Monday 21 January 2013

Do the left need another think tank?

Although Owen Jones is stating he doesn't want to start a new political party, and I do believe him, he is, however, wanting to start a new left-wing think-tank.

Surely there are enough think-tanks for people to turn to Owen such as:

The Fabian Society
Institute for Public Policy Research
Demos
Compass- Direction for the Democratic Left

These are just a few, I'm sure there are more think tanks our there that are just as useful for people.

But there aren't  just think tanks, but  smaller politcal parties, if Labour aren't doing or saying what you would like them to, to turn to:

SWP
The Green Party
The Liberal Democrats (Although we can all speculate there)
Respect Party
Social Democratic and Labour Party

Then there are blog sites:

Left Foot Forward
Liberal Conspiracy
Next Left
Labour Uncut
Progree Online
Young Fabians Blog
The Green Benches
Penny Red

I could go on, and on, and on.

Then of course you have the Unions, if you feel you need to back up whether it be for political reasons or legal reasons, they are there:

TUC
Association of Flight Attendants
Musician Union
EQUITY
National Union of Teachers
NUJ
UNISON
VOICE

There are a lot of voices on the left, I've only mentioned a few here, do they really need another voice, shouting out, trying to 'unite' the left together?

I can see what he's trying to do, he is a brilliant PR spokes person for Labour, he's trying to get all of the left back on Labour again, but sadly, no amount of think tanks, and blog sites, and Unions will change the faces of Labour: Ed Miliband, Ed Balls, Harriet Harman, all three people that we, the general public, lost faith in after 13 years of absolute dishonesty, and power.

Wednesday 9 January 2013

The Benefits Cap

Yesterday we saw the Chamber vote on the Benefits Cap proposed by this government, and we have also seen the anger that it has caused the left wing.

I have also seen utter lies, and misconception in the left wings anger of this new cap.

Here are the expemtions from the cap:

  • Disability Living Allowance
  • Personal Independence Payment
  • Attendance Allowance
  • Industrial Injuries Benefits
  • Employment Support Allowance, if paid with the support component
  • Armed Forces Compensation Scheme payments
  • War Pension Scheme payments (including War Widow’s/Widower’s Pension and War disablement Pension).

  • There are a few others who are also exempt, such as claimants who have been employment for 52 weeks will be exempt from the cap for a grace period of 39 weeks.

    Please, oh please tell me that so far the facts I have given you are unfair or unjust?

    When I was out of work, I never claimed, I didn't feel I had a right to take peoples hard earned taxes, and spend it on whatever I felt like. I hadn't earnt it, I hadn't a right to this money, I was more than happy to try and find work, and eventually I did find work.

    If there is no pressure on you, you won't go out of your way to do anything. When money is handed to you on a silver platter, why would you want work? Why would you get up, make yourself look presentable, and try and find a job.

    Whether the job be part time, full time, or just seasonal at least you've proved to yourself, you can go out there and get a job.

    Not sit on a computer, searching jobsites, posting about 5 to 10 C.V's a day hoping you will get a reply.

    People who tend to just post C.V's on these websites never chase up, never ring that company to make sure they received their C.V, and if so if there is anything they could do to better their C.V, or themselves!

    So why should people who work, from morning til evening 5 days a week, get taxed even more because the government need pay out for people who haven't worked for months, or even years. Why should these hard working families, single parents,  have to pay for people who just don't want to work?

    These single parents might be on some benefits themselves, some of them might be receiving the exemptions, there for won't be affected badly.

    What I am hoping that this new cap helps is less taxing on the working.

    The left are meant to be for the WORKING class, not the 'non-working' class. I don't call people who don't work 'skivers' or 'shirkers'. I don't really like labelling people like the left do.