[url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-20897681-full article[/url

Under the proposals, overweight benefit claimants could have their money docked if they refuse exercise regimes prescribed by doctors.

Smart cards would be brought in to monitor the use of leisure centres, meaning local authorities could reduce welfare payments for those who fail to follow their GP's advice.

I'm not sure the latter has been quite thought through. What would be to stop Mr Golightly swiping in, and going for a couple of burgers and a milkshake in the cafe, before going back home?

Fat chance of any of this coming in, or a sign of things to come? We already have discrimination in health service provision against smokers, and those unfortunate enough to be elderly and ill. I suppose picking on fat benefit claimants is just a natural progression.

The next stage in the demonisation of anyone on benefits. Helps to promulgate an idea that only those on benefits/out of work are obese, that they spend their days doing absolutely nothing whatsoever, and that they're a drain on decent (slim) society.

It'll be fun to see what Porky Pickles thinks of this.

Maybe he'll be forced to cut his departmental biscuit busget (highest in Whitehall allegedly)?

I see its Westminster Council again! Seems a hotbed of Nazi philosophy. Nothing seems to have changed since Shirley Porter's day. Another entitled person of ......

Divide and rule, classic Eton warfare techniques.

Why should it not apply to him? He's also in receipt of funds from the public purse, just much more of them than a benefit claimant.

Well indeed.

And BG's right. Unfortunately, many people will be all too ready to fall for it.

Spot on there Minty. The DM has been in its high glory this week demonising the disabled day before yesterday, the unemployed yesterday & today and means testing pensioners today. All in all the DM have done exactly what they have been told to do by IDS.

Big changes to the benefit system are implimented from April and all of these stories like the ones the OP linked are nothing but propaganda and divide and rule tatics. But its not working......even the faithful DM readers are turning against the very paper they worship

Would this be IDS the thick – or the liar? That IDS?

Oh – and in response to Dally earlier: recent stories state that Pickles's departmental biscuit bill has [irisen[/i by £10,000 in the past year. What are they eating with their coffee? Golden garibaldis?

You can tell those in our gym that have been sent by their doctor to get some exercise. Usually not wearing training gear. They'll do a (literal) couple of minutes on the treadmill, wander about a bit, get tangled up in cable machine, sit down for a while, go on the cross trainer for a couple of more minutes, sit on a bench but not do anything....and make that last an hour or so.
They usually smell bad too.

That would be the thick, lying IDS. The one that lied to the nation and said that Labour spending was up by 58% when it was in fact 8% and the IDS that lied to the nation and said that Tax credits had risen by 20% when in fact an HMRC report showed it to be only 8.8%. Yes thats him, the thick, lying, tory, to$$er.


I actually went to one of these Council run things. It was a get healthy lifestyle programme which my physio thought would benefit me in my rehabilitation after my joint replacements. I was looking for somewhere where I could go quite cheaply and with expert advice and do gentle exercise because I have a lot of muscle wastage. What I got was a cross between Slimming World and a discount to my nearest private Gym (which is DW or whatever it is now). I was told I had to attend weekly meetings and given a diet sheet to fill out which is not what I wanted, I know how to eat healthy and it wasn't about what I put in my mouth, more about gentle excersise. I was told I would get a 10% reduction in monthly fees at my local gym which I couldn't afford and I didn't want to get tied in particularly, this was supposed to be more about my rehab. Needless to say I only attended once because even the advisor told me this wasn't the programme for me, it was more for people who didn't have a clue about healthy eating, diet or excersise.

And ever since they arrived the value of the machine you like to use has been tumbling.

Or maybe HE justs eats LOTS of Lidl's cheapest?

I actually don't see whats wrong with this. Give them an incentive to lose weight and be healthier.

If they take the line "what right does the state have to tell me how I should live MY life", the answer is because you are taking benefits from the state. If you disagree with it then don't claim the benefits and work instead. If you can't find work then you'll have to make this sacrifice. At the end of the day the state is paying for you so if you want to take its money you have to play by its rules.

I think you're missing the major point here...

Having turned the police against them HM Government is training up its own army of followers to defend party officials when the working, but comparitively unfit, population storm the gates of Downing Street, one at a time through that side gate as the main one can't be opened.

The unemployed will be left defending the gates via ju jitsu and samba dance techniques while the Cabinet leave by helicopter from the roof of No 10.

Meanwhile in completely unrelated news, Wigan councils coffers have just increased by 1000%

Someone should tell Westminster Council (and this and the previous governments for that matter), that Orwell's 1984 was a novel, not an instruction manual

Work or become Soylent Green

waaah, everyone's being demonised. ffs. is there a competition round here to see who can be the most morally outraged and then try and express it with as much hyperbole as possible?

anyway, it's a ridiculous idea as we all know tories want the dole dossing scrounging fat disabled s to die rather than get fit.

i ve recently been sent to my local sports centre gym by my doctor as ive had bad back pain for over 3 months. the staff are brilliant and have set up a training programme for me that i follow to get rid of my back problem.im not on benefits though.i have had to pay for the 3 months "course" but its heavily subsidised(probably still cheaper than other treatments) its certainly worked for me and even after only 5 or 6 sessions the pain has decreased a hell of a lot.Because of my medical condition i have to be careful with the exercises and thats where the staff come in as the programme they have set up for me takes into account my condition and medication.maybe the people you see walking around not doing too much are restricted due to another medical condition and have to take things slowly!!!!!!!!
maybe in future they will be able to speed up/do more exercises etc.i m sure you ll be happier then!!

You're sticking your head above the parapet with a name like "Cornish", aren't you? Quick - change it to "Lettuce" or something before the fat police mark your card

Meanwhile in other obese related news, York City Tory Councillor Chris Steward thinks he has the answer to poor people who grow fat while scrounging on the dole at everyone elses expense - ban food banks which only exist because lazy poor people can't budget properly and prefer to spend all of their benefits on booze and fags. [urlhttp://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2013/01/03/tory-councillor-chris-steward-food-banks-criticised_n_2402631.html?1357231646&utm_hp_ref=uk[/url

It seems like every local council has to have a quota of idiots with a mouth and just sufficient brain cells to operate it without stopping to think what it is they are saying, congratulations to Chris Steward for getting the "idiot with no thought process" award in York.

i m nice and slim mate (although nice isnt what a lot of people would call me LOL) i m just trying to build up muscle again after 3 years of no upper body exercise and loss of strength and muscle. probably one of the reasons i was in so much pain.
by the summer i ll be a chiselled adonis (or probably not!!!!! ha ha)

Glad to hear you're on the mend. Hope Molly is back to enjoying longer walks on those beautiful Cornish beaches.

I've had a lot of muscle wastage especially on my legs, but I have to be very careful with what and how I use equipment which is why I wouldn't go to any old gym, it would have to have the right sort of equipment and a trainer that knows exactly what my limits were for my condition.

He looks like he could consume a foodbank in one sitting

Having just been to ASDA and got a shop in, I am surprised anyone can be fat on long term benefits.