Huge Victory For Sick And Disabled Claimants As Atos Chased Out Of Vicious Benefit Assessments

This story was also on BBC News yesterday. They reported that Atos were pulling out due to death threats to their staff, illustrated with shots of protestors waving anti-Atos placards. They acknowledged that the company was controversial, and talked to people, who had been declared fit for work. They also reported that the DWP had called the company ‘unprofessional’ for going public about it.

Lucy, one of the commenters to this post, states that with the horrific employment record of their boss, Atos probably doesn’t care at all about the death threats made against their employees. This is probably right. Thierry Breton, the head of Atos, was brought in by the French government to run France Telecom when it was being privatised. Under his bullying regime, 35 employees committed suicide.

What was noticeable is that the BBC report did not mention the tens of thousands of people, who have died in despair and poverty after being thrown off their benefits due to Atos and the DWP. But then, this would raise awkward questions about government policy, which might be embarrassing for Jonty, the head of newsgathering, when the BBC next meets someone from the Coalition banging on about ‘Leftwing bias’.

the void

French IT firm Atos saying they are planning to pull out of Work Capability Assessments, the shambolic and cruel tests designed to strip away benefits from sick and disabled people, is the most humiliating blow yet for Iain Duncan Smith’s bodged attempt at reforming social security.

In a stunning victory for campaigners, Atos say the Work Capability Assessment isn’t working, for them, claimants themselves and even the hapless DWP.  The attempt at early withdrawal from the contract comes just days after protests were held outside Atos assessment centres in towns and cities across the UK.

The astounding announcement also sheds new light on The Guardian story which revealed that the DWP were secretly plotting to get rid of Atos and bring in new contractors to run the tests.  There is truly no honour amongst these thieves as Atos and the DWP bicker in public about who dumped who first.  Meanwhile…

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