More big ideas from James Purnell

And speaking of ratbags…. James Purnell never gives up, does he? The attacks on welfare are unrelenting. And now his latest big idea is compulsory training. At the core of these proposals is coercion as opposed to it being on the terms of the unemployed.

‘It is not acceptable that a lack of skills should prevent someone claiming jobseekers allowance from getting sustainable employment. We will take the legislative powers needed to require JSA customers to address their skills needs as part of the conditions of receiving benefits. We have already committed to skills screening for jobseekers making a new JSA claim. From autumn 2008 we will begin to test requiring jobseekers to attend a full skills health check where the screening has identified a need. Where a need for training is identified, attendance at an appropriate course will also be required.’

And NL want to consult over the summer on making it compulsory for lone parents and people on employment and support allowance to attend skills training. So what will happen if someone refuses to attend? What will be the penalty, a severe cut in already meagre benefits?

Concessions and the DUP

It just gets better and better….As reported on the F Word’s blog, NL offered those homophobic anti-choice reactionary ratbags, the DUP concessions if they voted for 42 days.

One guarantee is that NL has no plans in lifting the abortion ban in the north of Ireland. I shouldn’t be surprised at this skulduggery and low low gutter level politics.

I mean, oh great, selling out a woman’s right to choose to appease a bunch of reactionary ratbags.