An online petition sees thousands demand the resignation of pensions and work secretary over fake case studies farce
More than 52,000 people have now signed an online petition demanding Iain Duncan Smith resigns from his post as work and pensions secretary.
The Care2 petition was posted after the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) admitted fabricating quotes in defence of the current sanction regime.
The petition accuses Duncan Smith of "lying" to the British public over the use of the "fantasy" case studies.
The fake quotes appeared on leaflets that offered case studies of people who had apparently been helped by the strict new benefit sanctions system introduced by Duncan Smith under the coalition government.
In a strongly worded call for his resignation, the petitioner, Beth G, says sanctioning is driving people to suicide and that people are resorting to stealing food in order to not starve.
Iain Duncan Smith is ultimately responsible for the actions of those in his department who produced the propaganda leaflet
She states: “Iain Duncan Smith is ultimately responsible for the actions of those in his department, who produced the propaganda leaflet containing lies, presenting a fantasy of positive stories about sanctions. This distorts the truth, which is that people are dying due to sanctions.”
A Department for Work and Pensions spokesman said: “The case studies were used for illustrative purposes to help people understand how the benefit system works. They’re based on conversations our staff have had with claimants.
“They have now been removed to avoid confusion.”
It comes as another 38 Degress petition calling on Kathryn Hudson, the parliamentary commissioner for standards, was backed by 6,500 names.
It asks for the commission to investigate Iain Duncan Smith for “his regular use of untruths and the persistent deception misleading of The House of Commons, Select Committees and the Media.”
