Shard

Let me see if I understand your logic. It doesn't matter if the jobs don't pay and reduction of benefits means some people are near destitute...that doesn't matter?

jimf

The prospect of the gormless geek as PM with a shrill backseat driver made the conservatives the safe bet. It's a pity the liberals have been wiped out - for the most part they have been pretty decent but the tuition fees decision was a catastrophe for them. Cameron's main problem is the nutters in his own party. The sooner Scotland is responsible for it's own taxation and spending the better so the SNP can end "austerity" themselves.

withabix

People should work for Benefits. Nothing should be free unless you have a real disability.

If you're near destitute, there is a good probability that part of it is your own fault. Destitute people still seem to manage to buy beer, fags and cannabis.

Unfortunately making the "won't work" spongers suffer has affected some other people.

But don't go believing all the hype about food bank visits.

Oink

Its also not a puzzle that there has been a long tradition of working class conservatism in the Britain.

Shard

That's very simplistic. Most people receiving benefits do work. The "won't work spongers" are very few ... and for whatever reason have been disadvantaged by their circumstances. Poorly educated and very poorly socialised they often cannot work as they are unemployable. Placing them on welfare is the lesser of two evils (leaving them to fend for themselves). Suggesting the rise in food bank usage is hype shows just how ignorant you are of British social conditions.

withabix

Here's an interesting fact then:

The OECD’s social indicators survey in 2012 included the question: ‘Have there been times in the past 12 months when you did not have enough money to buy food that you or your family needed?’

8.1 per cent of UK respondents said yes, compared to 9.8 per cent when the same question was asked by the OECD in 2007. So notwithstanding today’s misleading figures, there are good reasons to believe that food poverty was higher under the last Labour government than it is today.

Shard

No need to pluck a snapshot statistic out of the air to try and defend your position. If you're really interested, have a look at the statistics relating to foodbanks themselves (volume and £ value). Look into the changes to DWP benefits sanctions regimes, and the statistics relating to that (void periods of a week or a month when recipients have their benefits withheld - often for technical errors). The data is out there for you to draw a more informed conclusion.

Oink

What really upset me about the election night was that bloke who ran as Elmo in Cameron's constituency. Why not pick a British character like a Teletubby or Roland Rat rather than some Septic transplant? Its depressing how our cultural icons are being shunned by our own people in favour of these transatlantic interlopers.

confused_uk

Not all low paid jobs are zero hours contracts etc, it's still a huge difference to those on a low income to pay less tax or none at all. It's not really the governments fault if private businesses choose to treat their employees like that, though they could step in & try to clamp down on it, who knows maybe they will.

Or it just shows we're overpopulated & there's not enough resources to go around.

The point is the NHS isn't really safe with anyone

Shard

I think it will be many more election cycles until the LD's will have a chance at any power again. Unless some kind of PR is introduced, which given the outcome of minor parties in this election, may well become a topic again. Agree on Scotland, it seems the only way.

mdizzle

I reckon we should just round up the poor and put them all in a special camp where they are forced to work for some sort of meagre subsistence. You've got your priorities spot on mate.

colchar

That is a stretch. You cannot claim that they are all disadvantaged, some are just bone idle scroungers.



Whose fault is that? If they had put forth some effort in school and prepared themselves for a career they could work.

Tirytory

That response is so simplistic it's laughable. it barely skims the surface of the reasons why people or generations end up in that position.

Shard

Some are, I agree. In my view they should receive their welfare pittance and be left to get on with their simple lives. I don't see them as scroungers, I see them as unfortunates, and don't believe they should be vilified for their circumstances.

Tirytory

Plus you do realise that dates back from 2011- it's hardly an accurate reflection of three years down the implementing cuts line...

Food banks have grown 19% year on year, and that's without those who don't visit and go hungry. It's shocking that this should happen in a first world country. Shocking and depressing....

And Colchar wonders why kids with empty bellies don't do well in school- don't climb out of the hole that the government dug for them...