Child Benefit and other tory cuts....
Not mentioned here as yet so I will start the ball rolling inc an extract from my post to the Chiswick site...Universality was at the core of the welfare state, you do not need to apply, ensuring full take up and cost effectiveness. CB is one of the last simple benefits. Or was, tories now say they will limit it where a family member pays higher rate tax. Have to make cuts they say and this will be fair. I have to declare an interest in that I do not believe in 'the cuts' as the coalition present them. Monetary ideology drives this lot, not economics and we are heading for a serious recession as private/public sector job losses impact on demand and spend. The CB cock up is symptomatic of policy made in a rush without joined up thinking, even more so with today's news about a taxbreak for the married higher tax payers, a panic response to the Daily Mail editorial/readership. Other anouncements are equally unworkable, £26k cap on benefits? What happens to the thousand's of homeless families living in Private Sector leasing properties where HB pays a market rent to a landlord so the landlord can pay their mortgage because under right to buy millions of council homes were sold. Prisoners working 40hr weeks, when most are currently locked in their cells 22hrs a day as there are not enough prison staff to supervise and little resource given to education and rehab. Conference soundbites for the devoted, not achievable policy. CB will be the first of the tories attack on the welfare state, wait to see what is next as they dare to out thatcher, Thatcher. Yes Minister would have a field day......'A brave decision Minister'Welcome to Cameron (with boy Clegg) land.......
Iain Muir ● 5827d15 Comments ● 5821d