Saturday, October 29, 2011

Who's going to pay more?

Cameron came out with a soundbite stunner today, I'm sure it will fool a few people, but to those of us who know how these things work...
Express.
BENEFIT claimants convicted of breaking the law will be forced to repay up to a third of their handouts each week in fines under a new welfare crackdown.
At present, courts can order offenders on benefits to pay fines at a rate of up to £5 a week.
But David Cameron yesterday revealed that the sum will be increased to £25.
The Prime Minister has ordered the move in response to public disgust at the numbers of jobless scroungers involved in last summer’s riots and the widespread culture of lawlessness on Britain’s streets.
He said: “People need to understand if they commit a crime they will face the consequences.”
The flaw being of course that it's really the state paying the state from the states largesse. A self fulfilling incestuous cosy arrangement for the state creaming off money via a fine only to pay it back out again once the legal profession have creamed off their take.
There are also so many proviso's built into the HRA as well to prevent people from starving, they'll still get their rent and council tax, child allowances etc. that it's just a complete waste of time.
Sounds good though and plays to the hard of thinking who believe that benefit cheats should be punished, but haven't given that much thought to how it actually ought to work.
Personally I think hard labour ought to do it.
But I'm interested in making the system work, not sounding off in an effort to look like I'm doing something.

4 annotations:

Captain Haddock said...

Camermong is a complete twat & anything he says should be treated with the utmost contempt ..

thespecialone said...

You know that Cameron lies don't you :) Never mind the old saying "you know when a politician is lying....he/she opens their mouth". Cameron is a step up from that. Cameron, like Blair, has the art of deception down to a tee.

Anonymous said...

So benefit claimants are being overpaid by up to a third then Cameron. Surely scope for some of those cuts?

English Pensioner said...

And there will be the usual cry of "what about the children who will suffer, it's not their fault"