Fuck it - the government will look me

Bless you, that sounds hard.

In the same vein as your reply, I didn't choose to be adopted, born to heroin addicts, have a head injury and post concussion syndrome before being injured by psychotropic drugs and then have a movement disorder... I think it's all about the circumstances of someone's life but equally the way they respond to life events and the hand they have been given.

Sometimes those circumstances are easiest to get through than others, and of course, everyone is different so will react differently.

Life isn't as black and white as some people say. I do think that some people actively choose to live with a lower standard than they could, and it isnt beyond them to improve things. They sometimes just choose not to.

Some posters would disagree with you, because it does not fit the inequality narrative.

Yes I think your post doesn’t go against what I meant?

If Labour hit people over £45 or £50k it’s been determined that a whole raft of teachers, train drivers etc are in that group

The we won’t tax working people nonsense falls apart. They’ll find it hard to get MPs to defend it.

Well, I guess people voted for Labour - and are going to be punished for it.

Manifestos evidently count for nothing.

Not at all unreasonable but your original post seems to be complaining that money is spent on improving the lives of children whose parents choices you disagree with. So there's an awful lot of hypocrisy here. All the socially funded schemes in place to help when I was growing up, university bursaries and funding, funding for teens who remain in education, sure start centres have been eroded by the Tories. And you seem to be arguing for the removal of MORE funding?

To help the children you first help the parents without dividing into the deserving and undeserving poor. That's the only way to benefit the next generation

But it isn't lazy to generalise based on a few people you know?

That's what I thought. Either the OP has been lucky in life, or she's from a privileged background.

I don’t think they do get a free pass, that’s why Reform are doing well. People are pissed off with Labour but still angry about Boris and co.

We likely need to be realistic about what is affordable, not sure the electorate will go for that though.

I’m saying the lazy generalisations on here about people in receipt of benefits being ‘poor’ is nonsense.

You think people who have SEN and have children on DLA are just not applying themselves? Or do you think they should be living in worse accommodation and just get by on the bones or their arses?
Put all the people with SEN and/or claiming DLA in damp flats!

I grew up in poverty - with foster carers at some stages. Looking back I see how my child benefit, income support, family allowance (I’m 46) was spent. I grew on a benefits estate - I didn’t feel “poor” until I was taken in by carers. I was quite happy until I saw what I could have. It’s hard to acknowledge but some people will always be happy to scrape by.

What if those middle class people are actually friends with those who you are referring to as poor? My child’s extra curricular takes place in an area that is considered ‘rough’ and I have friends who are in receipt of multiple benefits as they have SEN diagnoses alongside their children. No they don’t own their own properties, but live in lovely new builds on a clean and tidy new development. They are also able to fund things for their children through their children’s DLA that I wouldn’t be able to afford. Holidays abroad and in this country every year. Honestly there are no damp flats in my circle.

Work-wise neither of the women work although I know they did used to work in the care sector.. One does some side work as a beautician whilst her partner does a courier type job. The other has a partner but I don’t believe he works.

It doesn't confuse me.

Struggling benefit claimants - Farage says blame the immigrants! Vote Reform for no more immigrants!

Struggling working people - Farage says blame the immigrants and workshy benefit claimants! Vote Reform for no more immigrants and workshy benefit claimants!

And on and on it goes.

It is like a Ponzi scheme of scapegoating. But people are so blinded by hate, they don't see it. Even when they are the ones being scapegoated.

Farage is a scumbag, but he's a clever scumbag.

Absolutely. I am always 🙄when I see people posting about how easy it is to get ahead from the comfort of their leafy, six figure salaried middle class world. That the poor just need to apply themselves and their problems will disappear. Or alternatively how crap the middle classes have it in comparison to someone living in a damp flat on £400 a month. They just have no idea of some people's reality.

Believe me - I'm not!

I'm just sick to the back teeth of the Starmer bashing when Boris and Co got a free pass to run us into the ground and the amount of deluded people who think Reform are the answer when they are even more against the working people than the Tories.

If it was up to me we'd replace the lot of them with a whole heap of Northern Grandma's and let common sense take hold for a bit!

Alas, we have this shower of shite to pick from 😩

Me too! I miss working so much.

@PandoraSocks that is what confuses me.

🙋‍♀️ on benefits, desperate to work here.

no probs

Farage's own constituency has 60% claiming benefits.

Ah, sorry! Misunderstood again.
Yes, I just give them the benefit of the doubt!

It's the working poor, not the rich, middle earners, the pensioners, disabled or unemployed who have been completely and utterly failed by this country

As a group current pensioners have not been failed by this country, the young have.

@Damnthetorpedoes thanks

I do find that somewhat confusing. Reform
wants to reduce the welfare bill but that would directly impact some of their voters.

Thought so.

I dont hear those on benefits saying they want to work?

And yes, governmnet needs to spend way less.