Scandal

Chris Grayling, the Conservative Employment Minister, produced figures showing that £133.7billion had been spent on those on Incapacity Benefit for the last 10 years. This was a "scandal" which must "stop now", Mr Grayling added. - Telegraph.

Dear Mr Grayling,

I agree it is a scandal that so many people are becoming ill long term. Why do people allow themselves to become ill, when with some blitz spirit they might carry on regardless? I for instance stopped work before the pain stopped me using my limbs altogether, and the anxiety and depression drove me to another suicide attempt. I see now, with illumination from your compassion Tory government that if I had carried on and then killed myself I would not ended up what I am now: a burden to society. I'm only sorry not to have had the fortitude that I sure you and your colleagues would undoubtedly had.

Facing drastic cuts is of course the right way to get me and other so reconsider our decisions to live with illness in favour of taking our own lives. No doubt weeding out such weak links will help the Big Society become the Big Strong Rich Society. I hope however that you will consider repealing the law on assisted suicide and broaden the conditions under which I might legally obtain, for instance a one-off payment for the procurement of an overdose of morphine or barbiturate, and someone to administer it in case I lose my nerve (again).

In the longer term I would think that instead of the NHS spending vast sums coddling people with incurable diseases, they will be directed to just quietly bump them off. That will save a great deal of money, reduce hospital waiting lists, and take the uncertainty out of when we are going to die. This would be a final solution to the problem of the lingering illnesses that make people such a burden to the Big Strong Rich Society.

Those people who have done so much to create wealth in this country - the bankers and financiers, the off-shore magnates, and the multinationals - cannot be expected to pay for those of us who have so little to offer can they.

As I'm unlikely to see the Big Strong Rich Society reach it's fulfilment, with everyone being millionaires together, I will take this opportunity to apologise for being ill and draining by coffers by as much as £9,000 per year for four years now. If only I had not contracted an incurable disease, or the NHS had been able to offer me an effective treatment (or even understood the nature of my illness), but I realise now that it was a lot to expect, and that once it was clear that I was out of action long-term I should have done the decent thing.

All the best

Matt Black