Isabel Oakeshott wants the ‘untapped resource’ of sick and disabled people to stop mucking about on benefits
On Thursday, the right-wing journalist Isabel Oakeshott made her 15th appearance on the BBC’s flagship political discussion show, Question Time.
Accurate introduction of Isabel Oakeshott tonight…#BBCQT pic.twitter.com/djhv864zWT
— Seb Ate (@Mrbaiti) November 23, 2023
During the hour-long programme, she advocated for net zero immigration, tried to drum up sympathy for Nigel Farage over his £1.5 million appearance on I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here, and then she answered this question –
The second question raised this evening #bbcqt pic.twitter.com/jhJWO3gsTG
— BBC Question Time (@bbcquestiontime) November 23, 2023
It was exactly the sort of response you’d expect from the woman whose hot take on food poverty was ‘porridge costs a pound.’
“I think people on disability benefits and sick pay are an enormous untapped resource”
Journalist Isabel Oakeshott says reform to the disability benefits criteria, announced in the autumn statement, is not “unreasonable”#bbcqt https://t.co/kngz6jcWcz pic.twitter.com/oOBIgDgCCa
— BBC Question Time (@bbcquestiontime) November 23, 2023
“I don’t think it’s much of a stick to say if after 18 months of looking, when there are that many job vacancies, you still refuse to take a job that you can do – and you get another six months after that to still muck around – then we’re going to take your benefits away.”
People were appalled – but not particularly surprised.
1.
As the mother of a special needs 35 year old daughter, the staggering ignorance and cruetly of what Isabel Oakeshott says here is inexcusable.@BBCNewsnight https://t.co/dvyHI9P7b3
— Gina Miller (@thatginamiller) November 23, 2023
2.
Claiming people on incapacity benefits “muck around” from a woman who moonlights as a ‘journalist’ and right-wing air head#bbcqt pic.twitter.com/OqSpynnIub
— David (@Zero_4) November 23, 2023
3.
Isabel Oakeshott suggests that people on disability benefits 'muck around'
Is that like when Suella Braverman referred to homelessness as a lifestyle choice? #BBCQT pic.twitter.com/cSEfRmVgFl
— Farrukh (@implausibleblog) November 23, 2023
4.
“I think…” says Isabel Oakeshott… and that right there was her first mistake #bbcqt
— Stuzi (@stuzi_pants) November 23, 2023
5.
You know what’s an untapped resource? The MOUNTAINS of wealth just sitting off shore and on the books of stinking rich. Lazy money, hanging around in the carribean not doing anything for the country’s productivity. TAX WEALTH.
— luck swallows everything (@RuDavies1) November 23, 2023
6.
May she never become disabled and face this awful situation. Its not that simple, all different challenges for all different people https://t.co/zpdasQzkGo
— Leesh ✌ (@Leesh_ACAB) November 23, 2023
7.
Someone’s out of their depth. #bbcqt pic.twitter.com/4X1df2FbVA
— Schadenfreude ⭐️ (@jeffsprogress) November 23, 2023
8.
What Isabel Oakeshott means is:
“Why shouldn’t we work disabled people to death?” #BBCQT https://t.co/KpB3x569bV
— Andrew Morris (@AndiMorris85) November 23, 2023
9.
There you go all sick and disabled people – you are a huge untapped resource
(you are there to be used and exploited but are currently unavailable)#ToriesOut504 #SunakOut394 #GeneralElectionNow #Sunackered #UnitedAgainstTheTories https://t.co/aRYrfIaxLi— dave lawrence (@dave43law) November 23, 2023
10.
Sick up to the back teeth of people like Isobel Oakeshott demonising chronically sick and disabled in this country. Nobody chooses to be this sick or disabled. They would work if they could. No one is “mucking about.” Stop bullying the most vulnerable in society. #bbcqt https://t.co/LYLeJCq6Nc
— Fritha Malcouronne. (@NomadicWriter) November 23, 2023
11.
Does anyone else know poorly people who muck around for 6 months? https://t.co/GOKIehzgRV
— Julia Coleman (@hopeospical) November 23, 2023
12.
Imagine thinking disabled people are ‘an enormous untapped resource’… what an entitled idiot; thick as mince. https://t.co/sl2yDXZX5a
— Paul Handley (@paulhandley1973) November 23, 2023
13.
Isabel Oakeshott: "…people on disability and sick pay are an untapped resource".
F*cking ghoul.#bbcqt #bbcquestiontime #questiontime pic.twitter.com/2kWgJfeHyU
— Rick O'Shea (@RickOShea54321) November 23, 2023
14.
There's an awful lot wrong with the words coming out of this ignorant womans mouth. https://t.co/YhIKTmsJa8
— Pete Topper Harley (@M4rkland) November 24, 2023
One audience member had a more nuanced view.
Bravo to this lady on #bbcqt eloquently reflecting on the of the challenges faced by people with disabilities in the labour market.
Decimating Isabel Oakeshott’s offensive suggestion that people with disabilities can just “muck about” on benefits. pic.twitter.com/SjAkuxzwVz
— Deirdre Heenan (@deirdreheenan) November 23, 2023
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Source BBC Question Time Image Screengrab
