Benefits and Work have this story, IDS hides poverty statistics until after the election, reporting that the Tories do not intend to publish the true figures on how people have been affected by their welfare reforms until after the election. It begins
Crucial statistics on the effects of the governments welfare reforms will be deliberately delayed until after the election, to prevent academics and campaigners discovering the effects of policies such as the bedroom tax, changes to disability living allowance and employment and support allowance and increased sanctions.
The Households Below Average Income figures will be two and a half years out of date by the time of the election.
Complaints about the delay in publication were made to Iain Duncan Smith as long ago as last September, but with no effect. IDS has also continued to refuse to meet with the Trussell trust to discuss food poverty.
This makes you wonder how damaging the statistics will be, if they don’t want the electorate knowing them in time to vote them out?
Answers on a postcard, please.
The answer must be: very, very damaging. And it’s long past time they were voted out. So do so in March.