but seriously how to create interclass resentment and fraction. destroy benefits and services that worked for all re: tax credits, surestart, connexions etc taking things away from all of us whilst appearing to redirect the money taken from our pockets and services to spend on families who have systematically failed their children.
sure they should get money and support - if it's that bad social services should be right on their tail and welfare officers etc etc.
but if you want to create a way to make the middle classes and working poor resent those who are not putting in any efforts then this is the way to do it isn't it? and along with it to misrepresent as if these 'problem families' who need their 2yos in nursery for free and £450m worth of daft scheme spending etc are what all benefit claiming or poor families look like.
they're not. these are very special cases who need proper social work supervision and intervention.
i think there is deliberate prejudice and misrepresentation building going on with these daft supposed schemes.
i have a disability, i claim benefits but does my son need extra services? no. he does of course need enough money coming in to be able to put the heating on and have a mother who can do the things it takes to cope with her disability. but no being on benefits has not made me a feckless mother - my son is doing great.
dysfunctional families that abuse their children are to be found across the board - they're not distinguished by benefits or poverty or even lack of education. perhaps the mp's should check out the stately homes threads if they're in doubt.
this is all about sewing resentment and division and i actually think that most of us, here at least, and those wit access to the internet are just not buying it anymore because it is transparent and insulting.
give the 450m this is costing and god knows how many millions the free childcare for 2yo's of dysfunctional families back to everyone where it is means tested by income. it was fair. they didn't say ooh single mums get more cos x, y and z or the feckless get it but we don't. it was for everyone on a sliding scale dependent on what they earnt and the vast majority had a stake in it. it acknowledged the expense of raising children in a society wher ethe cost of living has majorly outstripped salaries.
it was a fantastic move forward actually that could/should have minimised inter class resentment. resentment that the tories seem determined to build up again and determined to eradicate any real class/economic mobility that had been created.
bleurgh.