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You are here: Home / Archives for James Purnell

James Purnell

Alarm among veteran activists as Burnham appoints ‘scrounger rhetoric’ Purnell as No 10 chief of staff

By John Pring on 2nd July 2026 Category: Politics

Alarm among veteran activists as Burnham appoints ‘scrounger rhetoric’ Purnell as No 10 chief of staff
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Disabled activists have expressed alarm at the decision by prime-minister-in-waiting Andy Burnham to appoint former work and pensions secretary James Purnell as his new chief of staff. Purnell, who was Labour’s work and pensions secretary for 16 months, from January 2008 […]

DWP white paper offers mix of ‘human catastrophe’ and overdue reforms

By John Pring on 16th March 2023 Category: Benefits and Poverty

DWP white paper offers mix of ‘human catastrophe’ and overdue reforms
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Nearly four years after announcing plans to reform support for disabled people, work and pensions ministers have published proposals for sweeping changes to disability benefits and employment support. Some of the proposals – including plans to scrap the work capability assessment […]

Labour conference: Foxcroft promises job support plans will not include sanctions

By John Pring on 29th September 2022 Category: Benefits and Poverty

Labour conference: Foxcroft promises job support plans will not include sanctions
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Labour’s shadow disability minister has promised that her party’s plans to “target” those who are out of work because of long-term ill-health will not see claimants punished if they refuse an offer of support. Shadow work and pensions secretary Jon Ashworth […]

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Image of front cover of The Department, showing a crinkled memo with the words 'Restricted - Policy. The Department. How a Violent Government Bureaucracy Killed Hundreds and Hid the Evidence. John Pring.' Next to the image is a red box with the following words in white: 'A very interesting book... a very important contribution to this whole debate' - Sir Stephen Timms, minister for social security and disability. plutobooks.com and the Pluto Press logo.

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