“It is also about changing culture: finding out whether someone is working and not declaring it; and getting people used to the idea of getting out of bed in the morning and attending somewhere where they do what they have been asked to do, because they have so got out of the habit of doing that, that even attending an interview has become a problem for them. This is not just about training; it is about getting people culturally back in line so that they can then be dealt with by advisers.”
Reactionary words from Iain Duncan Smith
“It is that, but there is also a wider agenda of making people feel guilty just because they are out of work and guilty just because—temporarily, in most instances—they have to depend on some benefits. This is about scapegoating and victimising the poor and people who cannot get a job. It is about harassment and exploitation. At the heart of that is the judgment that Parliament was not properly informed of what those schemes and regulations meant. That is what the judgment said.
I make it clear that I shall vote against the Bill because it is immoral and wrong. Before we vote to render those schemes lawful retrospectively, it is important that Members are aware of what we will be supporting. Boycott Workfare is an organisation that set up”
Wise words from John McDonnell
Labour abstained on the Workfare (robbing the poor) Bill. Why? I mean, it this Labour’s default spineless setting! Sitting on their hands hoping nobody will notice while £130 million is robbed from in benefit rebates to about a quarter of a million jobseekers. Very courage. Instead their argument for abstaining is based on concessions that include, an independent review of the benefit sanctions regime (as argued by Liam Byrne). But that doesn’t mean the Parliamentary LP couldn’t vote against! Thankfully 57 MPs voted against this appalling Bill. Wouldn’t voting AGAINST this Bill have given Labour more of a leverage? Tories are probably laughing at Labour (who can blame them!).
And Labour capitulated to the weasley option… abstaining…
The DWP argue: “A retrospective transfer of public money to this group of claimants would represent poor value to the taxpayer and will not help those unemployed enter employment… It is vital that in the present context of austerity measures the public purse is protected from such claims which could cost up to £130 million…”
So it’s OK to take advantage of the poorest, steal their money and twist the rules so that the ConDems with an abstaining Labour can indulge in daylight robbery. As John McDonnell said in the debate: “It is worth noting that, according to the Government’s impact assessment of that delegated legislation, employers will gain £290 million and employees will lose £250 million”.
And as the ConDems along with a spineless Parliamentary Labour Party… Workfare still gathers speed and support with the likes of the YMCA and the Salvation Army who possibly believe they are doing God’s work. The Salvation Army states:
“We would be extremely concerned if a person turned down a mandatory work activity placement with The Salvation Army, because of any doubts they had about the support and welcome they will receive from us,”
BUT it’s the fact that people are working for their benefits, not a wage, it’s unpaid labour. It’s exploitation And the YMCA and the Salvation Army are giving ideological cover to the ConDems in their attack on the poor. Duncan-Smith thinks it’s about the poor who can’t be bothered to get out of the bed therefore they need a kick in the shins, punishing them for being unemployed by forcing them to work, punitive sanctioning if they refuse and organisations like the Sally Army and the YMCA are shamefully using and exploiting free labour.
Boycott Workfare has a week of action including protests outside the YMCA and Sally Army. So tell ‘em what you think!
Mealy-mouthed pathetic statement from the YMCA defending the indefensible
Statement from Christianity Uncut
MPs who voted against the turbocharged Bill
- Anderson, Mr David
- Brown, rh Mr Nicholas
- Burden, Richard
- Campbell, Mr Gregory
- Connarty, Michael
- Corbyn, Jeremy
- Crausby, Mr David
- Davidson, Mr Ian
- Dobbin, Jim
- Dodds, rh Mr Nigel
- Donaldson, rh Mr Jeffrey M.
- Durkan, Mark
- Edwards, Jonathan
- Esterson, Bill
- Flynn, Paul
- Glindon, Mrs Mary
- Godsiff, Mr Roger
- Goggins, rh Paul
- Havard, Mr Dai
- Healey, rh John
- Hoey, Kate
- Hopkins, Kelvin
- Hosie, Stewart
- Howarth, rh Mr George
- Lavery, Ian
- Lazarowicz, Mark
- Leech, Mr John
- Llwyd, rh Mr Elfyn
- Long, Naomi
- Lucas, Caroline
- MacNeil, Mr Angus Brendan
- Mactaggart, Fiona
- McCrea, Dr William
- McDonnell, John
- McGovern, Jim
- Meacher, rh Mr Michael
- Mearns, Ian
- Mitchell, Austin
- Moon, Mrs Madeleine
- Morris, Grahame M. (Easington)
- Osborne, Sandra
- Pearce, Teresa
- Riordan, Mrs Linda
- Ritchie, Ms Margaret
- Robertson, Angus
- Rotheram, Steve
- Shannon, Jim
- Sheridan, Jim
- Skinner, Mr Dennis
- Sutcliffe, Mr Gerry
- Twigg, Derek
- Walley, Joan
- Weir, Mr Mike
- Whiteford, Dr Eilidh
- Williams, Hywel
- Winnick, Mr David
- Wood, Mike
I don’t think language like “steal their money” is helpful. It is not THEIR money by any stretch of the imagination. It is public money, funded by the taxpayer, given to the un-employed. It is also not social insurance as some argue as a basis for “their” money. There is little (or in fact a negative) causation between receipt of unemployment benefits and prior working/earning/ saving.
Bristol’s own Kerry mcarthy couldn’t be bothered to vote, abstaining also. Utter disgrace. She was quite happy to soak up some PR attending the Bedroom Tax demo at the weekend. Next time there’s such a thing everyone should remind her what her job description is. I don’ tknow why people like John McDonnell are even still in the Labour party for when it’s clear they are just another shade of blue.
The DWP abhors fraud perpetrated by benefit claimants and yet applauds it when the DWP defrauds benefit claimants itself by some disgusting legislative sleight of hand. This is a sorry day for democracy and the rule of law that once protected, tacitly, the common man. Labour’s behaviour in particular is despicable.
Are there really only fifty-odd MPs with any conscience? Neither of Southampton’s two “Labour” MPs bothered to vote against it. Absolutely pathetic.
Workfare’s support from various charities has really been eye-opening – Oxfam (albeit rescinded), Salvation Army, British Heart Foundation, YMCA etc.
The terrifying bit from IDS is the talk about “getting people culturally back in line”. The unemployed are just defective; cultural (not material) deprivation is the real issue. We must morally rehabilitate them. Work makes us free. In fact, given their backgrounds, I can see why the Sally Army and YMCA see the appeal of this policing the poor back into respectability shtick… Arseholes.
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