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Denzil_DC

(8,009 posts)
Fri Nov 16, 2018, 06:45 PM Nov 2018

A UN inspector came to investigate poverty in Britain - here's what he found

Philip Alston, the United Nations special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights, was scathing about the government’s cuts and welfare changes.

What does a 12-day trip around the UK looking into austerity, Universal Credit, child poverty and the impact of Brexit show you? That the “fabric of British society” is falling apart, and ministers are “in a state of denial”, according to Philip Alston, the United Nations special rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights.

The human rights expert announced his findings at a press conference in London, after travelling all over the country – from assessing rural poverty in Bristol to visiting foodbanks in Newcastle, from speaking to schoolchildren in Scotland, discovering how devolution has to mitigate government policy in Wales, and hearing about hardship in Clacton, Belfast and Newham.

Alston took a dim view of what he saw, accusing the British government of breaking its human rights obligations, and finding austerity has inflicted “great misery” on UK citizens.

https://www.newstatesman.com/politics/economy/2018/11/un-inspector-came-investigate-poverty-britain-here-s-what-he-found


The article at the link quotes Alston's findings in detail. They are summarized under the following headings:

The UK is breaking human rights obligations

Government is ignoring how people will “suffer” from Brexit

Ex-Work & Pensions Secretary Esther McVey shrugged off Universal Credit domestic abuse risks

Universal Credit is “problematic”, “harsh”, “unnecessary” and “gratuitous”

Cuts and benefit changes are “ideological”

The DWP is misleading us on Universal Credit

…and on benefit sanctions, which are “counter-productive”

In fact, government ministers are “in a state of denial” about poverty

The state “does not have your back any longer”

Freezing benefits is hypocritical

The two-child benefit limit is like China’s one-child policy

British society is becoming “increasingly hostile” as its fabric is eroding

But other than that, everything's going swimmingly.
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A UN inspector came to investigate poverty in Britain - here's what he found (Original Post) Denzil_DC Nov 2018 OP
When they take a look at the US, the UK might look positively impressive by comparison... hlthe2b Nov 2018 #1
And they at least have universal care. brush Nov 2018 #2
Wales is probably the poorest nation in Western Europe. geardaddy Nov 2018 #3

hlthe2b

(106,594 posts)
1. When they take a look at the US, the UK might look positively impressive by comparison...
Fri Nov 16, 2018, 06:49 PM
Nov 2018

(not to diminish the UK findings, by any means, but I don't think the world fully understands how bad things are getting in the US--dramatically worsening since Trump policies)

geardaddy

(25,367 posts)
3. Wales is probably the poorest nation in Western Europe.
Mon Nov 19, 2018, 11:44 AM
Nov 2018

Welsh money goes to Wastemonster, but very little comes back. The Senedd needs to be in charge of its own financials.

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