Today at the Tory party conference the Chancellor, George Osbourne, is announcing a policy whereby long term unemployed benefit claimants will be expected to engage with the hand that feeds them (the State) in order to receive their handout.
Why should a person receive taxpayer’s money for doing nothing? I am no scientist and don’t back my remarks with robust empirical data. This is a gut reaction based on common-sense.
For the record I am not a Tory fan, anymore that I am a Liberal or Labour fan.
Read the very liberal BBC’s analysis here.
theMSguide.com blog 
I do agree that people shouldn’t expect to pick up their benefits & go back to the pub/sofa/bed, but road sweeping is hardly a sensible use of many people’s skills & I worry for those who want to work being utterly demorilsed at being unable to utilise their experience or to offered the chance to learn new, useful skills in an economy that has severe skills shortages in many sectors, such as engineering.
Agreed. However; that is an entirely different argument regarding how implementation is achieved. The policy is obvs aimed at the layabouts who just want handouts. Targeting them without being detrimental to the unfortunately unemployed skilful folks (whom I imagine will be relatively short-lived unemployed) who will not be utilised to the best of their abilities.
Of course those (of us?) who’ve spent decades contributing their taxes into the system to pay for others may feel entitled to a little feet-up time.
Got an educayshun (mine) to pay for so nose back to the grindstone mate.
Quote: “Targeting them without being detrimental to the unfortunately unemployed skilful folks (whom I imagine will be relatively short-lived unemployed)” … keep on imagining, it’s good to live your fantasy!