Message to Labour – not all poor people are on benefits.

I really am getting sick and tired of hearing about how many families are losing out as a result of Welfare reforms.  Now let me make it clear, I firmly believe that the welfare system should provide adequately for all those in need be it the unemployed, the sick, the disabled, anyone who through no fault of their own is unable to earn a living wage and needs help.  That is what it is there for.

I also think that some of the welfare reforms are a step too far – the so called bedroom tax for example.  The whole mess surrounding Council Tax benefits leaves a bad taste, and there are some horror stories coming out about people on disability that give rise to concern.

However, the system had to be reformed, and Labour should have bitten the bullet a long time ago and put the brakes on a benefits system that was rocketing out of control.  But then as was claimed while ago by Kevin Brennan, Labour MP for Cardiff West, poor people vote Labour, so they will keep up their pretence of standing up for them. (Whilst putting up Council Tax in RCT by 4%)

The basic premise is that nobody should be better off on benefits than if they were working.  This is not to say they should not get enough to live on, but surely there should be a base line and above that then the State is right to say ‘no more.’

I have said before, there is a whole layer of society who is seemingly forgotten about – those hard working families who earn just about the limit where they can claim a state benefit.  They have to struggle on regardless and pay full price for everything.

They don’t get Council Tax relief, or housing benefit, or free school meals for their children, or discount at gyms and leisure centres, or even to get their dog neutered!  

So what of those people?  Does Labour, the party of the working class, care about those?  Or would they rather continue to play politics and hope that their voters do not scratch beyond the surface of the spin they are putting out.  Listening to Owen Smith it seems the latter is going to be the case.