Plaid Cymru MP Jonathan Edwards was ahead of the game at Wednesday PMQ's to ask Prime Minister David Cameron Cameron this question:
"Thatcher said that her greatest achievement was new Labour. Given the treacherous decision to commit to Tory spending plans, is the prime minister's greatest achievement one-nation Labour?"
Mr Cameron's brief response? "I hope I can do better than that."
And Lo and behold! Labour leader Ed Miliband yesterday pledged to cap the overall welfare bill in a clear bid to regain the upper hand in the benefits debate. By copying the Tories in demonising tose reeving welfare and perpetuating the impression who are long term unemployed do not want to work.Something that goes down well with Middle England
Mr Miliband said the public's faith in the system had been "shaken" and that Labour had not done enough to tackle rising incapacity benefit costs while in power.
He promised to cut housing costs, crackdown on low pay and make people work for longer before getting jobseeker's allowance in a bid to ease the burden on the taxpayer.
Those in workless households and single parents should also be obliged to attend Jobcentre interviews and undertake training while their children are getting free nursery education, he added.
This went down well with Rhondda Labour MP Chris Bryant who tweeted.
Chris Bryant It seems Bryant may be abandoning those in constituency who are long term unemployed through no fault of their own .@ChrisBryantMPnowReally pleased with significant week for Labour. Still lots to do, but important messages on fiscal probity and mutually fair welfare.
Where are the Jobs in the Rhondda Mr Miliband?
Manufacturing jobs are non existent and what there are ore often on short term contracts and through Agencies.
It is unbelievable that we now have the three major parties in the UK all intent on blaming the cost of welfare on the recipients not their own failed polices.
A recent Channel 4 political spot saw a Ukip member claiming Labour MPs are out of touch with the Working Class and then calling for a end to membership of the EU and attacking Immigration
If Labour continue to abandon ots traditional vote to pursue 2Middle England" then it leaves itself open cynical exploitation by right wing parties .like Ukip who may largely consist of Tories backwoodsmen but that won't stop them going for a discontented working class vote.
Labour and the Tories now sing if not from the same Hymn Sheet the same Hymn Book.
We may have a alternative here in Wales and Scotland if not with the SNP then the Scottish Socialist and Greens.
But with no left alternative in England there's a frighting prospect of people turning to the right even parties led like Ukip consisting of people who have no intention of representing their interest
2 comments:
Glyn - I agree with you that Labour are following the Tory agenda, but frankly, I agree with this:
"He promised to cut housing costs, crackdown on low pay and make people work for longer before getting jobseeker's allowance in a bid to ease the burden on the taxpayer.
Those in workless households and single parents should also be obliged to attend Jobcentre interviews and undertake training while their children are getting free nursery education, he added."
If that makes me a Tory or Labour supporter fine. But Plaid need be careful not to be seen saying people can have money for nothing. If you join a club or society there are rules - the same is true of a state.
Of course the devil is in the detail - but I'd be all for cutting housing costs because at the moment the money is going to a rentier community of people who own sever houses and they are milking the system, inflating the property market and denying people from byuing or renting a house of their own. If concils paid less rent then the bill would come down as would the price of houses. Come to rural Wales and see how a small class of property owners - in accordance with 'well meaning' socialists who insist on paying high rents - have changed the face of housing and the make up of small towns.
I'm with Labour and the Tories on this one.
Anon 10:09 Well yes it can look like a reasonable move by Miliband . But the wording is clearly an attempt to associate workless with workshy and tar all people on welfare with the same brush and justify all round cuts.
It is a smokescreen for the Tories and Labour failed polices to create jobs
Post a Comment