Welfare reform targeting the UK's poorerst sections of society

[communard resolution]

If you live in the UK and have read the news lately, it will not have escaped you that the government is now targeting the poorest sections of society as a means to overcome the economic crisis. A white paper regarding a Welfare Reform is to be released tomorrow. Even some 'Labour backbenchers' have expressed "concern over major benefit reforms":

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20081209/tuk-concern-over-major-benefit-reforms-6323e80.html

Last week, Gordon Brown unveiled that "lie detector tests" will be used in order to catch "benefit cheats":

http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2008/dec/03/queeens-speech-benefit-cheats-fraud

Correct me if I'm wrong, but last time I checked so-called lie detectors were a highly controversial topic. Overall, they were deemed unreliable as well as unfit to detect even more serious crimes than fraud.

I would be curious to hear your ideas and views concerning the Welfare Reform and the associated measures that will be taken. Given how the users of this forum hold different views on the Welfare State (which some of the more traditional Labour party members believe to be under attack), the unemployed and, um, the Lumpenproletariat, this could lead to some interesting debate.

[spartan]

Just how do they plan on getting those on benefits back into work exactly when jobs are disappearing by the bucket load due to the recession?

They need those on benefits to continue to stimulate an economy in recession with their money for Christ's sake!

This Labour government is getting more and more authoritarian and draconian by the day!

[rednordman]

To be honest it is a bit of a farce, because the only reason the head of the labour party has done this is down to tory pressure. Funnilly enough it is the same with everything else. Take for example, how alot of people in the UK are questioning keeping the NHS public. To us, it is obviously essential to keep it public, but people seem to think that make it private will all of a sudden 'take it to another dimension' ect, ect. In my opinion, this is causing pressure on every single public service as they are beginining to act more like a buisness, and thus are showing signs of failure, due to pressure. I may have gone of tangent there but this is not much different either. I think G Brown and seniors in the labour party have lost confidence in their own ideals and are trying to pave their way buy using bruit force and quite franky, stupid methods to get results (i mean lie detectors?!, do they not realised how easy they are to fake, plus, could penalise nervous innocent victims). Its almost as if they are scared of the conservatives..they really should not be as it is becoming very obvious what they are about even now despite all this compassionate conservatism bullshit.
To get to the point though, this just sounds like a plot to fuck the whole welfair system off. I mean whats stopping the government now testing all unemployed and stating that no-one apart from people who cannot really work(badly disabled, New mothers, etc) , are applicable for any benefits? Mabey, the labour government is only trying to prepare us to what is going to happen when we get a conservative government again. who knows? In a nutshell, the only real way to target these benefit cheats, is to supply, more jobs and roles for all people in a country. Such a situation is not possible in a total capitalist country or continent. Anything else is at best a gimmick to appease the bourgouis and is doomed to failure.

[Eros]

There are similar patterns occurring in Ireland with major cuts in funding for the public education and healthcare systems being introduced. The Dublin government are already below the OECD average in terms of spenditure in these two vital areas and so services will be stretched even further. When announcing these new cutbacks the Minister for Finance Brian Lenihan actually said his budget was a "call to patriotic action". :(

[rednordman]

@Eros
"call to patriotic action"?! is that just their way of saying that its every person for themselves? It rather strange how these government believe that the answer to this economic crisis at the moment that was caused undeniably by capitalism, is...more capitalism. I suppose that for the people in England (where im based) are sort of lucky in a twisted sort of way, because at least the labour government is giving working class people a chance to experience some pleasantries in their lives (via borrowing, not that i totally support this), If it was down to the conservatives at a time like this we wouldnt get a chance in hell.

[communard resolution]

The White Paper is out, and Gordon Brown claims the welfare reform is showing "compassion" to benefit claimants:

http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20081210/tuk-benefit-reforms-compassionate-pm-6323e80.html

I too wonder how they want to get more people back to work as unemployment is rising rapidly.

[Eros]

@Eros
"call to patriotic action"?! is that just their way of saying that its every person for themselves? It rather strange how these government believe that the answer to this economic crisis at the moment that was caused undeniably by capitalism, is...more capitalism. I suppose that for the people in England (where im based) are sort of lucky in a twisted sort of way, because at least the labour government is giving working class people a chance to experience some pleasantries in their lives (via borrowing, not that i totally support this), If it was down to the conservatives at a time like this we wouldnt get a chance in hell.

The statement is part of a theme the Fianna Fáil-Green Party government have been trying out lately. It involves a lot of saying "we need patriotism" or "positive patriotism" to "deal with the challenges presented by the economic crisis" etc. I reckon most people see right through it. Charlie Haughey (former Fianna Fáil Taoiseach, notorious for taking bribes from businessmen like Ben Dunne of Dunnes Stores) said back in the 80s (when Ireland was still a 'Second World' country) that everyone needed to "tighten their belts". This coming from a man who owned an island with a mansion on it which he lived in. ****.

[cyu]

Last week, Gordon Brown unveiled that "lie detector tests" will be used in order to catch "benefit cheats"

What a bunch of idiots. This is basically going to result in "reverse psychology" in which people will be convinced that they want to cheat or that they should cheat, just to spite the authorities. If you want to get people to stop cheating, you need to give them better alternatives than the current ones you're offering them.