Housing Benefit?

Oh NOW there's questions and a fuss being made in Parliament about the upcoming cuts and changes in Housing Benefit.

With *gasps* even a few Tory and Lib Dem backbenchers expressing concerns - concerns which Cameron blithely brushes off - because he so firmly believes the magic fairies of Privatisation will bring forth thousands upon thousands of jobs out of thin air to solve all the countries woes. Over night. Well, he would wouldn't he? I mean his whole life has been led in cosseted luxury - so he has no idea how harsh and grim the majority of people's lives actually are. He has not even a clue of a clue.

Of course the Govt. is right to be bothered about the huge Housing Benefit bill - but that's because erm, there are an awful lot of unemployed people around (and with the Govt. about to sack a few thousand more Council workers - who - will yes, end up having to claim JSA and Housing Benefit. That's on top of the many low paid workers who have to claim HB because they can't afford to live otherwise. I mean - that I would have thought have been a case for rent controls and for raising the minimum wage to be more of a liveable wage - but these things are expressively against Tory ideology.

[I won't mention the fact that there's been decades of not building enough new affordable housing - and the house price bubble that was allowed to grow and grow and grow and grow - because it made everyone feel richer and they could the ever raising prices to raise credit...]

As for the arbitrary and mean-spirited trick of cutting NB by 10% after you're been unemployed after 12 months - that's just sick. I wouldn't be surprised if they've also got their moronic 'work for your benefits' scheme in place by then... meaning people will be working full time for a LOT less than minimum wage with the added extra threat of eviction over their heads because they won't be able to meet their rent. It'll be the next best thing to state sponsored slavery. No doubt by then we'll have Clegg leaping in to wring his hands and proclaim how it was such a difficult decision to make but how it's ultimately fair, and that we're all in it together. Honest. You can believe me, ol' honest Clegg.

Put me in that position - I think I'd eventually go and kill the chairman of whatever private company the Tory Govt. will have hired (one of their mates no doubt) to run the scheme - well, why not? By then what will I have to lose? At least in prison I'd be fed three times a day and have a roof over my head. That would be a step up from destitution and homelessness - and I'll have performed a much-needed public service to boot.

Seriously though - this is exactly the sort of small-minded, non-joined-up thinking I expect of Tories.