Bath Man Attempts to Press Charges Against Tory Ministers

Keith Ordinary Guy and supporters outside Bath police station

At 2pm today, local man Keith Ordinary Guy, who writes a letter a day to David Cameron, and an army of supporters went to Bath police station to attempt to press charges against Iain Duncan Smith and Lord Freud for breaching the Human Rights Act over the Claimant Commitment Contract.

Supporters came from as far afield as London and Cornwall. One supporter commented "I believe that slavery should not be back on the statute books. Nothing is voluntary, it's all enforced - workfare, zero hours contracts. Non compliance means no food."

Keith first spoke to the police officer on the desk. He told her:

"As a citizen, you are the only people I can come to."

"I am horrified."

"Between 2011 and 2012, 10,600 people died after being found unfit for work by Atos. Our government is doing this to us. You are the only portal of access and we need help."

"The Claimant Commitment Contract is just the latest phase and it's just horrific. I'm not a demonstrative man, I just want justice."

The police officer then went to get the Inspector. Keith commented "I think the policewoman on the desk was nearly in tears. I feel that I was taken seriously."

Keith Ordinary Guy in Bath
police station attempting to press charges
against Iain Duncan Smith and Lord Freud

When the Inspector arrived, Keith told him:

"If you refuse to sign the contract, you have no access to benefits in Britain. It's forced labour."

The Inspector replied:

"If it's been brought into a statute, it's not something I can deal with. The people who brought it in would have looked at the Human Rights Act. You would need to take it up with a solicitor."


Keith responded:

"Between 2011 and 2012, 10,600 people died. They've refused to release figures since then. I've tried to bring charges of manslaughter against them and I think that still stands."

The Inspector replied:

"My job is to enforce the law as it stands."

After the leaving the police station, Keith was upbeat. He told us:

"It went really well because it has given me an insight into the situation that we're actually in. It's our opinion that what they are doing is inhuman, but what they did is put the laws onto the statute book."

"The next step is to see if there's a solicitor that can take on the legal challenge. Crowd sourcing for legal funds may be the next move."

"Ordinary people need money to get access to justice - they've scrapped Legal Aid. Unfortunately the law only works for the rich."

"I will try to raise a legal challenge."

"So many people are dying. A million people are using foodbanks and the government are saying that they've got nothing to do with it."

Supporters then joined Keith for a coffee. From the discussion afterwards it was decided that they would form a people's army - called "The Shoestring Army", as those involved are living on a shoestring. The domain name was then immediately registered.

This is Day 1 of a new fight back for the lives of ordinary people. Stay posted - The Shoestring Army is only going to grow.

Keith's website, where he publishes his letters can be found here: http://www.keithordinaryguy.org.uk/

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Bath Campaigner to go to Police to Bring Charges Against Tory Ministers

Keith Ordinary Guy - the Bath man who sends a letter to David Cameron every day - is heading to Bath Police Station at 2pm on Friday 2nd May to send the message that the government's new Claimant Commitment Contract contravenes the Human Rights Act (HRA), and that Iain Duncan Smith and Lord Freud are in breach of the Human Rights Act.

The message reads:

Iain Duncan Smith and Lord Freud Breach Human Rights

The Claimant Commitment Contract. Policy Aims:

The conditionality regime will recast the relationship between the citizen and the State from one centred on 'entitlement' to one centred on a contractual concept that provides a range of support in return for claimant's meeting an explicit set of responsibilities, with a sanctions regime to encourage compliance.

Iain Duncan Smith and Lord Freud have reintroduced slavery through forced compliance (sanctions regime), denying people the means of survival if they do not comply or fail to meet conditions.

HRA - Article 4 - Prohibition of Slavery and Forced Labour

2: No one shall be required to perform forced or compulsory labour.
Exclusion: Any work or service which forms part of normal civic obligations.

Under these contracts the work or service cannot be considered normal because it involves the loss of means of survival.

The new Claimant Commitment Contract means that claimants are required to perform forced or compulsory labour via contracts set up by DWP work coaches.

Claimants who refuse to sign the contract or breach it will be denied Universal Credit (JSA etc.), i.e. the means of survival, thus breaching Article 1 of the HRA.

HRA - Article 2 - Right to Life

1: Everyone’s right to life shall be protected by law. No one shall be deprived of his life intentionally save in the execution of a sentence of a court following his conviction of a crime for which this penalty is provided by law.

Earlier today we caught up with Keith to find out more about the campaign:

What drove you to to take this action?

I’ve been writing ‘A letter a day to number 10’ for over two years now, currently on No 728, and it is clear that the government have an agenda that they are pursuing regardless of public outcry, facts or the suffering they are causing. I have been to the police twice attempting to bring charges against Iain Duncan Smith and was fobbed off both times. This time, I called on Sonia Poulton and her camera man Lee to, at the least, make this a very public ‘event’. Whatever the outcome I hope that we can bring the glare of publicity to bear on the inhuman policies being inflicted on the British people. I have a particular care for disabled people as someone who has experienced severe mental health problems all my life. The treatment of disabled people by this government is so inhuman it beggars belief.

Do you think it will make a difference?

Yes I do think it will make a difference if in no other way than to raise awareness. People have felt comforted, supported and encouraged by my letters, I have been told many times that seeing that days letter gave someone the strength to go on for another day. Even if just one person is helped to keep going that was a letter worth writing as far as I am concerned.

What measures can other ordinary people do to oppose the cuts to benefits, the workfare scheme and generally make the world a better place?

I think it is crucial that relying on social media alone to do anything effective will never work. Whatever we do, and report on social media, must happen in the real world. I encourage people to be as creative as possible, through writing, art, music, drama, peaceful protest, handing out leaflets, reporting government crimes, creating public events, whatever people can dream up to protest, protect and raise public awareness. We had a picnic in Regents Park last year, called ‘We Shall Overcome’ inspired by the Joan Baez song, with floral tributes to the 10,600 people who had died within six weeks of being found fit for work by Atos. I was unable to attend and so co-ordinated live updates on Facebook and Fusion Radio dedicated a day of music in memory of our lost. Along with the group in London, who handed out leaflets and talked to people, the event was followed by many sick and disabled people online as well as those who simply could not travel to the event that day. Many were moved to tears, including me, and shared what was truly loving and peaceful day.

The We Shall Overcome Event in Regent's Park

Join Keith at Bath Police Station on Friday 2nd May at 1.30pm

Keith's website, where he posts his letters and the (very few) replies he gets can be found here: http://www.keithordinaryguy.org.uk/

Find out what happened at Bath Police Station here: http://standingstonesblog.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/bath-man-attempts-to-press-charges.html

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