End of line 2 Susan Bottrill

The bedroom charge is an amoral act brought into effect by an immoral government, who choose to consider the cost of the pound, before the health and welfare of its citizens.

The suicide of Stephanie Bottrill is human tragedy of monumental proportions and could have been avoided, if the government had taken time to think through this vile charge, and the opposition acted in a positive way to prevent it. This not about fancy rhetoric, within the dried and turgid and torpid walls of Westminster. This is effecting real people, honest people, people who have suffered: not because of something that they have done, but because they have, through circumstances, found that they have no other way to live.
The government say "this is not a tax." But it is a tax in all but name. it is a tax upon the most vulnerable in our society, as it only effects council tenant's Housing association tenants and individuals claiming housing benefit. All of whom are on the bottom of the rung of society. When this "charge" is added to the other cuts in the welfare bill there is no other conclusion to draw upon: This unelected government have created a schism within our culture between those who can afford to survive, because they have the right skills, and those who are forced into increasing poverty; all because they have no skill set to offer, or are even given the encouragement to gain a skill set.
Stephanie Bottrill, a mother of two and a grandmother, with a severe medical condition, was forced into killing herself because she was terrified of losing her home and being left on the street. For the record she worked until her illness became unmanageable, and then worked at being a mother for her children and grandchildren, and anyone who has children knows that this is a full time job, with no financial intensive, after all love needs no reward.
But this government does not see the people, it only talks about scrounger's and strivers and even gets that wrong.
But just for them, lets talk about scroungers: Lets talk about certain MP's who claim housing allowance from their bonus, lets talk about scroungers who build duck houses and who have three houses paid for by "the taxpayer" which is all of us. Lets talk about how the banks can justify their bonus's, lets talk about those faceless sellers who keep the stock-market going; and the "Bungs" they receive. Do not equate these people as strivers, for all they do is strive to keep a sick system alive, and scrounge all they can to keep themselves in a lifestyle they feel they deserve. Do not equate the scroungers to the poor of our sick society. Because those who have nothing, have more in their hearts than all the pounds this system can scrounge.
This poor woman's death should not go unanswered. The government is to blame. This is not a suicide; for this woman was driven to commit this act; by a charge she knew she could not afford. It might not be murder, but its manslaughter, and the unelected government should stand trial.
-end of line-