Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

...to think that some of you'd like to see Iain Duncan-Smith live on £53 per week for a year

301 replies

SDeuchars · 01/04/2013 20:30

If there are still spaces on the petition, please sign it.

OP posts:
Xenia · 02/04/2013 15:57

He said he would if he had to as would all of us. He is doing very good work to change the system to make it all work better. He deserves cross party support.

Kneedeepindaisies · 02/04/2013 15:58

I've signed because it must be awful to have to survive on £53 a week let alone live!

And because IDS proved what a twat he is by coming out with such a glib comment.

QuintEggSensuality · 02/04/2013 16:02

Why should he?

He has a good education, and a job. He has been working his entire life, his financial commitments match his salary, and like most people will need to readjust as his life changes.

Why should some people live on benefits their entire lives? Most people could live on that amount for a short time, being tidied over.

The welfare state was meant to be a stop gap, not a life style choice.

I agree with the changes. He also said that he fully expected certain people to be totally opposed, and he was right about that too.

I for one think the government is on the right track with this.

QuintEggSensuality · 02/04/2013 16:05

I should add, if I had £53 a week spare when everything was pad, I would be laughing!

SaskiaRembrandtVampireHunter · 02/04/2013 16:11

But he doesn't have a good education, he lied about that. And he hasn't worked for what he has, he married a rich woman and lives rent-free in a house provided by her father.

He reminds me of that song by Dave Lee Roth - what's it called? I'm Just a Gigolo? Something like that.

lonahjomu · 02/04/2013 16:12

How many people who have signed the petition, did so having heard the radio caller and the facts behind the reply IDS made?

Many I believe think that £53 is being expected to cover everything? It isnt. The caller has this figure after Rent & bills are paid.

QuintEggSensuality · 02/04/2013 16:16

Well, so is he a good living proof then that you can get ahead without a degree. He has still had some education, and he has been working, and also for a short period of time claimed unemployment benefit!

garlicbrunch · 02/04/2013 16:19

To those asking: The weekly subsistence has to pay part of your rent (depending on what it is / whether it's social housing / how many rooms you have) and, from this week, 30% of your council tax.

People under 30 are expected to live in a shared home.

I am not paying my council tax, by the time I get sent to prison I'll have been evicted for rent arrears so will need the food & shelter Confused

I get £71 a week.
I have no insurances any more.
I cancelled my TV licence.
My passport and driving licence have expired.
I pay £54 a month for landline, mobile and broadband. (Took out phone contract before this all kicked off; 6 months still to run.)
Rent excess is £60 a month, which I don't always pay.
Metered gas & electricity: currently costing £30 a week. (Heating more expensive as home all day, and often unwell.)

Fortunately I did have lots of clothes, shoes, bed linen, etc left over from better days. I daren't even think about my 18-year-old washing machine breaking down as even the cost of hot water to do it by hand would be a problem!

I cancelled a hospital appointment today because I'd forgotten about it and don't have the £6 bus fare. The hospital pays my fare back in cash, but Work Programme appointments are also in the £6-fare town and they refund it 10 weeks later by BACS.

I only have myself to think about - the choice to heat or eat is mine and I live on casseroles padded out with lentils. With children, you get more money but have stacks more sudden expenses.

It's an incredibly tiny life, hemmed about with fear :(

garlicbrunch · 02/04/2013 16:20

Oh, water rates - I don't pay those, either.

PeneloPeePitstop · 02/04/2013 16:20

Of course you can get on without a degree.

In his case by marrying money.

Nice.

limitedperiodonly · 02/04/2013 16:20

I'm glad it's not just me that remembers him lying about his education saskia. Making a misleading claim on your CV is an excellent example to jobseekers, isn't it?

However YABVU to put an image of baldyman as Richard Gere cutting a swathe through the ladies of LA in my head

SaskiaRembrandtVampireHunter · 02/04/2013 16:21

He's a good example of getting ahead by marrying into money. Maybe we should suggest it to all those unemployed 20 year olds - 'don't bother to get a job, just look for a rich person to hook up with'. Hmm

garlicbrunch · 02/04/2013 16:24

Hmm, they could replace MWA with compulsory matchmaking?

QuintEggSensuality · 02/04/2013 16:26

Saskia, many women who opts to marry and have kids and become sahms rather than work could be accused of the same!

This man works! Does his rich wife work? I assume you know, seeing as you know so much about his married life.

SaskiaRembrandtVampireHunter · 02/04/2013 16:28

limitedperiod Yes, we should all do it. In the future I shall claim to be a fully qualified astronaut - what could possibly go wrong?!

Sorry, for spoiling RG though :(

SaskiaRembrandtVampireHunter · 02/04/2013 16:30

Being a sahm is not the same as marrying someone far wealthier than you and then portraying yourself as a hard working paragon of virtue. It's very insulting (to sahms) for you to suggest the two situations are the same.

SaskiaRembrandtVampireHunter · 02/04/2013 16:31

And as far as I know, the only time his wife worked was when he wangled a job for her as his diary keeper.

QuintEggSensuality · 02/04/2013 16:32

I honestly dont see what him lying about his problems getting on with education has to do with his welfare reforms! You are turning the whole argument on his head.

Whether you are a woman or a man opting to live off your partner, and not work, does not matter. However, I honestly dont think you can call mr Iain Duncan Smith a sponger, as at least he works.

QuintEggSensuality · 02/04/2013 16:33

So how can you even bring up the point that he married a rich woman? He is a working man earning a living! He does not sponge off her? Or are men not allowed to marry rich women? How sexist of you!

SaskiaRembrandtVampireHunter · 02/04/2013 16:38

Quint are you Mrs DS? Because you seem very keen to defend him, despite him being a rank hypocrite.

cuillereasoupe · 02/04/2013 16:47

And as far as I know, the only time his wife worked was when he wangled a job for her as his diary keeper

For which she was investigated for receiving pay (funded by the taxpayer) wholly incommensurate with her duties. Nice work if you can get it:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Betsygate

fluffiphlox · 02/04/2013 16:49

I think Betsy may have made sausages at some time (honest).

Chockyeggpants · 02/04/2013 16:58

There are millions of people around the world who survive on PENNIES A WEEK. Perhaps it's time the entitled UK dwellers remembered this.

Astley · 02/04/2013 17:18

Why should he though? He has a job so isn't trying to live off the state. He doesn't need to prove he can, he has proven he doesn't want to by getting out there and having a job.

cuillereasoupe · 02/04/2013 17:20

He has a job so isn't trying to live off the state

No, he just got the state to pay his wife for a fake job.