You are here: Home » News »

Morning Report: Welfare and indiscipline

January 8, 2013 8:41 am

Author:

Tags:

Share this Article

Today’s the day that George Osborne has been waiting for sinc the Autumn Statement. He gets to cut the benefits of the unemployed (and 7 million working people, and statutory maternity pay) and he gets to attack Labour at the same time. George will enjoy that. He’s even made a poster for the occasion. It’s almost like this vote is more about hurting Labour than reducing the deficit or dealing with Britain’s spiralling welfare bill…

Yet the indiscipline of the coalition is threatening George’s big day. As if having a cabinet resignation on the day of the big relaunch wasn’t bad enough (before replacing him with a man who tried to resign), Clegg then followed that up with criticism of the deserving/undeserving poor rhetoric. Perfect timing ahead of the big vote.

Speaking of the vote – Labour confirmed last night that (as expected) they’re opposing the Welfare Benefits Uprating Bill, and will attempt to force through an amendment that introduces a compulsory job scheme. It won’t work of course – the parliamentary numbers aren’t there – but it’s an interesting statement of intent nonetheless.

The Welfare Bill vote is likely to dominate today, but there are some other interesting stories bubbling under, including disgruntled Army Chiefs unhappy over cuts and the British Camber of Commerce predicting “weak growth” in 2013. Perhaps the most interesting other story for Labour people though is the news that Rochdale council are planning on getting around the Eric Pickles “council tax referendum” by using a loophole in the Localism Bill. Presumably it’s the loophole that allows for some actual localism…

Related posts:

  1. Labour to vote against Welfare Uprating Bill (and table amendment to introduce a compulsory jobs guarantee)
  2. Morning Report – June 9th
  3. Can Miliband beat Osborne on Welfare?
  4. A socially just welfare state would slash spending…says a lefty
  5. Morning Report – June 13th

Latest

  • Featured Technology isn’t just something for geeks to worry about

    Technology isn’t just something for geeks to worry about

    By Jim Knight

    If you Google ‘Ed Miliband,’ you quickly get the old stuff about him being a bit of geek. His appearance at Google’s big Tent on Wednesday almost begged the headline “Geek Goes Home”. But that assumes technology is just something for geeks to worry about, and that Ed is a techie. Neither are true. What we saw on Wednesday was a leader with the courage to tell Google straight that it should live up to its founding principles on the [...]

    Read more →
  • Featured Woolwich: The British people – and our politicians – have risen to the occasion

    Woolwich: The British people – and our politicians – have risen to the occasion

    By Mark Ferguson

    “We want to start a war” – Woolwich attacker “right now it is only you versus many people, you are going to lose” - Ingrid Loyau-Kennett Only 24 hours ago, news began to trickle through about a barbarous crime, committed on the streets of our capital city, in broad daylight. It seems that the murderers who attacked and brutally murdered a soldier felt they were acting in a way endorsed by their religious beliefs and their god. But to try and [...]

    Read more →
  • News

    Labour NEC Report – 21st May 2013

    By Johanna Baxter

    Party Organisation The General Secretary (GS) noted the party’s good performance in the recent Local, Mayoral and South Shields elections and thanked all members, activists and staff for their contribution to that success. The committee discussed the work of Blue State Digital who have been brought in to revolutionise the party’s use of new and social media as part of our suite of campaign tools. It was noted that Matthew McGregor, Head of Blue State Digital’s London Office and former [...]

    Read more →
  • News Labour’s London Assembly Leader responds to Woolwich attack

    Labour’s London Assembly Leader responds to Woolwich attack

    Following yesterday’s attack in Woolwich, Leader of the Labour Group on the London Assembly Len Duvall AM said: “The attack in Woolwich was horrific, the actions of local people in response and the head-teacher and staff at the school are a reflection of the values and strength of our community. “At this afternoon’s London Assembly Police and Crime Committee questions will be asked about yesterday’s attack and the response, and at a future assembly meeting we will come together to [...]

    Read more →
  • Comment If Labour is to build One Nation, it must be a safe and equal one for women

    If Labour is to build One Nation, it must be a safe and equal one for women

    By Ellie Cumbo

    Today End Violence Against Women (EVAW) releases a new report auditing the Government’s progress in acting to prevent violence against women and girls. And with the revelations from Operation Yewtree and group exploitation cases set to roll on for many months , we hope the response from Parliament, policy-makers and the media will be unanimous : that prevention must be at the top of the priority list for any government, of any colour, from now on. On that basis, it’s [...]

    Read more →