Tories – proposed overhaul of the UK benefits system

News 04 10 2009: The Tories are to unveil plans for a radical overhaul of the benefits system designed to end the culture of welfare dependency and get the growing army of unemployed back into work. Mr Cameron said Labour's flagship New Deal welfare-to-work programme would be scrapped and replaced with a new Get Britain Working plan. The aim is to reduce the  cost to the taxpayer of the 2.6 million people currently on incapacity benefit. It is reported to include American-style measures to use private firms - who are paid by results - prepare people for employment and place them in jobs.

 

On a “Tomorrows World” programme some years back it was said that the deployment of Digital Computational Technology in the future would lead to more leasure time as robotics worked a 24 hour day without complaint. What was not realised was that people themselves needed to work in order to earn in order to spend in remaining an economy as to people.

Are both Labour and the Tories not both guilty of not addressing this issue?. Whichever be in Power the theme is always the same – changes to Education; changed to Public Health (NHS); changes to Law/Order (Policing); changes to the Benefits system etc. Basically choose a card then make a new pack out of it by sub-division into smaller and smaller non-coherent sub-systems requiring new policy as sticking plasters in reconnecting them back together as to operativeness - more regulators and quango’s too while methods [ Standards ] from abroad be adopted (like the failed CSA) which again demonstrates to a Nation that its own Government cannot set Leading Standards as to itself and to which other Nations may in future adopt as theirs having firstly been proven.

 

Yesterday the Tories proposed a one-off payment by the now elderly for their care in retirement having already “toiled” throughout their lives while “thinking” that they had already earned it while todays Tory proposal is about modifying the Benefits System in getting people back to work. Could it be that those currently employed on a growing contract basis feel somewhat disconnected from their Country in having no Job Security anymore while of those forced into unemployment through ill-devised Policy/illness be somewhat demotivated in support of a Government going nowhere in constantly “changing direction” at every new election to justify the sharpening of new pencils.

 

While the East develops in having great changes ahead in an upward cycle the West is on a downward cycle having exploited much as to itself and others. There had to come a time when the Government couldn’t “split the atom” any further as to the “breaking up” and “selling off” of Publics assets [ privatisation / competition ] while Jobs in treating symptoms as to failed Gov Policy couldn’t be sustained indefinitely through principle taxpayers money funding such employment. Thus in reality by cutting Public Spending the self symptoms will not be treated effectively leading to possible compounded symptoms later.

 

The Government is charged with the welfare of the Nation inclusive of its people and given the lack of employment vacancies the Tory objective in changing the Benefits System would be to force people into “self-employed” status – the same footing as New Labours NEW DEAL programme!. The Gov cart again is pushing the Horse given that the core issue be about the need for new job markets in providing employment and then resolving issues as to the Benefits System (horse pulling the cart). It was all very well that the Gov force incorporation onto Colleges/Universities while providing Student Loans allowing Student choice while accumulating Student debt but even they are struggling in getting “value for money” in finding employment. Is this not part and parcel of the same core problem?. Obviously Mr Brown and Mr Cameron both need to use crayons in colouring-in the bigger picture as oppose to using a microscope in assessing an ailing Nation!. All of this brings to mind the saying “the patient died but the operation was a complete success”. Indeed, akin to opposition politicians arguing over whose to be held to account over plugging in a life support system while the patient unknown to them be taken to the mortuary.

 

There is only ONE SOLUTION towards ending the abuse of the General Public, their bitterness, their intolerance/anger, their disrespect, their failing health in being driven onto anti-depressants and alcohol as a stimulant in answer to continual Gov failure and one that demonstrates that it has no standards through “spin”/leaked documents and that is to have a One Government politically neutral which be answerable to the Nation providing “common sense” feedback as to “reasons why” changes be so necessary. Primarily “unitedness” is about people, societies, industry/jobs, prosperity/wealth, honesty/privacy/self standards and some dependency as to its own future in meeting its own demands firstly while being supportative of others in their needs. <?xml:namespace prefix = st1 />Britain is loosing its Culture and its identity in becoming a third rate Nation as it’s stripped of its wealth. Policing needs a return to its former values in educating the Public while dropping zero-tolerance in favour of adopting a past “common sense” approach to law/order. Reality is about people whereas statistics only provide a creative measure as to them yet serves to build pictures in Public Offices to display fantasy while the opposite be true in reality.

 

For Mr Cameron to be PM he must first demonstrate a means by which thousands of new jobs be created in helping Graduate Students pay back their Student Loans while such new opportunites also be open to the unemployed and those on benefits capable of working to work. Of course things are not that easy given the amount of Gov lead paperwork that be now necessary in seeking new work (change) – Vetting agencies, certification as to qualifications, risk/blame/liability [ public liability insurance ] etc etc etc. The Nation is that deep in paperwork its akin to paddling pool fill of thick mud!. Job Centres only advertise and not recommend jobs since they become liable should an applicant not be suitable/hurt themselves or others etc!.

On the opposite side of the coin one has Gov Ministers handling Million pound budgets while having no financial qualifications yet in the public domain one needs a qualified electrician to change a simple light bulb. Of course such Ministers cannot be held personally responsible for financial waste since they can blame others in authority for not providing any training. For one Gov department to loose confidential Public digital data so do the others in a tidal wave while no explanations be given as to why UK vehicle Drivers details be discovered in the US!. Just how much Government held data is now offshore?.