27 September 2012

The death of Brian McArdle, the day after he was deemed “fit to work” following a work capability assessment (WCA).

What: Brian McArdle dies the day after he was deemed “fit to work” following a work capability assessment. He had been left paralysed down his left side and blind in one eye after a stroke. His son Kieran tells the Daily Record that the stress of being summoned to undergo a WCA had contributed to his Dad having a stroke days before his appointment.

Why significant: Brian’s death will be mentioned in a Commons early day motion, which calls for a “radical and thorough overhaul” of the WCA system before there is “more senseless loss of life”. His death will also be mentioned by Owen Jones when questioning Iain Duncan Smith on BBC Question Time [see 22^nd November 2012].