Radical changes to the welfare state, requiring claimants to look for work in order to continue receiving benefit, will be announced by the Government on Monday.James Purnell, the Work and Pensions Secretary, has been given the go-ahead by Gordon Brown to implement all the main proposals of the Freud report, which was originally commissioned by Tony Blair and which will be seen as heralding a significant privatisation of the welfare system. The Times revealed two weeks ago that the proposals include plans to force unemployed people to undertake community service in return for receiving benefit as a way of preventing them working in the “black economy”. But Mr Purnell, who will entrench his reputation as the Cabinet’s leading Blairite moderniser, will pave the way for massive involvement of the private and voluntary sectors in the provision of welfare. People who do not cooperate in looking for a job could have their benefits stopped for six months, and sick and disabled people will be expected to work if they are able to do so. Lone parents will be required to look for work when their youngest child reaches the age of 7, rather than 16. Mr Purnell said: “There will be a very clear expectation that if there is work there people should take it, and sanctions to make sure that if they do not there will be consequences.” On the “work-for-dole” plan he said: “You have to create a system where people who are working illegally don’t have the time to do that.” Times Online
Saturday, 19 July 2008
James Purnell to start the privatisation of the welfare system?
Radical changes to the welfare state, requiring claimants to look for work in order to continue receiving benefit, will be announced by the Government on Monday.James Purnell, the Work and Pensions Secretary, has been given the go-ahead by Gordon Brown to implement all the main proposals of the Freud report, which was originally commissioned by Tony Blair and which will be seen as heralding a significant privatisation of the welfare system. The Times revealed two weeks ago that the proposals include plans to force unemployed people to undertake community service in return for receiving benefit as a way of preventing them working in the “black economy”. But Mr Purnell, who will entrench his reputation as the Cabinet’s leading Blairite moderniser, will pave the way for massive involvement of the private and voluntary sectors in the provision of welfare. People who do not cooperate in looking for a job could have their benefits stopped for six months, and sick and disabled people will be expected to work if they are able to do so. Lone parents will be required to look for work when their youngest child reaches the age of 7, rather than 16. Mr Purnell said: “There will be a very clear expectation that if there is work there people should take it, and sanctions to make sure that if they do not there will be consequences.” On the “work-for-dole” plan he said: “You have to create a system where people who are working illegally don’t have the time to do that.” Times Online
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11 comments:
One wonders whether this scheme will be subject to "Harriet's Law" (ie Harriet Harman's plan that women and ethnics have positive discrimination in their favour) or will it be a case of White men first in the queue.
David Freud is an investment banker who wanted to be a Guardian journalist, he is also, needless to say, a Jew. Perhaps Purnell met him through The Labour Friends of Israel?
http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2006/aug/04/4
Well done James get them in work we see it each week in our papers claiming benefits while working or claiming to be living on there own.
So called disabled people refereeing football matches or doing heavy lifting all caught on camera,then we have the so called drug addicts and alcoholics, all swinging the lead, no work no pay no treatment no benefits GET ON WITH IT
James will force the workshy fascist West to earn a living rather than sponge off the state.
Oh yes he will be caught up in this had my doubts about it at first now I am fully behind you James if it means spongers like West have earn a living like the rest of us Bless you.
Will "Harriet's Law" apply?
Perhaps we now know where Cllr John "Col Saito" Taylor got his own inspiration from to become sickness enforcer.
As for Mr Purnell, a man with two homes (one in London one in Broadbottom) it ill becomes him to take the moral high ground....fake photos et al.
Looks like some of you lead swingers are in for a hard time, get them walking sticks and crutches out start doing some practice walks for the Doc, remember its your back that's the problem if that don't work revert to stress, break down when being interviewed pile it on there's a lot at stake,----- you may have to get a job phew just the thought it will see some of you off.
Try a dummy run set the clock for 5am or try 6 am first be gentle get up and pretend to go to work for a week see what its like, you can always go back to bed later to recover don't do to much at first.
Take care now and don't forget none of the other party's are objecting to this so you cant vote him out and be saved.
Just a bit shy
Does this lot work?
Every follower of Tony Blair should have a catchy slogan and here is James Purnell's. "Work makes you happy," he keeps saying. Of course, this would not be connected in any way with the old Nazi slogan, displayed in wrought-iron above the concentration camp gates "Arbeit macht Frei" or "Work sets you free".
Purnell could appear in a remake of David Lean's film os WW2, only this time entitled "Bridge on the River Tame"
"No Work, No Food" Hmmmm Purnell San.
Of course, he would know all about a "Double Life" like those who claim to be sick and who also work.
James...or James Mark Dakin... used different versions of his name on company documents and his different addresses, I'd love an address like "Queen Alexandra Mansions London", better than Mottram Road Broadbottom!
Bet it impresses girlfriends.
Perhaps he could explain why he uses different versions of his name.
Perhaps he uses it for his "photo double" who appears on photocalls instead of himself
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