Another complaint to PCC on benefits articles


by Sunny Hundal    
February 4, 2011 at 5:54 pm

The online campaigning website Broken of Britain have lodged another complaint to the Press Complaints Commission over its coverage of disability benefits.

Last week the Daily Mail ran an article titled, ‘The great disability benefit free-for-all: Half of claimants are not asked to prove eligibility‘.

But the article was revealed as grossly inaccurate by several bloggers.

The fact-checking site Full Fact pointed out:

The Mail appears to have conflated the proportion of cases that don’t require the collection of ‘additional medical evidence’ with cases that require no evidence and no checks of eligibility. This does not follow when we look at the initial application process. It can hardly be claimed that half of claimants are not asked to prove eligibility since all claimants fill out an application form, although it is not clear what proportion of applications include evidence from a doctor at the initial stage.

Broken of Britain said this week that they would continue complaining to the PCC about the newspaper’s campaign against disabled people, and wanted to “show the Daily Mail that their tirades against disabled people will not be put up with anymore”.

Their complaint to the PCC states:

This claim is not only grossly inaccurate and misleading, but is also a distortion and misrepresentation of the truth. There are no Disability Living Allowance claimants who have never been asked to provide evidence – filling in the long application form is a prerequisite of a successful claim. There are Special Rules for claimants who need their claim processed quickly – in cases of terminal illness, for example – but these rules only apply to 1.2% of the DLA caseload or 37,800 people.

In late January, Broken of Britain lodged a complaint to the Cabinet Office to investigate a transgression of the Ministerial Code by Chris Grayling.

They pointed out:

The title of this press release – Majority of people found fit for work as Government presses ahead with reforms” – is highly misleading. The figures given in the text of the press release are “Fit for Work – 39%”. This is far from being a majority. The first sentence of this statement is also problematic as the emphasis is placed upon “vast majority” and “fit to work”.

The only way to arrive at the “majority” mentioned in the title is to add the figures for those found Fit for Work and those whose claims were closed before the assessment was complete – the suggestion implicit in the opening sentence. However, there is no evidence at all that cases closed before completion of assessment equate to fitness to work, and it is a manipulation of data to do so.

They have also written to the PCC over the Daily Mail and Daily Express coverage of those remarks.

Let’s see if the toothless PCC or the Cabinet Office take these complaints with the seriousness they deserve.


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About the author
Sunny Hundal is editor of LC. Also: on Twitter, at Pickled Politics and Guardian CIF.
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Reader comments


1. Lex

Thank you Sunny, you’ve been a good ally.

2. Tony Holden

I’ve also complained to the PCC about this latest baseless attack on myself and other disabled people. I would encourage any other disabled person who feels that the Daily Mail are stirring up hatred against them and others, to visit the Broken of Britain website and learn how to make a complaint.

While it may only take one complaint for action to be taken, we should not leave it to just one person to take action on our behalf, we should all be willing to be counted if we can, if not for ourselves, then for those who aren’t able.

3. sandy

Is there any point complaining to the PCC ?

Isn’t the chair of the PCC Paul Dacre, editor of the Daily Mail ?

4. buddyhell

@3
You’ve hit the nail on the head. The PCC is what is commonly known as a “self-regulatory body”. They don’t impose fines or sanctions on newspapers, they can only ask them to print apologies. Which means that papers can literally print any rubbish they like in the full knowledge that few people are going to take them to task. There is the defamation route but, as we all know, such a route is out of the means of those on average incomes.

5. Chaise Guevara

@ 4

Depends on the organisation. The ASA is built on the same principles, and if anything it’s over-stringent. For example, it banned a poster because it showed someone dressed as a nun kissing someone dressed as a priest.

6. buddyhell

@5

That may be the case but the PCC does not impose sanctions, the ASA can impose sanctions. The PCC seems to have a sort of inbuilt toothlessness

7. Mr Tomne

I hope that all this information will ultimately be used as evidence because all these stories have created Hate and Victimization against the Sick and Disabled and David Cameron and others are guilty because they have encouraged and been involved with deliberate false information. The Sick and Disabled along with the Unemployed deserve Justice.

Read this useful information

http://www.disabledgo.com/blog/2010/12/recorded-hate-crime-nearly-doubles-in-one-year/

8. Tom (iow)

I’ve tried this, also in relation to totally false benefits articles.

The PCC is a joke. It does not investigate your complaint; all it does is ask the newspaper to publish a letter in reply. It it’s a total sham and is just there to give the appearance of regulation.

9. Cylux

@3 Dacre Is not chair of the PCC but of a linked organisation which writes the Editor’s code of practice.

Muse on that while reading increasingly sensationalist newspapers…


Reactions: Twitter, blogs
  1. Liberal Conspiracy

    Another complaint over Daily Mail's coverage of disability benefits http://bit.ly/hqtimo

  2. Frank roper

    RT @libcon: Another complaint over Daily Mail's coverage of disability benefits http://bit.ly/hqtimo

  3. dontplaymepayme

    Another complaint over Daily Mail’s coverage of disability benefits | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/yRuGzqQ via @libcon

  4. Dizzying Crest

    RT @libcon: Another complaint over Daily Mail's coverage of disability benefits http://bit.ly/hqtimo

  5. Darren Jalland

    RT @libcon: Another complaint over Daily Mail's coverage of disability benefits http://bit.ly/hqtimo

  6. kirst

    RT @libcon: Another complaint over Daily Mail's coverage of disability benefits http://bit.ly/hqtimo

  7. D.Mentiply

    @BrokenOfBritain Another complaint?! Should jolly hope so too! http://tiny.cc/8546h

  8. Nick H.

    RT @libcon: Another complaint over Daily Mail's coverage of disability benefits http://bit.ly/hqtimo

  9. Broken OfBritain

    RT @davidmentiply: @BrokenOfBritain Another complaint?! Should jolly hope so too! http://tiny.cc/8546h

  10. Peterward

    RT @libcon: Another complaint over Daily Mail's coverage of disability benefits http://bit.ly/hqtimo

  11. sunny hundal

    Another complaint made to @UKPCC by @BrokenofBritain over media lies on disability benefits http://bit.ly/hqtimo

  12. Bored London Gurl

    RT @libcon: Another complaint over Daily Mail's coverage of disability benefits http://bit.ly/hqtimo

  13. cinnamon carter

    RT @sunny_hundal: Another complaint made to @UKPCC by @BrokenofBritain over media lies on disability benefits http://bit.ly/hqtimo

  14. Lucy Ellinson

    RT @sunny_hundal: Another complaint made to @UKPCC by @BrokenofBritain over media lies on disability benefits http://bit.ly/hqtimo

  15. The Dragon Fairy

    RT @sunny_hundal: Another complaint made to @UKPCC by @BrokenofBritain over media lies on disability benefits http://bit.ly/hqtimo

  16. Broken OfBritain

    RT @sunny_hundal: Another complaint made to @UKPCC by @BrokenofBritain over media lies on disability benefits http://bit.ly/hqtimo

  17. DisabledPeople

    RT @sunny_hundal: Another complaint made to @UKPCC by @BrokenofBritain over media lies on disability benefits http://bit.ly/hqtimo

  18. xxxJoolsxxx

    Another complaint to PCC on benefits articles | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/RQmQ6ux via @libcon

  19. Mike Hobday

    RT @libcon: Another complaint over Daily Mail's coverage of disability benefits http://bit.ly/hqtimo

  20. Jan Bennett

    RT @sunny_hundal: Another complaint made to @UKPCC by @BrokenofBritain over media lies on disability benefits http://bit.ly/hqtimo

  21. Another complaint to PCC on benefits articles « Norfolk Community Action Group

    [...] http://liberalconspiracy.org/2011/02/04/another-complaint-over-daily-mails-coverage-of-disability-be... [...]

  22. Jill Hayward

    RT @dontplaymepayme: Another complaint over Daily Mail’s coverage of disability benefits | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/yRuGzqQ via @l …

  23. Press Not Sorry

    RT @libcon: Another complaint over Daily Mail's coverage of disability benefits http://bit.ly/hqtimo

  24. Emma Coften

    RT @sunny_hundal: Another complaint made to @UKPCC by @BrokenofBritain over media lies on disability benefits http://bit.ly/hqtimo

  25. Paul Burgin

    RT @sunny_hundal: Another complaint made to @UKPCC by @BrokenofBritain over media lies on disability benefits http://bit.ly/hqtimo

  26. Emma Coften

    Yay for the @BrokenOfBritain you gotta love those folk, can't recommend them enough for a #ff http://bit.ly/hqtimo

  27. Samantha Gower

    RT @libcon: Another complaint over Daily Mail's coverage of disability benefits http://bit.ly/hqtimo

  28. Marie J

    RT @libcon: Another complaint over Daily Mail's coverage of disability benefits http://bit.ly/hqtimo

  29. Romila Chaplin

    RT @sunny_hundal: Another complaint made to @UKPCC by @BrokenofBritain over media lies on disability benefits http://bit.ly/hqtimo

  30. conspiracy theo

    Another complaint over Daily Mail's coverage of disability … http://bit.ly/hUJwxV

  31. Where's The Benefit?

    .@lisybabe's post for us gets a link. RT @libcon: Another complaint over Daily Mail's coverage of disability benefits http://bit.ly/hqtimo

  32. Spir.Sotiropoulou

    Another complaint to PCC on benefits articles | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/72uZOfi via @libcon

  33. Geoffrey Pearson

    RT @libcon: Another complaint over Daily Mail's coverage of disability benefits http://bit.ly/hqtimo

  34. jbw

    RT @sunny_hundal: Another complaint made to @UKPCC by @BrokenofBritain over media lies on disability benefits http://bit.ly/hqtimo

  35. Double.Karma

    RT @libcon: Another complaint over Daily Mail's coverage of disability benefits http://bit.ly/hqtimo

  36. The Daily Quail

    .@BrokenofBritain complains to PCC over Mail's disability benefit lies: http://bit.ly/dE4846

  37. Sue Marsh

    RT @DailyQuail: .@BrokenofBritain complains to PCC over Mail's disability benefit lies: http://bit.ly/dE4846

  38. Broken OfBritain

    RT @DailyQuail: .@BrokenofBritain complains to PCC over Mail's disability benefit lies: http://bit.ly/dE4846

  39. Brian Barefield

    RT @DailyQuail: .@BrokenofBritain complains to PCC over Mail's disability benefit lies: http://bit.ly/dE4846

  40. Sean Stanley

    RT @DailyQuail: .@BrokenofBritain complains to PCC over Mail's disability benefit lies: http://bit.ly/dE4846

  41. Lady Jen

    More Daily Heil lies – what is their problem exactly?? Another complaint to PCC on benefits articles http://t.co/CzFXD5s via @libcon

  42. Crimson Crip

    RT @DailyQuail: .@BrokenofBritain complains to PCC over Mail's disability benefit lies: http://bit.ly/dE4846

  43. TreeOfMan

    RT @DailyQuail: .@BrokenofBritain complains to PCC over Mail's disability benefit lies: http://bit.ly/dE4846

  44. Edd Fawcett

    RT @DailyQuail: .@BrokenofBritain complains to PCC over Mail's disability benefit lies: http://bit.ly/dE4846

  45. Ira

    RT @sunny_hundal: Another complaint made to @UKPCC by @BrokenofBritain over media lies on disability benefits http://bit.ly/hqtimo

  46. Spir.Sotiropoulou

    Another complaint to PCC on benefits articles | Liberal Conspiracy http://t.co/72uZOfi via @libcon





  • We have a tight comments policy aimed at fostering constructive debate.
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  • Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy.

 
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