Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
22 October 2010
12:0976059#1
Oh dear, the impartial body saying the poorest will be hit hardest in the cut backs,
and say the Govt not being truthful.
So much so Clegg has made the mistake of attacking them.
In the recent past G Osbourne has always said this body was good, and impartial.
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
22 October 2010
13:3676075#2
This is all very predictable and does not stand up to close examination.
There are many ways that these cuts are good for the poor, particularly looked at as part of the overall package of proposals.
Firstly the shift from hand-outs to hand-ups.
It is not fair or right that some people can live their lives untroubled by any idea of contributing to society and merely just taking. We had that example of the tart and her 5 kids from 4 dads living the life of Reilly with more electronic kit than I could ever afford for my kids and even a boob job paid for by us taxpayers. If these cuts force her to stop leeching off the rest of us and get some work then that is good for her and good for us.
The whole shift in benefit reform is to make it pay for people to get back into work.
What about apprenticships? John Hayes got through 75,000 extra funded apprentices every year. Real help to youngsters to get the skills they will need to earn a living.
What about the plans to give people a chance to get social housing tenants a ten percent equity in their own homes. That can be a deposit to buy their first home. What is appalling is that tenants in social housing are not allowed to run a business from their home, that will change under this government.
What about education. Experience in Sweden shows that free schools help the poorer areas most. Then there is the poor pupils premium.
The fact is if you take the government's polices as a whole, rather than to just look at selected parts of it you get a much broader, better and more balanced picture.
The IFS report was incomplete and inadequate. You get more headlines if you attack.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
22 October 2010
13:4476077#3
I have found a much longer list on ConHome that sets out 20 ways the poor are being helped. I do not personally approve of all of these but here is the list:
1. BENEFITS REFORM: Reform of the benefits system so that people are always better off when they take work than when they are on benefits.
2. HELP INTO WORK: An overhaul of the Work Programme so that the long-term unemployed get the skills and help they need to get work.
3. LESS TAX FOR LOW INCOME WORKERS: An increase in the personal income tax allowance of £1,000 which will take around 850,000 lower-paid people out of tax altogether.
4. PROTECTION FOR LOWER-PAID PUBLIC SECTOR WORKERS: Exempting lower-paid public sector workers from the two year public sector pay freeze with George Osborne introducing a flat £250 pay rise for the 1.7 million lowest paid.
5. MORE GENEROUS STATE PENSION: An annual increase in the basic state pension by earnings or prices - whatever is higher.
6. CONTINUATION OF WINTER FUEL ALLOWANCE AND OTHER PENSIONER BENEFITS.
7. PROTECTION OF NHS SPENDING: Over four years health spending will grow by £4bn more than inflation and a new Cancer Drugs Fund will be created with a budget of up to £200m.
8. TAXES ON THE WEALTHIER: Ensuring the broadest shoulders make their contribution by introducing a £2.5bn tax on the banks, increasing the rate of Capital Gains Tax, keeping the 50p higher rate tax band and stopping higher rate taxpayers from receiving child benefit.
9. SCHOOLS BUDGET PROTECTED AGAINST INFLATION.
10. BETTER SCHOOLS FOR ALL: The fastest ever expansion of the Academies programme and the introduction of 'free schools' to break the monopoly of under-performing Local Education Authorities.
11. MORE PRE-SCHOOL EDUCATION: All disadvantaged two year olds will have an entitlement to 15 hours a week of pre-school education, in addition to the 15 hours already available to them at three and four years of age.
12. THE PUPIL PREMIUM: As part of a £7bn package schools will receive additional funds to offer targeted help to every pupil eligible for free school meals and reduce educational inequalities.
13. 75,0000 MORE APPRENTICESHIPS: 75,000 extra funded apprentices every year to ensure the next generation acquires the skills it needs to flourish in the marketplace.
14. HIGHER EARNING GRADUATES TO PAY MORE: A new student premium for the least advantaged students accessing higher education and a higher earnings threshold (£21,000 rather than £15,000) must be crossed before graduates start repaying tuition fees.
15. CONTROLLED IMMIGRATION: A cap on immigration to ensure that more British people have a better chance of getting jobs.
16. FREEZING COUNCIL TAX AND LICENCE FEE: A two year freeze in council tax and a six year freeze in the BBC licence fee will end the years in which these stealth taxes fell most heavily on people with low and fixed incomes.
17. BIG SOCIETY BANK: New investment in innovative community groups.
18. NEW APPROACH TO DRUG REHABILITATION: Addicts will get more help to move from permanent addiction to abstinence and the start of drug-free lives.
19. WORLD LEADER IN GLOBAL POVERTY: Meeting the UN target of spending 0.7% of national income on fighting global poverty.
20. BETTER AID TARGETING: Stopping aid to wealthier nations like India, China and Russia and diverting the savings to very poor or war-torn nations.
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
22 October 2010
13:4876079#4
For the record
Those items above I do not agree with are:
7, - the NHS should have shared some of the burden of cuts
8, - this is counter productive and will not raise significant revenue
and 19, - better to spend that extra cash on our Defence budget
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,948
22 October 2010
22:4576173#5
BAZ;
This impartial body, congratulated by mr Osbourne not long ago on how good they are, seems they have hit a raw nerve.
Not sure the way Mr Clegg shot his mouth off wll do much to help the situation,
The conservative MP clearly wouldn't be drawn on the outburst by Mr Clegg but was clearly not happy with it.
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Guest 655- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,247
23 October 2010
09:0076198#6
The IFS did not look at it in the round Keith.
I note that you have not tried to pick apart my examples. You cant.