DWP tribunal sanctions Labour MP for showing ‘too much humanity’ to a constituent
A Labour MP has received formal criticism from a Department of Work and Pensions benefits tribunal for showing too much humanity to a vulnerable constituent she helped through a sanctions battle with the DWP.
Jess Phillips, Labour MP for Birmingham Yardley, took to Twitter this week to share a letter she had sent to Justice Secretary Michael Gove, in bafflement at the bizarre DWP ruling.
Another e.g of where being a human & an MP is unacceptable. A letter to Michael Gove. pic.twitter.com/CmNUOc975J
— Jess Phillips (@jessphillips) March 30, 2016
In the letter, Phillips explains:
Read on...
“She needed and deserved kindness, which I showed to her, as I would all of my constituents”
“I do not treat people like numbers, or simply voters. I treat them as I would wish to be treated.”
The DWP tribunal however, felt otherwise, ruling:
“Both the familiarity of the wording, and the fact Ms Phillips places a kiss after her name, indicate a relationship of affection and friendship which goes beyond the parameters of a merely professional relationship.
“In evaluating the contents of her email, we did so on the basis that Ms Phillips was writing as a friend rather than in a professional capacity”.
Only in the selfish society nurtured by the government of David Cameron, could it be seen as a bad thing that an MP showed ‘affection and friendship’ to a constituent desperately in need of both.
Featured Image via YouTube Screengrab
We know everyone is suffering under the Tories - but the Canary is a vital weapon in our fight back, and we need your support
The Canary Workers’ Co-op knows life is hard. The Tories are waging a class war against us we’re all having to fight. But like trade unions and community organising, truly independent working-class media is a vital weapon in our armoury.
The Canary doesn’t have the budget of the corporate media. In fact, our income is over 1,000 times less than the Guardian’s. What we do have is a radical agenda that disrupts power and amplifies marginalised communities. But we can only do this with our readers’ support.
So please, help us continue to spread messages of resistance and hope. Even the smallest donation would mean the world to us.
