Cameron: "Cuts will change our way of life"

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Why are you surprised that organisations who donate to political parties are then treated favourably by them?

I can only speak for myself, but I'm not surprised. I've been involved in politics, either directly or indirectly, for over 20 years, and it has been going on ever since I was first involved. It was just less blatent and less widespread then.

 

It truly amazes me that it's brought up on a regular basis.

If I didn't know that the media was part of the axis of evil, I'd be amazed that it isn't front page news every day. There should be a major criminal investigation into it, because it's corruption.

 

I should be more surprised that you're so dismissive of something so serious. Hey, you lot, stop bleating on about how our political system is corrupted by money and favours, and eat your gruel. Accept your fate and stop questioning power. Fuck off, Rico. People are angry because this representative democracy isn't representative and it's barely a democracy, if at all.

 

In other news I know of one big UK business with a powerful and informed PA function that's planning for a Labour win.

The joy.

[KopOut]

For me it shouldn't happen.

 

That's why leaders of America and The UK are just suits for the real decision makers, the corporations.

 

You scratch mine, I'll scratch yours. It's potentially one of the biggest reasons people are disengaged from modern politics.

"It's a big fuckin' club, and we 'aint in it" (George Carlin)

[lifetime fan]

Food bank use tiny compared with Germany, says IDS

 

 

The number of people using food banks in the UK is "tiny" compared with Germany, Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith has told the BBC.

 

Last week a report by a cross-party group of MPs found benefit-related problems were the single biggest reason for food bank referrals.

 

Mr Duncan Smith said it was wrong to suggest it was purely a benefits issue.

 

Germany had more generous benefits and higher pay - yet more people there used food banks, he said.

 

The Trussell Trust runs more than 420 food banks in the UK- where people donate in-date, non-perishable food via churches, supermarkets and elsewhere.

 

People identified as being in crisis by professionals like doctors and the police are issued with vouchers which can then be redeemed for three days' emergency food.

 

The trust says they fed 913,138 people nationwide in the year 2013-14, more than a third of which were children.

 

In an interview with BBC One's Sunday Politics, Mr Duncan Smith said 1.5 million people a week used food banks in Germany.

 

"It is tiny in proportion here compared to a place like Germany which has more generous benefits and in which you have a higher level of pay.

"So just saying it is to do with benefits is quite wrong. What I do say is there are lots of other reasons lots of people go to food banks."

 

In its Feeding Britain report, published last week, the cross-party group of MPs and church leaders blamed an income squeeze, benefit delays and excessive utility bills for a big rise in the use of food banks in the UK.

 

It said the number of food banks had grown from a handful to the 420 run by the Trussell Trust in 10 years - and possibly at least many more being run independently.

 

The report said: "Benefit-related problems were the single biggest reason given for food bank referrals by almost every food bank that presented evidence to us.

 

"The inquiry is concerned that there are avoidable problems occurring in the administration of social security benefits, which have a particularly detrimental impact on poor and vulnerable claimants."

 

In his interview, Mr Duncan Smith said benefits were now being paid more quickly - from 88-89% being on time under Labour, to 96-97% now.

 

But he accepted that his department needed to publicise better an advanced payment which was available to all job seekers who find themselves in difficulties, to "tide them over".

 

Former Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey urged people to mark Christmas by donating food to food banks, for those unable to afford to feed themselves properly over the festive period.

 

"Christmas is a time to rejoice and celebrate, to share food together," he told Sky News.

"Parents are giving up food in order to allow their own children to go without starvation.

"I think that's a terrible thing for our country to fall into this kind of trap so we have to, I think, do something and Christmas is a really timely point of the year to reflect on our priorities."

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Oh, IDS, you're a total fucking joke.

[lifetime fan]

http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/79540000/gif/_79540702_uk_food_bank_use_624.gif

 

[Anubis]

He's a fucking cunt who needs dealing with. Seriously. Jill Dando style.

[Jairzinho]

I hope he dies an absolutely horrific death.

[Strontium]

But did you know that benefit cuts have also resulted in improved take up of superfast broadband:

 

[Section_31]

Found this quite funny.

 

 

Duncan Smith was educated at what is now St. Peter's RC Secondary School, Solihull, until the age of 14,^[6] then at HMS Conway, a Merchant Navy training school on the Isle of Anglesey (where he allegedly played rugby union in the position of fly-half alongside Clive Woodward at centre) until he was 18.

His claim that he studied at the University of Perugia was later found to be false after an investigation by the BBC.^[7] His office subsequently admitted that he attended the Italian Università per Stranieri (founded 1921) in Perugia for a year but he did not obtain any qualifications or finish his exams.^[7] In 1975 he attended the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and was subsequently commissioned into the Scots Guards.^[8]Duncan Smith's biography, on the Conservative Party website, claimed he was "educated at Dunchurch College of Management" but following questioning by the BBC his office confirmed that he did not get any qualifications there either, stating that he completed six separate courses lasting a few days each, adding up to about a month in total.^[7] Dunchurch was the former staff college for GEC Marconi, for whom Duncan Smith worked in the 1980s.^[7]

 

 

 

Sits quite nicely along with Borris Johnson, former journalist who famously used to make up quotes, and George Osborne who - despite having a father who can afford to spend 17 grand on a desk and who had the best education money can by, had his only jobs outside of politics as a data entry clerk for the NHS and folding towels in Selfridges. These are the people who lecture you on the concept of standing on your own two feet and the nature of 'hard work'.

 

It's the opposite of a meritocracy. A members only club, their meer existence offends me.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Fuck. Accidental rep for stronts.

[lifetime fan]

"Is Betsy a scrounger, Ian"?

[dennis tooth]

Two solutions. 1) Wait for a revolution that isn't ready. 2) Swallow our pride and vote labour. It's not ideal but it'll help ease things.

I gecha!

You havent got a solution but wanted to put it in a succint way so no one notices you are mr status quo.

Onto you.

[dennis tooth]

I can only speak for myself, but I'm not surprised. I've been involved in politics, either directly or indirectly, for over 20 years, and it has been going on ever since I was first involved. It was just less blatent and less widespread then.

 

If I didn't know that the media was part of the axis of evil, I'd be amazed that it isn't front page news every day. There should be a major criminal investigation into it, because it's corruption.

 

I should be more surprised that you're so dismissive of something so serious. Hey, you lot, stop bleating on about how our political system is corrupted by money and favours, and eat your gruel. Accept your fate and stop questioning power. Fuck off, Rico. People are angry because this representative democracy isn't representative and it's barely a democracy, if at all.

.blah blah blah...but by the way, vote labour

[VladimirIlyich]

But did you know that benefit cuts have also resulted in improved take up of superfast broadband:

 

Its as good a way to spend your redundancy as any.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Its as good a way to spend your redundancy as any.

Haha.

[dennis tooth]

But did you know that benefit cuts have also resulted in improved take up of superfast broadband:

 

Actually there may be a correlation here since most broadband infrastructure in this country was subsidised by our tax pennies so that multinational corporations like virgin can charge us for using it.

Perhaps we should be using that money for nurses instead. Was that your argument?

Odd cos you clearly love our taxes going into offshore havens which you argue shouldnt pay any tax cos its legal.

[Stu Monty]

But did you know that benefit cuts have also resulted in improved take up of superfast broadband:

 

 

You got the cross party report that came to that conclusion Dog?

 

Just want to skim through it when I get chance.

 

Thanks.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Why is the idea that people on benefits are even worse off has a correlation with the rise in food back use so controversial, Stronts? There's information, presented to you on this forum, to suggest exactly that. It is just common sense, especially when you listen to what those using food banks are actually saying.

[dennis tooth]

Why is the idea that people on benefits are even worse off has a correlation with the rise in food back use so controversial, Stronts? There's information, presented to you on this forum, to suggest exactly that. It is just common sense, especially when you listen to what those using food banks are actually saying.

Why do you care that sd is wrong about something?

What are your thoughts about where your going?

Educate him and he will see the error of his ways and accept your point or are you just trying to impress the other people on here maybe a bit too hard?

I wish I knew the answer.

 

You should get yourself a girlfriend.

[Stu Monty]

Why is the idea that people on benefits are even worse off has a correlation with the rise in food back use so controversial, Stronts? There's information, presented to you on this forum, to suggest exactly that. It is just common sense, especially when you listen to what those using food banks are actually saying.

 

It isn't controversial.

 

You know it. I know it. He knows it.

 

Not what's important though, is it. Again, as we all know.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

It isn't controversial.

 

You know it. I know it. He knows it.

 

Not what's important though, is it. Again, as we all know.

I meant controversial to him. He seems really pissed off about those of us linking the two things.

[Stu Monty]

I meant controversial to him. He seems really pissed off about those of us linking the two things.

 

Because it's bad for the party he has tied his credibility to.

 

End of reasoning.

[Guest Numero Veinticinco]

Because it's bad for the party he has tied his credibility to.

 

End of reasoning.

I could respect that if he'd come out and said it. It not, and he thinks it is because of some other reason, then fine. Say it.

[Strontium]

You all should take a look at that cross party report on food banks. A real eye opener.

[Anubis]

But did you know that benefit cuts have also resulted in improved take up of superfast broadband:

 

 

Yes. The tax breaks the rich have gotten on the backs of benefit cuts allows them to afford it.