• TORY chief hip Gavin Williamson asks, “Is Jeremy Corbyn going to be the one who is going to stand up and get the best for Britain [in Brexit negotiations] or is Theresa May?” (Tories determined to follow ‘get Corbyn’ strategy, May 4).

Perhaps a lot depends on what he means by “Britain”.

There are now over 100 billionaires domiciled in the UK according to The Sunday Times “rich list”.
In 2015, however, according to National Health Service figures, 7,300 people were admitted to hospital with malnutrition, an increase of 50 per cent since 2010. Homelessness is up 54 per cent since 2010.

Moreover in negotiations bullies think that the bullying tactics used at home against those with no real bargaining power is “strong leadership”.

Among the tactics successive UK governments have used to deflect and pre-empt criticism of deteriorating services for benefit claimants have been the besmirching of the reputation, and hence public goodwill, toward those who have been abused by woefully inadequate and exploitative “benefits helplines” as remote control has replaced face-to-face contact with decision-makers.

In the mid-noughties while 21million calls to Jobcentre Plus helplines in 2004/5 went unanswered, a Blairite government was running its “Targeting Benefit Thieves” campaign.
The European Union’s chief negotiator has more bargaining power than a Department for Work and Pensions “customer”.

Now, furthering the isolation and invisibility of benefit claimants while “benefits helpline” calls cost pay-as-you-go mobile phone users £33 an hour, the DWP has decided to close a number of jobcentres used by New Journal readers, including Kilburn and Highgate (near Archway) to “improve the service” without consulting service users.

Now at this general election time, the Tory chief whip’s tactic of changing the agenda when faced with embarrassing questions gives rise to new meaning for a cartoon by Crippen (aka David Lupton) the disabled cartoonist.

The cartoon depicts a group of disabled people at a meeting presided over by Tory prime minister and disability minister, who state: “Don’t worry – when we want your opinion, we’ll tell you what it is.”

ALAN WHEATLEY
Croftdown Road, NW5