How much more bonkers and dangerous does the world have to become before those still walking around with their eyes wide shut start to see what we are seeing? If anyone else is frustrated, I share your pain.
I would like to start this blog with a thank you. To those who are sending us information and experiences: we hear you and we see you. As Mike Robinson mentioned on last Friday’s UK Column News Extra, we are always spoiled for choice as to what news we bring you. We try very hard to bring you fresh news that some of you may not have heard elsewhere. But we are only a small team, working around the clock, and there is so much to pack into an hour. If you like what we do, please think about who you could encourage to sign up for a membership. The more the merrier, and more subscribers means more UK Column News. We rely entirely on your support. We have no secret agenda or corporate sponsorships; we only have you. We are as frustrated as our viewers with the amount of content we don’t have time to broadcast. Since working for UK Column, I have always been struck by Brian’s and Mike’s passion and determination to bring the news to everyone, no matter who or where they may be. Truth knows no boundaries.
A very modest £5 a month subscription seems like incredibly good value to me, considering most individual Substack subscriptions are £5 each. To members who we may have lost, for whatever reason, please consider coming back. The research, information, and critique you are able to offer us is invaluable, and it helps us tell your truth. We can’t cover all topics, and we can’t please all the people all the time, but we do our best.
Autism and the National Autistic Society
Thank you for the very welcome and honest feedback on my last blog in relation to autism. I did warn you that you might find my comments controversial, and I was right. Therefore, it was refreshing to see healthy, polite debate and genuine concerns shared on the forum. (I am still waiting for Dame June Raine and Marianna Spring to accept my invitations for interviews, but they don’t seem willing to debate).
I agree that ‘autism’ is too wide of an umbrella. I have met many parents of youngsters with associated learning disabilities, but I have met many more without learning disabilities. My area of expertise is autism and ADHD, not learning disabilities. My PG Cert Autism course at the University of Birmingham did not include learning disabilities. That said, I hear the frustrations from both sides, and I have worked with parents from both groups. Parents are the experts by experience, whether they have a child with or without learning disabilities; however, many get treated with contempt and obfuscation. Some are even demonised and blamed for their child’s ‘challenging behaviour’. And heaven forbid if we, the parents, challenge those who blame us.
Many of those parents (including myself) end up on the radar of social services, which can in turn fast track them down a very dangerous path, leading straight into the unkind hands of child protection and the secret world of family courts. Combine the challenges of navigating a system designed to make parents of children with challenging behaviour fail, talking to schools, attending a myriad of appointments and assessments, and completing pages and pages of questionnaires. You will soon learn that the life of a parent of any child with any difference or disability is not one to envy. Life can be incredibly tough, soul-destroying, and very lonely. The Government has plans for autism and ADHD, and none of them appear to be in anyone’s best interests, except those making the rules. I will cover this in more detail soon.
My personal position on the National Autistic Society (NAS) is simple: I have no time for them whatsoever; however, I was asked to clarify my position. You asked, so here it is!
Whilst I was a government advisor, I warned the Autism Programme Board of my concerns and the nefarious happenings at the NAS. I wasn’t sneaky about it; I confronted the whole Board with the CEO of the NAS sat opposite me. I was encouraged to write my concerns in a formal paper, with evidence, for submission to the Board, which I did. But where did my report end up? It went into a dusty drawer, never to be read. The NAS have always been at the top table, eager to sell their wares to the Government. Is it a charity? A business? A quango? I choose the latter.
Grassroots autism charities do great work, but they stand no chance against the might, money, and power of the NAS. Small charities need a team of bid writers to be awarded government funding but cannot afford to hire them. On the other hand, the NAS has plenty of bid writers. I used to see NAS employees milling around in the lobby and the tea rooms at the Palace of Westminster holding their begging bowls in outstretched hands. If they weren’t there, you could bet they were attending a meeting at the Department for Education at which they would be awarded government funding. Public private partnerships? You decide. It does make me wonder if President Zelenskyy has received begging lessons from them.
But who do the NAS help? They have never helped me, my family, or the 200 families I have assisted. They have a glossy website with advice (not much of it helpful), and parents can pay to join groups dotted about the country. It appears the NAS only help a tiny proportion of children, mostly those with associated learning disabilities, children whom they place in their ‘special schools’. But those without learning disabilities are mainly ignored. They provide hands-on support for only 1000 chosen children. Yet, they have 3000 staff, and 25 of them earn salaries over £100k p.a. They rely on the goodwill of volunteers, many of whom are in receipt of low incomes or benefits. How charitable!
Whilst the NAS staff luxuriate in well-positioned offices close to Westminster, they concentrate mostly on bending the ear of the Department for Education, the department from which they receive the lion’s share of their funding. Luckily for them, they don’t have to rely on coffee mornings or private donations. Many of the staff complete a half-day e-learning course, and then call themselves ‘autism trained’. (rolls eyes) ‘Nothing about you without you’ was their mantra; however, whenever I tried to engage with them, I just got stonewalled. My position on the Board made no difference at all.
How callous are they? Here is a true story. I ran a pro bono autism charity for five years. I was honoured to be trusted by a young man in his early forties with the then-accepted diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome. His name was Harry Williams, and he lived in Cambridge. We got on well, and I would reassure him that he was not going mad. We would speak for hours on the phone although sadly we never met in person. He was very misunderstood by his community, and he was the victim of petty crime and neighbour nuisance. When he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer and given a year to live, he was terrified. He had no family and no one to talk to except for me. He couldn’t communicate with his doctor, and he was frightened to go anywhere near a hospital. People found him strange and sometimes intimidating. I didn’t.
I attended a Board meeting at the Department of Health every eight weeks. I came face to face with all the ‘experts’ and so-called ‘movers and shakers’ in the autism world. I asked Mark Lever, the then-CEO of the NAS, for some help and support for Harry. After all, they had a Cambridge branch. I also asked Professor Simon Baron-Cohen to intervene as he was also based in Cambridge, just a couple of miles away from Harry. They both refused.
I carried on being Harry’s advocate, unconditionally, until one morning I received a call from his district nurse. Harry was found dead on her morning visit. I still tear up thinking about it, even though it was 15 years ago. I will never forgive the NAS, or Simon Baron-Cohen. If either of you are reading this, whilst you may have bigger and better fish to fry, you will probably have forgotten my simple request for help back in 2014. I will never forget. When he was alive, I promised Harry he would never be forgotten, and he would always be remembered. I never break a promise.
I hope that clarifies my position on the NAS. There is more, but it would take too long to write it. To those who are reading and who have had a good experience with the NAS, I am pleased you have done so. Based on my experience, you are in the minority.
I have designed a new way of helping everyone within the autism community. My methods, all holistic, free and simple, are helping many with and without learning disabilities. It is a universal system for everyone; gentle, tried and tested, and fun. No single method works for everyone, but I have so many, I am sure you would find at least one that works.
Disability Benefits Are for Who? Not the Disabled
Modernising Support for Independent Living: The Health and Disability Green Paper is the name for the latest public consultation from His Majesty’s government. The Green Paper explores how the UK welfare system can be ‘transformed’ and ‘redesigned’, all for the public good, of course. To me, it shows how the Government can admonish themselves of responsibility towards those on benefits as quickly as possible. It is a cruel money-saving exercise that will impact and affect millions.
It is the latest blow for those with disabilities. Vouchers will replace money awards, and different tiers are being considered. Let’s look at why the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) are so eager to ‘transform’ the system in the disabled public’s best interest… of course. (rolls eyes) Please note that anyone trying to claim for PIP would never apply should they not need to. The process is gruelling, to say the least. With endless application forms, ambiguous and highly personal questions, phone calls, assessments, and long waits, the process is not for the faint-hearted, and many fail at the first or second hurdle. Most of those applying are not well and struggle to read a form, let alone manage to complete 48 pages of questions!
Concerned that there has been an exponential rise in claims for Personal Independence Payments, it appears the Government are tightening the rules and stranglehold they already have on the disabled community. Invisible disability appears to be first on the list. Mental health, autism and ADHD communities will be targeted and encouraged to return to work. What was the phrase Rishi Sunak coined recently? ‘A sick note culture’. And whose fault is that, Prime Minister? You were Chancellor during the ‘plandemic’ years. You provided the money to buy the jabs. And, if you are reading this, what exactly is your interest in Moderna?
Last year, our friend Cheryl Grainger and I had the pleasure of interviewing Ed Dowd. Ed (finance website | Twitter), a very well-respected former BlackRock employee who oversaw $14 billion in assets on Wall Street, used his number-crunching skills to expose the alarming rise in excess mortality. The interview, appropriately titled ‘The Numbers Don’t Lie’, shows why Ed believes that without an investigation into the dangers of the Covid–19 vaccines, it must be assumed that there is a significant link between jabs and excess deaths until proven otherwise. Unless the UK Government urgently investigates this, the disability benefit system will risk insolvency.
In the United States, the picture is similar. In January 2021, there were 29,851,000 disability claims. By June 2023, claims had increased to an alarming 34,152,000. That is a worrying 15% increase in 30 months. Where have they all come from?
As Ed had predicted, with the costs surging, the Government plans to overhaul the system. Over 2.6 million people of working age are now receiving Personal Independence Payments (PIP), and claims have been doubling since 2019. Imagine one government department having to cope with 33,000 new awards a month. The costs by 2028-2029 are projected to be a staggering £28 billion per year, which will reflect a 110% increase in spending since 2019. PIP special rules are made for those with a terminal illness and a life expectancy of less than one year. These claims are obviously fast tracked, and they evade the main assessment process. I am doubtful that these figures have been included, and I would believe with the sudden surge in ‘turbo cancer’, the figures may be even higher.
But why are we seeing such an unprecedented rise in numbers? The Government would like you to believe that the blame lies at the feet of those with mental health conditions. Whilst I can accept that lockups, anxiety, and fear must be factored in, I can’t help but wonder how many of these new applicants are those with vaccine injuries. Even those with serious physical symptoms are being gaslit and turned away from doctors on the pretext that their raised blood pressure, raised pulse, and abnormal blood results are an effect of anxiety.
So, what next for people with long-term disabilities and differences? The DWP are looking at New Zealand for the answers. Verification from your GP will be required when determining your level of ‘support’. Grants for home adaptations and expensive equipment will be offered, as well as vouchers for specific costs, which of course will require receipts. In effect, those with disabilities will be told what they can or cannot have, and every purchase will be tracked, traced, and accounted for. Those with disabilities will have to become their own accountants to micromanage their meagre budgets, all in the name of ‘tailored support’. If you are hoping for your GP’s support, they agree with the Government’s new scheme, sadly. Why? They are reportedly fed up with writing sick notes for anxiety and depression.
It isn’t just those with disabilities who will be affected. Those on Universal Credit who are in part-time employment will have to work more hours or risk benefit deductions under a new bill designed to crack down on benefit fraud. With a new government only months away, whatever the Labour Party has planned for benefit claimants is being kept close to their chest. They proclaimed in their 2019 manifesto to be ‘Breaking Down Barriers’, but in 2024, I can’t see the prospect of any financial barriers being removed, just more being installed.
Stories in Brief
Internet of animals
It isn’t just humans and robots who are to be reliant on the internet. Animals are welcome, too. Next time you add a friend on Facebook, check carefully; it could be a parrot. According to animal internet, it is only a matter of time before animals can access the internet. If you are reading this and thinking, no way… yes way! Here is a paper to back it up.
Whether the internet is to allow animals to literally access the internet, or whether they are planning on hooking them up to the internet via an ‘animal neuralink’, it hasn’t thus far worked out well. For those who are in any doubt as to where Elon Musk’s moral compass is, look no further.
Beam me up, Scotty! Quantum teleportation has arrived
Did you ever wonder how many experiments must have been conducted whilst the world was ‘locked up’ because of a phoney ‘virus’? (I know ‘viruses’ don’t exist, but for ease of reference, please excuse my terminology). Whilst we all marvelled at the peace, listening to birds, the wind, and the rain, there were experiments taking place, taking advantage of the lack of noise and disturbance that we humans make. Perhaps this study also took place in lockup, when all was quiet.
It appears that scientists can transfer a quantum particle from one location to another without actually physically sending the particle itself. The clue is in the noise, or the lack of it. What else could be on the horizon? Teleporting humans to other dimensions or perhaps teleporting military units to other geographical locations in a millisecond? I have heard even that is possible.
Big Pharma’s reputation falls as their halo slips
Big Pharma never had a halo, in my opinion, but obviously to some they still do. According to Fierce Pharma, however, the halo has slipped. And so it should have! Anyone who trusts the pharmaceutical industry in 2024 needs to watch UK Column. Before you get too excited, sadly even though the halo has slipped, it has not yet fallen. According to a Patient View survey, Big Pharma’s reputation remains at a near high record. Which members of the public have been asked? Certainly not our audience.
Canada
As if things could not get any worse in Canada, the Ontario Provincial Police are taking tough measures with motorists in the Greater Toronto Area. Every motorist who is stopped will be breath tested. Those who have committed speeding offences or driving whilst using a mobile phone must give a breath test or be arrested. Just remember what happens in Canada will eventually make its way to the UK and other Commonwealth countries.
Newly qualified doctors can’t get jobs
With an NHS in crisis, junior doctors still taking industrial action, and waiting lists at an all-time high, it appears that our newly qualified doctors are just sitting around twiddling their thumbs until they are told where to go. It appears no one really knows what is going on in the NHS, least of all those who are meant to have our lives in their hands. Do you think anyone has told them that a hospital works better with no junior doctors, only consultants? If not, direct them to the latest NHS England Board Meeting, where they can hear this with their own ears.
Mini-wave/FLiRT alert
FLiRT alert! Don’t panic — not that most of you would. It’s not one of those fake curves that needs flattening; in fact, the curve is so slight, it probably is already flat. But it is being branded a ‘mini-wave’ by the UKHSA. Coincidentally, perhaps, the mini-wave is happening as the spring booster drive gets going. Don’t forget that the third most common serious adverse reaction of the jab was ‘Covid-19’. Why anyone would bother to shove a stick up their nose to check for it is beyond me, but sadly some still are.
King Charles
Thank you to everyone who joins Brian and myself for ‘The Green King’ series. I hope you are all enjoying watching it as much as we are enjoying making it. King Charles has received the best medicine ever this week. According to a Mail on Sunday poll, most Britons believe he is doing a good job. The survey results showed that a clear majority of the public want to keep the monarchy. Only Meghan Markle has taken a dive in popularity, whilst Prince William and The Princess of Wales are the most popular. It’s a shame they didn’t question me or many who I know. I doubt the results would have been the same.
And finally… question everything
Please remember my opinions don’t necessarily reflect those of the UK Column, and I would urge everyone to do their own research. Do you remember that wonderful last film starring Rik Mayall, One By One, in which he said ‘question everything’? Those were wise words from a very wise man. For those of you who are not familiar with him, you may enjoy his inspirational speech delivered at Exeter University on his five mantras for life.
Do you have an emergency plan? If you are hoping your government will help you in an emergency, you will be sadly disappointed. It is up to every one of us to make our own arrangements and to prepare for whatever is to come. Be prepared — mentally, spiritually, and physically. It’s not too late.
Until next time
God Bless
Debi
Galatians 5:5
For we through the Spirit wait for the hope of righteousness by faith.
