Blog
The interests really driving NHS reforms
24 May 2013: Whose interests are really driving NHS reforms? As Caroline Molloy says in this article from OpenDemocracy - Our NHS, the latest move by former Health Secretary Alan Milburn provides a clue.
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Victory as judges rule controversial disability benefits procedure is unfair
22 May 2013: Judges rule the procedure used by the DWP to decide eligibility for ESA disadvantages people with mental health problems, learning disabilities and autism.
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When will the economy recover?
21 May 2013: Duncan Weldon asks: taking stock of current forecasts, when exactly can we call a recovery in the UK?
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Barnet council to hand regulation to the private sector… Remember the horsemeat scandal?
20 May 2013: Today, Barnet council staff were told that Capita Symonds is the preferred bidder to deliver a range of regulatory services to Barnet residents and businesses - the latest step in the council's plan to mass-privatise services.
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Hold IDS to account for his misuse of statistics
19 May 2013: Recent reports show the Work and Pensions Secretary misrepresented statistics to make a political point. Sign the petition to hold him to account.
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The high court and the future of the bedroom tax
16 May 2013: Sue McCafferty from We Are Spartacus on the inconsistency, confusion and hardship people are enduring with the bedroom tax.
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Do Atos mental function champions really make WCAs “better”?
15 May 2013: In anticipation of tomorrow's debate on mental health in parliament, we're publishing this story about the problems a group of us have had finding out more about Atos work capability assessment mental function champions.
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Tomorrow: support claimants taking court action against the bedroom tax
14 May 2013: The ten claims, made by a range of people affected by the Bedroom Tax which came into force from 1st April this year, will be heard together over three days starting on Wednesday 15 May.
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This Saturday: London protest to defend the NHS!
13 May 2013: ●Save Our Hospitals ●No to Privatisation: join the protest this weekend
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The benefit cap and the DWP’s misuse of statistics
10 May 2013: Why the DWP's manipulation of data to justify regressive policies is of deep concern
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After Section 75 - where next for NHS campaigners?
9 May 2013: The House of Lords recently voted to open up the NHS to far more private sector competition. The overwhelming opposition fell on deaf ears. Caroline Molloy asks: where do we go from here?
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Welfare reforms not fit to work: leading doctors protest at ‘cruel’ disability tests
7 May 2013: At last year's BMA’s Annual Representative Meeting, doctors voted overwhelmingly to demand that the DWP-Atos Work Capability Assessment end ’with immediate effect’. Campaigners demand action now.
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How the bedroom tax unfolds: the letters and home visits people are getting
5 May 2013: We're talking to people who have been told they must pay the bedroom tax and we're following their stories, to see how this frightening tax unfolds. It isn't good.
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Bedroom tax research: call for evidence
2 May 2013: The We Are Spartacus campaign is running a project to find out how the bedroom tax is affecting sick and disabled people. Please crosspost and share this information!
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Independent Living Fund recipient interviews in the Mirror today
1 May 2013: The videos on this page are interviews we made with people who are affected by the government’s atrocious recent decision to close the Independent Living Fund.
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One Barnet: the Judicial Review finding - a moral victory, out of time
29 Apr 2013: The excellent Mrs Angry on today's Barnet council outsourcing judicial review application decision - and why it is vital to fight on to save public services.
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How the bedroom tax is unfolding: Birmingham council report shows impact
27 Apr 2013: A report presented to this week’s Birmingham City Council Cabinet puts numbers and places to the horrific impact of the bedroom tax and benefit cap in Birmingham.
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Beware of the government’s NHS personal healthcare budgets
24 Apr 2013: The government wants personal health budgets introduced for NHS patients across the country. In this post, Richard Blogger looks at the problems PHBs could create.
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Experts speak: why section 75 NHS privatisation regulations are such a threat
23 Apr 2013: Caroline Molloy explains why the NHS privatisation regulations (which will be voted on in the Lords tomorrow) present such a danger to the NHS.
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How the bedroom tax is unfolding
21 Apr 2013: People are already getting calls and letters about paying the bedroom tax. We're talking to a few of those people, following their stories and asking questions of their landlords.
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Fiscal frameworks and increasing public spending
19 Apr 2013: Those arguing that policymakers should sign up to current fiscal plans are in effect arguing they should sign up to a fiscal framework that has failed to reduce the deficit anywhere as much as promised
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Household savings ratio: the most important graph for the UK economy?
18 Apr 2013: Duncan Weldon asks if policies that drive down the household savings ratio desirable and argues that in the long run, recovery will only be sustainable if it is build on the solid foundations of rising household incomes.
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This Saturday: demonstrate in Leeds against the bedroom tax!
16 Apr 2013: This weekend, people in Leeds will say No to the bedroom tax and No to evictions!
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TUC calls on statistics watchdog to investigate minister over benefit claims
15 Apr 2013: TUC writes to the UK Statistics Authority, calling on it to investigate Iain Duncan Smith for 'misusing' official statistics to justify the government's benefits cap.
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Say no to rural poverty - protect the Agricultural Wages Board
14 Apr 2013: On Tuesday, MPs have a vote on the Government’s plan to abolish the Agricultural Wages Board. Send MPs a message that we want them to vote no to rural poverty, and no to scrapping the AWB.
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Write a letter now and save our NHS!
12 Apr 2013: Your letters can make a different and help pevent full privatisation of our NHS at the upcoming Section 75 debate on 24 April.
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Public meeting to bring Your Choice Barnet back inhouse
10 Apr 2013: Barnet Alliance for Public Services calls on Barnet Council to bring services for adults with disabilities back inhouse after its Your Choice "support services" company runs into financial trouble.
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Why I am suing the government over DLA and PIP
9 Apr 2013: Steven Sumpter at Latent Existence receives Disability Living Allowance. In this post, he explains why he is challenging the government's DLA changes in court and how those changes will affect him.
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PIP faces legal challenge!
8 Apr 2013: Wearespartacus.org.uk challenges changes to the new PIP (Personal Independence Payments replacing DLA or Disability Living Allowance) mobility criteria.
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Tax cut for the richest, tax increase for the poorest and social security attacked
7 Apr 2013: Birmingham against cuts on the unfairness of tax cuts for the rich and tax increases for the poorest.
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UK Uncut: who wants to evict a millionnaire?
6 Apr 2013: On Saturday 13th April, UK Uncut will be using civil disobedience in London against a massive wave of cuts that will hit millions of people across the country.
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Crunch time looms: experts speak out against NHS privatisation regulations
5 Apr 2013: It is hard to overstate the implications for the public of the NHS privatisation regulations going through parliament. Caroline Molloy speaks to a range of experts about these regulations and why everyone should be very, very worried.
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Social landlords must stand with tenants against the bedroom tax
3 Apr 2013: Hands off Our Homes in Leeds on the problems people are raising at bedroom tax meetings and calls for councils to support tenants.
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Let’s focus on the real cheats
3 Apr 2013: The excellent Harpymarx on the government's attacks on social security...and the ongoing money lost to tax avoidance.
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Want to Shout about ESA? Here’s your chance #ESAendgame
2 Apr 2013: Act together to end the pain of ESA now!
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Bedroom tax, council tax benefit cuts, DLA to PIP: a perfect storm all right
31 Mar 2013: As the Independent says today, "Britain's poorest will be hit by a "devastating" barrage of new cuts and taxes tomorrow, as a range of government welfare changes are introduced."
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Private patients in NHS trusts: how it’s happening
29 Mar 2013: In this post and guide, the excellent Richard Blogger explains the "private patients in the NHS" phenomenon and how this is structured and growing:
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Government fails to prevent legal challenge to bedroom tax
27 Mar 2013: The Government has failed in its attempt to prevent legal action against its controversial bedroom tax, after permission was granted for a judicial review of the regulations.
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Wednesday: Day of action against cuts to rail staff numbers
26 Mar 2013: Day of Action on staff cuts: Wednesday 27 March. Action for Rail campaigners will be getting out and about and meeting passengers at stations around the UK.
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The reality of time-limited employment and support allowance
25 Mar 2013: A real life story about the effects of limiting contributions-based ESA to just 365 days.
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After their court action this week, Barnet residents march for public services
23 Mar 2013: Barnet residents, campaigners and their many supporters march today in defence of public services and against cuts and the One Barnet outsourcing programme.
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Action for rail: stop cuts to station, train and maintenance and safety staff
21 Mar 2013: Join Action for Rail on their day of action against staff cuts - 27 March!
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A response to Mark Hoban’s lies: workfare doesn’t work
19 Mar 2013: Birmingham Against Cuts lays out the case against workfare.
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Vigil to support legal challenge against Barnet council privatisation
18 Mar 2013: Starting with a vigil tomorrow, there's a week of action against privatisation in Barnet.
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Independent Living Fund users deserve respect, not contempt
17 Mar 2013: Stuart Bracking on the reasons why people with severe disabilities must continue to be supported in independent living.
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From Birmingham: of short breaks and eligibility criteria
15 Mar 2013: The West Midlands Social Work Action Network on the growing issues in Birmingham with council proposals for short breaks for children with disabilities and their families.
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From bedroom to ballroom to courtroom: fighting for independence
14 Mar 2013: Writer, performer and Independent Living Fund recipient Penny Pepper on the first day in court to fight government plans to close the ILF.
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Amend in haste, repent at leisure - the NHS privatisation battle is still on
12 Mar 2013: Caroline Molloy: no-one voted for NHS privatisation, it’s not in the coalition agreement, it won’t save money and it won’t provide better results.
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Vigil at court hearing: save the Independent Living Fund
11 Mar 2013: Come and support the six disabled people who are going to court to fight the government's decision to close the Independent Living Fund.
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One Barnet - worst fears about outsourcing are being realised
10 Mar 2013: Barnet Unison branch secretary John Burgess on the effects of outsourcing in Barnet as jobs are cut and low-paid careworkers bear the brunt of privatisation ideology.
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The fight against NHS privatisation is far from over: more mobilisation is needed
8 Mar 2013: The NHS privatisation juggernaut will roll on...
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ESA SOS - the starting gun
7 Mar 2013: Help Sue Marsh show all politicians of all parties that the public is not ok with employment and support allowance and the work capability assessment.
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ILF closure and the levels of care support disabled people with high support needs can expect
5 Mar 2013: How the closure of the Independent Living Fund puts the problems of council care funding into sharp focus
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More from disabled people on the closure of the Independent Living Fund
4 Mar 2013: More testimonies from people who will lose much-needed carer hours if the ILF closes.
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Your Choice? Bad choice: care services to take another hit at Barnet
3 Mar 2013: Barnet slashes careworker jobs and salaries: the real stories behind the provision of care to people who desperately need it.
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What the closure of the Independent Living Fund means to disabled people
1 Mar 2013: ILF receipients explain why people with severe disabilities require extra care funding and what the loss of that funding will mean.
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How the UK’s “social” recession looks
28 Feb 2013: How the economic crisis and government cuts impact on the provision of children’s services by local authorities and community groups.
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Our council tax benefit cut research and ILF videos in Guardian
28 Feb 2013: Our latest research and stories in the Guardian
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Bimingham: a bitter fight against austerity measures
27 Feb 2013: Scores of protesters block Birmingham council house and demand that councillors stand up and fight austerity.
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Visualising inequality: photography as a call to action
25 Feb 2013: A new photography exhibition depicts the damaging impact of Britain's ever-growing income gap.
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Urgent: 5 ways you can help beat the privatisation threat to the NHS
24 Feb 2013: There's just over a month to stop legislation which will open up the NHS to compulsory competitive markets and the private sector.
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Austerity has failed. It’s time for a new approach
23 Feb 2013: The credit ratings agencies and George Osborne have been proved wrong.
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The failure of austerity in Europe
21 Feb 2013: Duncan Weldon: the persuasive case that much of the Eurozone’s austerity was driven by bond-market panic, not fundamental factors and much of it has been self-defeating.
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Debates on issues like food regulation rage: Barnet privatises regulatory services
19 Feb 2013: More from the fight against privatisation in Barnet - and a petition to stop the outsourcing of regulatory services.
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Birmingham cuts: protest days organised for next week
18 Feb 2013: On 26 February, Birmingham City Council will meet to vote on the cuts amounting to £102m this year and £625m by 2016 to 2017.
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Report back from Armley Stop the Bedroom Tax Meeting
17 Feb 2013: Last week, Hands off our Homes in Leeds held another successful bedroom tax meeting in Armley.
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What is a bedroom?: significant new bedroom tax challenges emerge
16 Feb 2013: Joe Halewood asks: what is the legal definition of a bedroom for bedroom tax purposes - and is there even one?
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Valentine’s Day protest: Save Lewisham hospital services!
15 Feb 2013: Really good short video on yesterday's protest against Jeremy Hunt's attacks on Lewisham hospital services.
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Equality before the law: a principle abandoned by Britain
13 Feb 2013: Citizens Advice Bureau adviser Deborah Pafield asks: At what point did Britain decide that legal rights don’t apply to poor people?
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A Polite Revolution: the saving of Friern Barnet library
12 Feb 2013: The story of the people's fight to save Friern Barnet library.
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Benefit cuts opposition and calls for benefit summit
11 Feb 2013: The Campaign for Benefit Justice has called a summit to bring together tenants, disabled people, trade unions, the unpaid and the low paid as one national voice.
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Fighting NHS cuts in Greater Manchester
9 Feb 2013: More A&E units under threat of closure or downgrading.
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Discussions with people affected by the closure of the Independent Living fund
6 Feb 2013: The social care crisis will not be improved by the government's decision to close a fund for people with complex care needs.
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More meetings, more protests: Seacroft Stop the Bedroom Tax meeting
5 Feb 2013: Campaigns against the bedroom tax continue across the country.
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Boycott workfare week of action: 18 to 24 March
4 Feb 2013: Join the fierce resistance to workfare that has already caused many high street names and national charities to pull out of the scheme.
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More on the rotten maths and misinformation used to justify the bedroom tax…
3 Feb 2013: Joe Halewood on more of the real numbers behind bedroom tax and why the housing benefit bill will rise and rise with it.
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Barnet: a judicial review upsets the council and its privatisation plans
1 Feb 2013: A court action in Barnet is clearly troubling councillors as they try to push through their privatisation plans...
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Repost: why I have a two-bedroom flat and why I’m worried about the bedroom tax
30 Jan 2013: The council moved me to a two-bedroom flat because I was being threatened by gangs.
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How the homecare “system” fails people who use it and work in it
29 Jan 2013: In a new Unison report, homecare workers talk about the many failings of the current system.
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View from Barnet: Will council tax benefit cuts force even more people into poverty?
28 Jan 2013: Barnet blogger Mr Reasonable looks at the worrying numbers behind council tax benefit cuts and collection in the borough
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April will be a very cruel month……if you are on welfare benefits!
27 Jan 2013: Louise Whittle on the crisis that we are well on course for with the bedroom tax, council tax benefit cuts and other cruel "welfare reforms."
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GDP figures: The Long Slump
26 Jan 2013: Duncan Weldon: since the ‘emergency’ budget of 2010, the economy’s performance has been disastrous.
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More problems with the bedroom tax and why it will add to the welfare bill
25 Jan 2013: What is an acceptable bedroom size? What definitions of underoccupation is the government working to? Will the courts be flooded as the government gets this wrong?
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The impact of benefit cuts: a Birmingham perspective
23 Jan 2013: A few reasons why Birmingham is seeing a growing resistance to "austerity."
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Britain’s fishiest outsourcing firm - and the winner is…
22 Jan 2013: Voting has closed – but what would be a suitable prize for the winner?
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Will Labour protect disabled people? Pat’s Petition goes to Westminster to find out
21 Jan 2013: Help lobby for a cumulative impact assessment of the effects of cuts on disabled people and carers.
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At the Hackney migrant centre: asylum in austerity
21 Jan 2013: Hackney lawyer Nathaniel Mathews meets with people who are waiting for their immigration papers.
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Falling through the cracks in Britain 2013: a CAB adviser reports
19 Jan 2013: In this excellent article, CAB advisor Deborah Padfield maps the appalling real-life fallout of Britain's dying welfare state.
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WCA descriptors fail, DWP fails, Atos fails: a case study
18 Jan 2013: DPAC publishes a recent case which calls the ESA work capability assessment further into question.
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Four year real wage fall will cost average worker £6,000
16 Jan 2013: Wages failing to keep pace with rising prices.
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Lewisham Hospital consultation has been ignored - join the 26 January protest!
15 Jan 2013: Massive opposition to proposals to close Lewisham hospital services continues.
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Occupied Friern Barnet library: ‘The Council’s position has changed’
14 Jan 2013: More on the fight to keep Friern Barnet library in community hands and how community pressure can wrongfoot a council.
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Changes to mobility allowances under PIP – ask your MP to stop this injustice!
13 Jan 2013: Thousand of people are likely to lose their entitlement to mobility allowances under government plans.
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Protecting the most vulnerable? - Birmingham council cuts its children’s services
12 Jan 2013: West Midlands SWAN on Birmingham council's dismantling of children and youg people's services.
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Birmingham Law Centre faces closure as council refuses funding
10 Jan 2013: Access to legal advice threatened even further as more and more people require it.
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Enough of the shirkers rhetoric: people have reasons for needing support
9 Jan 2013: Interviews with people who have been on benefits for the longer-term.
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Ethical Consumer: why we’re pursuing a boycott of Amazon
7 Jan 2013: Simon Birch on the tax dodging issue and Ethical Consumer's Amazon boycott.
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DPAC now has an official song for 2013!
6 Jan 2013: See the new video from Disabled People Against Cuts.
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TUC poll finds that support for benefit cuts depends on misconceptions
4 Jan 2013: Voters least able to give accurate answers about benefits are the most likely to back the government's policy on cutting benefits.
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The overall benefit cap should be abandoned, not just delayed
3 Jan 2013: Joe Halewood on the many, many holes in the government's overall benefit cap theory.
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