Iain Duncan Smith receives a warm welcome in Bootle

The Secretary of State for Works and Pensions, and failed former Conservative Party leader, Iain Duncan-Smith, last week visited the DWP offices in Bootle.

A picket had been organised outside the DWP offices by the local PCS branch to greet Mr Duncan-Smith on his arrival.

I briefly spoke to Phillip Dickens, a HMRC worker, PCS representative, and member ofSolidarity Federation. I asked him what today’s picket was about.

He told me that:

“We are here today because we have heard that Iain Duncan-Smith is coming to visit the DWP in Bootle and obviously has had a lot to do with several unpopular government policies, not least ‘workfare’ On a lighter not note, he recently confused the Labour Party with Anarchists, and we feel that he needs to be corrected on this, so hopefully we can give him a noisy reception and rattle him a bit before he goes inside”

As time went on, around thirty trade unionists, anarchists, and other activists had gathered outside the DWP offices on Stanley Road

Austerity does not appear to have reached Mr Duncan-Smith’s office, as he arrived in avery large luxury Jaguar car. His chauffeur drove at speed towards the car park entrance in an attempt to gain entry before protesters were able to block the road. The driver knocked several people out of the way before he ran over a bike and had to stop.

Several PCS members attempted to pass a letter to the occupants of the car, but it was declined. After it became apparent that the car would not be able to pass through the angry picket, Mr Duncan-Smith exited the car and was ‘all of a sudden’ more than happy to take the letter from the protesters.

Mr Duncan-Smith appeared completely oblivious to the hostility and animosity towards him as he shook the hands of people, and patronisingly patted people on their backs. It was hard to imagine that Mr Duncan-Smith could be any less charismatic than he appears on television, bur someone he managed it.

As Mr Duncan-Smith walked off with his highly embarrassed welcoming party, he was asked by a protester about his recent comments regarding anarchists and the Labour Party, but all Mr Duncan-Smith could muster in response was an inane grin. He was also asked, “What does it feel like to be a complete none entity”?

Not surprisingly, in a similar way to when he was leader of the Conservatives, Iain Duncan-Smith had absolutely nothing to say.

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