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How Newsnight humiliated single mother
As we’re broadening this out to policy fundamentals, and reductio ad absurdum, what are people’s views on the following.
a) Should there be any limit on the size or cost of property eligible for support from HB? If so what?
b) If someone is currently in adequate accommodation, with no immediate threat, should they be allowed to move to a more expensive property (bearing in mind that you can’t do this with SMI)?
On a) there already is under LHA.
On b), yes of course, subject to (a) - otherwise how could someone move to take up employment in a different area where the rents are higher, for example?
Paul
Does that mean you agree with LHA?
Paul
Does that mean you agree with LHA?
Where’s Harry Hill when you want him?
Fight etc…
I ‘ad that Harry Hill in the back of me cab once.
Paul
Does that mean you agree with LHA?
Gareth
Compared to the rather shambolic and ruthlessly complex HB system that preceded it, yes probably.
Do I agree with the changes that have subsequently altered the original policy intentions? No not really.
Any such system needs to make some allowance for distinct situations and I think, as an example, that many people are aware of the problems caused by the lack of recognition for the need for an extra bedroom for carers for disabled people.
I thought LHA was quite interesting in that it was 100% clearer as to what you could get in HB terms to both claimants and landlords.
On introduction in our area rents went up as LHA set a minimum chargable figure for landlords.
Unfortunately this wasn’t helpful to people outside of the scope of HB.
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best wishes - ros
Update email from Shanene Thorpe, the interviewee in question:
It’s been the craziest few weeks of my life. I thought bringing up a little girl while working full time was hard enough—add to that journalists turning up on my doorstep, interviews, thousands of tweets and even strangers recognising me at work.
After all that, the BBC has publicly apologised. Peter Rippon, Newsnight Editor issued a statement which was on the front page of the Newsnight website for 24 hours:
“I do accept that we didn’t make clear that you are a working mother and that someone watching the exchange could have got the impression you are unemployed…we should not have allowed that impression to be created so I apologise.”
This is a step in the right direction, but I want to see an apology on air—hundreds of thousands of people watched me being humiliated on Newsnight but very few will have seen Peter Rippon’s statement on the website. I think my apology deserves to be as public as my humiliation so I’ll be taking my complaint to Ofcom with the support of over 25,000 of you behind me. I’ll be updating the petition with my progress.
I am so grateful to everyone who signed my petition and I want to share with you some of the things I’ve achieved with your support so far:
* I was personally called by Peter Rippon, Newsnight editor
* I told my side of the story on Comment is Free—it was of the top 10 most viewed stories
* The New Statesman featured my campaign, and the BBC told them they were sorry
* My local paper, the East End Advertiser, ran an article
* My campaign was supported by MPs, celebrities, journalists and authors
* Thousands of people tweeted their support
Newsnight has said that my experience has taught them lessons about working with interviewees. I think the success of this campaign shows that they won’t get away with misrepresenting people in the future.
You can still support my campaign by submitting a complaint via the BBC website which will let the BBC know that their behaviour was unacceptable and that I’m waiting for an on air apology.
I am so grateful to everyone who has signed my petition—nothing I’ve achieved would have been possible on my own and your support has meant the world to me.
Thank you,
Shanene Thorpe