A claimant stands in the dock, accused of taking the state for an £80,000 ride. You can imagine what the papers might say. You can guess at the headlines again talking about our 'something for nothing' easily abused benefits culture and that the Hard Working Tax Payer (often through it's Taxpayer's Alliance disguise) is forever the victim. Only this time the claimant is in fact a politician.
This is the situation the former representative of Luton South faces.
It would be very easy to cast the first stone here; her party, when in power, introduced us all to those lovely people called ATOS, as well as shifting the disability benefit goalposts into Employment Support (though it's nothing of the kind) Allowance. They sowed the seeds that the likes of Duncan Smith and Grayling are reaping with religious gusto.
Now the Guardian reports she may not face trial due to a deteriorating mental state caused by the stress of the situation. I am not unsympathetic; there but for the grace of god go we all. Indeed I don't for one nanosecond doubt that the stress of going to court and having to defend her position (and she is innocent until presumed guilty) is enough to cause her reported state of mind. A series of experts concur as to the veracity of her condition. Fair enough.
I don't wish that kind of stress on anyone, whether or not they are guilty of the sorts of crimes that we claimants are assumed by virtue of our being claimants to be committing daily and wantonly. But isn't it a teensy bit ironic that Margaret can rely on these experts while the rest of us are presumed guilty and also have to deal with the ATOS system that would, in any other case, regard her fit for work (ie fit to stand trial)? Reap the whirlwind, Mrs Moran; you have my pity.
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