I was listening to the radio recently and heard that you are recommending cutting the benefits of people who are obese or drink and/or smoke heavily if they do not agree to treatment.
I sincerely hope that this never happens. Over eating, smoking and drinking excessively are addictions. People may well be aware that such behaviour risks their health but the reasons for this behaviour are deep seated and complex.
Many people caught up in addictive behaviour do this to block out extremely painful issues. They need support and care, not punishment and threats.
People rarely respond to 'the stick' approach.
Punishing these people for having an addiction will only lead to a spiral of depression and despair.
Many have families who rely on the benefits they receive and will suffer too.
Cutting the benefits of people who are already financially poor is surely not the answer.
Many rich people suffer from the same addictions you are targeting with this policy. I am pretty sure some members of your own party have these difficulties that they may be struggling to resolve even with considerably more money at their disposal.
I hope I misheard what was being discussed on the radio, I really do.
I would feel ashamed to live in a country that punished the poor and addicted by cutting their benefits and plunging them further into poverty especially at a time when the organisations that support people with addictions have had their funding cut.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-31464897
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