Thu 19 Oct 2017, 10:53 AM | Posted by Guest Blogger
Guest Blogger today is Mark Langabeer, (Newton Abbot LP, personal capacity)
Universal Credit is another nail in the coffin for the Tories. At Prime Minister’s Question time, a Labour backbencher asked, “was the six week delay in payment a result of incompetence or an act of malice”.
The delay in payments has resulted in further distress of many of the most vulnerable in society. Labour are right to demand a pause in its roll-out. The aim of Universal credit was allegedly to “make work pay” and the Tories have long argued that the existing benefits system encouraged a cycle of dependency.
Cameron and Osborne were fond of claiming that the Tories were on the side of the “strivers” and not the alleged “skivers”. This divisive message, along with Labour’s right-wing half-hearted opposition to welfare cuts, only drew support from the more politically backward sections of society.
It should not be forgotten that one of the things that gave an impetus to Corbyn’s election as leader was the revolt of 60 Labour MPs who were the only ones to oppose Tory welfare cuts. The rest of the Labour MPs abstained.
The Tory narrative has changed and May’s attempt to paper over the poor image of her ‘Nasty Party’ has meant that there is no more nonsense about spongers. May claims that she is on the side of those that “just about manage”, but these fine words are empty gestures as the programme of austerity continue to bite. Austerity goes on relentlessly because the Tories believe that this policy will preserve capitalism.
Back in the 1930’s, the unemployed and those still in work demanded “work or full maintenance”. That is the still programme which the Labour Movement should adopt today.
