This is premeditated cruelty

IT’S the premeditated cruelty that is the hardest thing to swallow.

Barely a day passes without a credible report telling this government that the roll-out of its punitive Universal Credit plan will push thousands of seriously struggling families into destitution.

Yet on they plough, talking up a policy that is causing hunger, homelessness, mental health problems and death.

This devastating indictment from The Trussell Trust came on the same day The Peabody Trust housing association claimed 110,000 children would face hardship this Christmas because new UC claims made after November 20 would not be paid until next year.

These are real families, suffering real poverty in the 21st century in the world’s fifth richest economy as welfare is slashed in the name of austerity, a policy the Tories tell us is over, which, as these figures show, is a Donald Trump scale lie.

How did this country sink so low? Unless you lived in the 1930s, who can remember such disparities in wealth? When relying on foodbanks to keep the kids alive became mainstream?

The UN has said this Tory government is “in denial” over the “misery” it is inflicting through austerity policies. As yesterday’s scenes in Westminster showed, it’s the same with Brexit.

This is a government in crisis. Bereft of leadership, ideas, compassion or shame.

It has to go.