature is 2°C or less.’  And then the Cold Weather Plan goes on to say:  ‘Heating your home to at least 18°C is particularly important if you have reduced mobility, are 65 and over, or have a health condition, such as heart or lung disease. Having room temperatures slightly over 18°C could be good for your health.’

So how come some countries have been declared ‘Hot’?

The statements in above cited official UK Government Publication are clear - if you have outdoor temperatures of less than 8°C, then you need indoor heating to the level of 18°C!  That same assessment concerning risks to health must surely be applicable for ALL British Pensioners wherever they may live!

Not it seems, a view shared by the DWP!  Ministers have declared France and Spain as ‘hot’ countries where elderly British Pensioners do not need heat during the winter months.  The word ‘hot’ is just not true. The Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Iain Duncan Smith, and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, George Osborne, have both made statements concerning the Winter Fuel Payments, which said: “… people in hot countries will no longer get it. It is, after all, a payment for winter fuel.”  How do you heat a home without winter fuel?  The elderly in France and Spain and further off in Europe need winter heating!

So, how is Winter defined?

The DWP decided that the temperatures they have used, had to be based on their definition of winter of 1 November to 31^st March - 151 days - instead of the normal definition of winter, which is recognised right across the World as December to February (DJF) - 90 days. One quarter of the year

DWP has classified as ‘hot’ an average winter temperature of 7.0°C covering the complete period of 151 days.  In order for such a level of average temperatures to be realised, there will be many days on which temperatures fall well below that level of 7.0 degrees during five months!  And, as a direct consequence, the overall average is in fact increased, making it appear warmer.

What lies behind this decision of the DWP?

Is it not obvious, that the policy objective of Iain Duncan Smith, was to remove Winter Fuel Payments from the maximum possible number of British Pensioners. British Pensioners are British Pensioners, wherever they may live, and they should all be treated in exactly the same way, and with an equality of care!

British Expat Pensioners are a far too easy a target for Ministers to attack, and we can see from the sustained policy over a period of two years, how Ministers and officials sought to denigrate them.  Newspapers like the Daily Mail have been only too happy to run headlines which poke fun and sneer at those who have chosen to live in places which will give them a few more hours of sunshine in their twilight years.  And anyway, not all British Pensioners live on the Mediterranean - the majority live inland and with substantive regional differences, they experience some pretty severe weather from time to time.  Iain Duncan Smith and his colleagues at the DWP have used, what can only be described as a deceitful and cruel policy, to achieve their objectives!

As a result, they have breached the rights of British citizen choosing to live elsewhere in the European Union, under the EU Regulation 883/2004, and are in contravention of Judgments of the CJEU in Newton (C-356/89) and in Stewart (C-503/09).

This is discrimation against British Citizens on the basis of falsified country wide average temperatures (achieved especially in the case of France by incorporating temperatures of tropical islands).  A temperature discrimination is not used for residents in the UK.  Therefore there is no uniformity of treatment across the EU for the British Pensioner citizen.   The UK Government is grossly discriminating in its treatment of its own nationals.  That many who reside in upland and inland areas of several countries are left to go without.  They appear to be of no concern to the British Government.

What  can you do to help – Tweet or retweet this.   http://www.lefourquet.net/Liarsetc.doc

Tweet to Matt Chorley the author of the Daily Mail article.  @MattChorley

Post on Facebook.

Write to or send this item to  your MP addresses are at

                                       http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/mps/

To the DWP [Iain Duncun Smith] – ministers@dwp.gsi.gov.uk

To an MEP.   https://www.mysociety.org/contact-your-meps

As a guide to find MPs and MEPs use your last post code in the UK.

Why people don't want to bother to vote.

Written Evidence to the Committee for Political and Constitutional Reform

Here I will address the question

Why do so few British Citizens Abroad register to Vote?

1.  A blunt answer is because they cannot see any point in so doing.

So --- “Why do they not see any point in so doing?”

Answer because they feel that very few politicians take any interest in them.

2.  Why do so few  politicians take little interest in the Citizen Abroad?

Answer  - The MPs are based in UK Constituencies and that is their prime concern. They cannot see why anyone living abroad would have much interest or connection with that constituency.  And they are right generally to take that point of view.

3.  The Citizens Abroad have various reasons for being concerned with British lawmakers, or British politics as it affects them and the British actions and influence in the World.  In short the actions of the GOVERNMENT but not politics at the local level.

Those with whom I communicate, those over retirement age, receive often ALL their income from Britain, many are taxed by Britain, all have exceedingly strong family and cultural ties to Britain. Most are  PROUD of being British .

They have needs and concerns which spring from the very position of being British in another country.  In the EU especially they see themselves as NOT living in a foreign land but in a extension of Britain into Europe.  There is in the EU a kind of nexus of nations, each with ties to another place though rooted in a land which is not that of their birth.  This ‘freedom of movement’ feeling is not understood, it would seem, by the politicians in Whitehall.  We see ourselves as Ambassadors of British Culture though this appears to be a fact unappreciated by the British politicians.

4. Thus there is a great sense of detachment from British Politics because the British Politicians ignores us, is frightened of us as a potential threat to their constituency, does not and cannot understand our feelings.  The Citizen Abroad feels that there is no point in voting for an MP who has no demonstrable interest in his situation.  We feel that we are perceived by various politicians and the media as deserters leaving the land of our birth.

5.  The very existence of  the 15 year limit on voting is a HUGE deterrent in itself to registering. If you know that the vote is going to be taken away after 15 years, then why bother to register before?  One feels the politicians don’t really want you anyway.

6.  One would like to see the possibility of a dialogue with an MP to whom one can relate. 

There ought to be channels of communication on matters of international treaties.  In the EU matters of social co-ordination are most important, yet we get the impression that the elderly Citizens Abroad are considered a nuisance, a  drain on the British economy.  When treaties are considered, what British civil servant or politician  has the knowledge to speak up for the impact on the British Citizen resident in the other country?  There appears to be no-one who can speak for us. 

7. The system whereby Citizens Abroad can only relate to the MP of their last constituency in the UK, results in a diluted conveyance of their thoughts and concerns so that nothing is concentrated in one representation.

Conclusion

1. Remove the 15 year limit. That will inspire some confidence!

Then at some little time later – hopefully not too long -

2. Establish MPs for the Citizen Abroad in a manner similar to France. 

What would happen to the British CItizen if Britain left the EU?

 To go to the start of this blog and the Index click here

A correspondent has kindly copied the following items from December 2014's French English language newspaper  "The Connexion".
They are very important.  Please circulate onwards.

www.lefourquet.net/BREXIT-CONNEXION-DEC-14-(1).pdf

 www.lefourquet.net/BREXIT-CONNEXION-DEC-14-(2).pdf

Overseas Voting - Take ACTION!

Click here to go to the index.

Removal of the 15 limit on Registering to vote for British Elections.

It is important that you take action – see below

Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, MP for The Cotswolds is tabling a 10-minute Bill with the above objective on Tuesday December 2^nd 2.45 p.m. House of Commons.  He will be supported by Sir Roger Gale and others.

In advance, on December 1^st (room W1 House of Commons) there will be a press conference attended by Harry Shindler MBE, who expects to speak.

The House is normally fairly well attended on a Tuesday but we must try to assure that as many MPs are there as possible.

It would be a highly significant milestone if this presentation were to result in a change of law but it is also a necessary step in testing the opinion of MPs from all the major parties. 

The 15 limit on voting for expatriates is a huge deterrent to registering to vote.

The fact that very few expats register to vote is a huge deterrent to politicians to pass a bill removing the limit -
   A classic chicken and egg situation.

Yet it costs nothing in labour, commitment, money to remove it – why is it not done? 

TAKE ACTION please to ensure a good attendance of MPs.

1.  Select email addresses of your ex-constituency MP from here     http://www.parliament.uk/mps-lords-and-offices/mps/

2.  Send this message to him/her/them. 

Encourage Overseas Voting    On Tuesday December 2^nd Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, MP for The Cotswolds is tabling a 10-minute Bill with the above objective on at  2.30 p.m. House of Commons.  He will be supported by Sir Roger Gale and others. 

Please attend the House and support the removal of the 15 year limit on voting by British Citizens Abroad.

This limit is a massive deterrent to registration to vote. 

The removal will send a message of goodwill to the citizens abroad from the British Parliament – and reassure the citizens abroad that they are valued.

Take action 2. Persuade Friends and Relatives in the UK to send this  to their MPs.

The ten-minute rule Bills are one of the ways in which backbench MPs (private Members) can introduce legislation. However, the process is used more as a means of making a point on the need to change the law on a particular subject as there is little parliamentary time available. They mainly provide the opportunity for MPs to test Parliament's opinion on a particular subject.

The ten minute rule allows a brief introductory speech of no more than ten minutes and one of the same length opposing the motion to be made in the House of Commons after question time on Tuesdays and Wednesdays when the House is likely to be full. Not all Ten Minute Rule Bills are printed.

To register to vote go to.. https://www.gov.uk/register-to-vote

Message on Poppy Day - from Harry Shindler

Harry Shindler MBE 

sends

this message to all Members of Parliament

Please will you do likewise?

Click on the image to enlarge- To return press 'esc'

please CIRCULATE widely
The jpg document 'A Thought on Poppy Day' can also be downloaded from www.lefourquet.net/PoppyDay.jpg


To go to the INDEX of this blog click on Index