The Conservative conference was a treasure trove of sad little Tories saying any old shite to get column inches this year. While the prospective Tory bosses gave us all a good heaping of wtf – from Jenrick revealing his poor kid’s middle name is Thatcher to Kemi Badenoch taking a swipe at maternity pay being too good (apparently) – it was actually one of their former MPs who provided the biggest lol. No, this isn’t Liz Truss claiming she could’ve won the election, but poor old DWP-ready Jonathan Gullis.
Ready the tiny violins, please!
Sad jobless Seagullis
The “outspoken” (shitebag) ex-MP for Stoke-on-Trent told Times Radio that since losing his seat his political views have stopped him from gaining employment in his previous profession of teaching. Which makes a lot of sense when one of his opinions was that striking teachers were all Commies letting kids suffer.
The ex-Tory Party deputy chair, who once accused the media of having a “sick obsession” with Covid deaths, said:
There are a lot of schools that will see who I used to represent, and maybe my views, which they may not like, and because of that I won’t even be given an interview. I think that is a damning indictment of the profession that I do love and care about.
Of course, he hasn’t reflected on whether he should change his views. Instead, he blamed the “woke agenda entrenching the education sector”.
Poor old Seagullis said he’d applied for over 30 jobs and gotten nowhere, though he does have his first interview coming up.
Jonathan Gullis, who once said that anyone using the term “white privilege” should be reported for extremism, all but sobbed:
It’s been hard, I’ll be frank, we are now three months on and I am still without a job, and that’s scary .I am a father of a four-year-old and a two-year-old.
My question, and perhaps that of the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) however, is this?
Is Jonathan Gullis actually trying hard enough to get a job?
Jonathan Gullis claimed he was searching hard for work, but would the DWP see it that way? If he was a Universal Credit claimant would applying for 30 jobs since July be seen as fulfilling his commitments to look for work?
Well, considering the DWP says all Universal Credit claimants must spend 35 hours a week looking for work or preparing for work, I don’t think so. I also don’t think 30 jobs in 12 weeks is nearly enough to have applied for if you are actually serious about getting a job, Mr Gullis.
There’s also the fact that Gullis has seemingly only applied for teaching jobs. The DWP website states that claimants:
will need to do everything you reasonably can to give yourself the best chance of finding work.
By only applying in one sector Gullis isn’t doing everything he reasonably can to find work now is he? Why hasn’t he explored other options if this avenue isn’t getting him anywhere by applying for every job going regardless of whether it’s low paying?
If he was on Universal Credit he would be required to attend training courses or take up unpaid work in new areas. Why hasn’t he shown willing to learn new skills through unpaid internships or training courses like jobseekers are expected to?
If he is intent on staying in teaching, what has he done to ensure that he’s actually employable? He has been out of the profession for the last five years and a lot can change in that time. Has he undertaken any courses to refresh his knowledge?
Just how conceited is he?
Another glaringly obvious fact for anyone who has ever worked in teaching is that it’s impossible to find a job between July and October. This is down to the fact that most schools will want new staff to start with the new school term. Damn woke six weeks’ holidays!
We all know Tories are conceited, but it was obvious to everyone that Jonathan Gullis was going to be unemployed come July. If he was truly committed to finding a new job he would’ve started looking in May or June.
The DWP doesn’t state that you should only look in your area of expertise. In fact you’re encouraged to take any job that’s offered to you. Why hasn’t he therefore taken up a job at Argos?
The fact it’s been 12 weeks and Gullis still doesn’t have a job would be particularly worrying for the Jobcentre, as unemployed people are supposed to be constantly looking for work, take up any job that’s offered to you, and be available to start work immediately.
If you turn down a job offer you can lose your benefits. Now I know Gullis is a colossal prick but you can’t tell me he’s had absolutely zero job offers since July? Why hasn’t he taken up a job in 12 weeks?
Water off a seagull’s back – but a reality for many
Despite the fact that a headteacher would have to ignore that he draws a hell of a lot of negative attention and already has nickname he hates kids calling him, if he was actually seriously looking for work he would’ve found it by now.
The reality is that, despite whinging about not being able to get a job, it’s no skin off his nose when it comes to being able to afford to live – unlike those on Universal credit.
The punishment for refusing to do any of these things for Universal Credit claimants is of course sanctions and loss of benefits, which is a real worry for those already struggling to get by. Despite attempting to bring his kids into the equation for sympathy, Jonathan Gullis will still be able to feed his children without a job.
Gullis thinks his life is hard, but compared to those on benefits who are at the mercy of sanctions he’s living a pretty sweet one. Under the Labour Party, sanctions remain intact and all of the things I mentioned above still happen.
Instead of encouraging people into work, the benefits system leaves people living in fear that one wrong move will mean they will starve or freeze to death. The benefits system needs a massive overhaul and it needs to start by removing sanctions.
Not that whiny Gullis will eve have to experience any of that.
Featured image via the Canary
