Any Tories care to defend this?

I'd use a right wing rag, but funnily enough they haven't even bothered covering the story:

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/jan/27/lords-defeat-tories-esa

The Lords left to defend the serfs from this vile government, incredible.

The lords are nothing more than faceless unelected failures looking to make an easy bit of green. Disgraceful we have such a body in our country, one which grows and grows while laughing at democracy

You going to address the actual point of this thread?

There is nothing to say.

I'd use a right wing rag, but funnily enough they haven't even bothered covering the story:

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2016/jan/27/lords-defeat-tories-esa

The Lords left to defend the serfs from this vile government, incredible.

So, your answer to "Any Tories care to defend this?" is a resounding NO then.

kthanksbye.

What is there to defend when it was a good and feasible policy that should have passed?

So you think it was a good idea to cut already meagre benefits of people deemed unfit for work?

if you're in the 20% tax bracket and voted for the Tories, you f***ed up big time

The benefits are too high as it is, using the word 'meagre' is not an accurate description

How is 100 quid a week not meagre?

That is the lowest rate, most earn far more than that and on top of that they are all eligible for free travel, prescriptions, healthcare, food, housing, energy, support and many other perks. Do not play the victim card. 100 quid including free everything is a dream for many many people

Why should disabled people receive more money than your normal job-seeker does? What do they need to spend money on that isn't provided for them by the NHS already?

To be quite honest I think a lot of disabled people try to live too luxurious lives. If you are disabled then why should you expect more money spent on your than the bare minimum required. Why do disabled people need cars for example? I'd rather the government spend more money on those disability buses to haul these people around.

All we have done is create a society where you can gorge yourself until you become morbidly obese and then have taxpayers facilitate the avoidance of rehabilitating exercise by forking out money for mobility scooters and the like.

I shall tell you where a lot of this money is going...to the willing precariat! You may get two long-term unemployed individuals (say husband and wife) and one of them becomes ill through natural ageing or poor lifestyle, the wife for example, and applies for ESA. The husband (who never had an intention of getting a job anyway) then becomes the 'full-time carer' for the woman and receives £62.10 a week for sitting at home all day while his wife probably still continues to hoover and cook dinner as before.

Disabled people shouldn't be some holy untouchable group that must be kept in luxury while the rest of society tightens its belt. It might upset people to read this but disabled people are intrinsically of lower worth to the state and society. This is not debatable (but you can give it a go).

There is a true decadence among the so-called disabled that needs to be harshly stamped out and unfortunately some of the truly disabled will suffer, but we have all had to suffer over the last 8 years and everyone needs to take their fair share of the burden.

Taxpayers shouldn't help subsidise nonsensical expensive homoeopathic remedies like coco-butter that disabled people can live without, and frankly, only people with severe motile disability, say those lacking legs, should receive disability car-parking permits. "Oh I've got a bad back I can't walk 10 extra steps"...

It's laziness and complacency frankly, these people would be tramps on the street if it wasn't for the money they receive and they should be more grateful that they aren't forced to do peoples' ironing or something.

The lords are nothing more than faceless unelected failures looking to make an easy bit of green. Disgraceful we have such a body in our country, one which grows and grows while laughing at democracy

I'm not commenting on the ESA vote, but this is a pure ad-hominem, and, more importantly, it's utter rot.

I have no doubt if the shoe was on the other foot, you'd be lauding the House of Lords to the rooftops right now.

I have hated the lords since day 1. Whether they vote in favour or against the government (Labour or Tory) is a spit in the face of democracy. Like the EU cabinet, they are nothing more than unelected privileged elitists. I have and always will oppose the idea of the lords, no matter the situation.