He insisted that determining children’s wellbeing simply on the basis of income was wrong and masked the true causes of poverty. While “income matters”, authorities needed to know if “life changes” are occurring within families as well, he said.
He also argued that while “redistributing income is right” the government had to ensure any reforms were meaningful and changed a person's life.
Families will be told that they should work at least 35 hours a week, rather than rely on state handouts, if they want to avoid their children living in poverty..
And this sums up what Iain Duncan Smith is about . His role is to give the impression that the Tories (I'l let the Libdems of this, well some of them) are concerned about the unemployed and the poor whilst blaming them for their position.they are in.
In this he has been largely backed by the ain media
A recent edition of BBC Newsnight, saw Political Editor Allegra Stratton ,interviewed a young single mother Shanene Thorpe,.in the deprived area of Tower Hamlets in London.
Stratton, demands to know why Thorpe has chosen to move out of her mother’s two-bedroom flat, since she required housing benefit to do so.
After the interview, Stratton says directly to camera: “The government is thinking of saying to young people: if you don’t have work, don’t leave home.”
Except, Thorpe is not unemployed. she works full time for Tower Hamlets council, but claims housing benefits to help cover the cost of rent. In a series of statements o Thorpe attempted to tackle the inaccurate portrayal of her situation: “To set the record straight, I work for Tower Hamlets council, I’ve worked since 16 and I only get help towards my rent because it is so high.”
Private eye reports that Stratton was seeking to an unemployed person to portray in a negative light
"You must have people living on benefits as a lifestyle choice" she allegedly demanded of Tower Hamlet officials.
Both Iain Duncan Smith and Allegra Stratton appear to have formed the opinion that poverty is all the fault of the poor and is somewhat of a life style.
If only they got off benefits and get Jobs they will no longer be poor seems to be their solution.
Except there are few Jobs around
- Many of the Unemployed are victims of a postcode CV where they are rejected simply because of where they come from.
- There are no child care facilities or they are so expensive nearly al the wages go on them
- The British manufacturing Industry was decimated under the Thatcher government unlike that of Germany which is helping it see through the recession..
- What there is has now been built in areas where there is no or little public transport and you need your own transport.
- Far to many Jobs are on the minimum wage OK for a single person but if you are like Shanene Thorpe you are still going to need some form of support.
I could go on but I am sick of the likes of IDS and the media portraying the unemployed as work shy and giving the impression they easily find work.
They are not alone in this the Blair/Brown government carried out a similar exercise in giving the fault lay with the poor and not thier failure to create jobs.and Labours outrage on behalf of the poor ranks of shher hypocricy.
Itss not what you say in opposition but what you do in government that matters and the 13 years of Blair/Brown as they courted Middle -England failed the poor.
Unfortunately, I see little change in this attitude . Blaming the poor for being poor is an easy target and sits well with the Middle-England audience all the major parties seek.
There are no longer any votes to come from the poor as they either no longer register to do so (Millions of them) or no longer vote.
We need a new approach to poverty based on community socialism where we can create a new spirit and break the cycle that so many of our unfortunate citizens have fallen in to..
