Ashamed to be British ....

[twiglett]

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I know Twiglett, I know.

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I've lost all respect for David Blunkett on most of the policies he's been pushing recently.

I just can't wait until there's a general election - I think this government is in for a shock...

Twiglett, I agree too. It's not why I voted labour!!

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What an ar*ehole.

Is it just me or is this another of the policies to get the daily rag readers' vote? yet again the govt introduces an stupid policy on assylum seekers to make the rag readers' think that they are being tough on assylum seekers (but strangely enough, NOT on the causes of assylum seekers - ie the awful governments they are trying to get away from) the law will be contested and the House of Lords will say that the goverment was not entitled to introduce this policy so they backtrack and say - hey, we tried but those silly international laws stopped us!

Surely, Gordon Brown would be a better PM than Blair?

I do agree that this sounds very harsh. However, as a labour supporter I can't help but feel that they can not do any right at the moment. People want a crack down on assylum seekers, and I guess Blunkett feels that this threat may make them think twice about refusing a flight home. What you've got to remember is that a failed assylum seeker will no longer be recieving state benefits and will not be allowed to work, so the children will be at risk if there is no money coming in. It's horrible I know to think what some of these people have sufferred, and then to have your kids taken from you is horrendous. It's one of those awful situations where emotions run high.

I'm fuming about the top up fees thing too. I always thought this push to get everyone to uni was just a way of hiding unemployment figures in the first place. If the country can't afford to send everyone to uni then we should be encouraging the most able and dedicated to go rather than screening potential graduates by how much their parents can afford.

I voted Labour too, and this is not the government I voted for. I'm ashamed to say Michael Howard is starting to win me over...

It does seem terribly pointless - keeping children in care would cost rather more than giving the family benefits wouldn't it?

I'm hoping though, that it's one of those headline grabbing "get tough" measures which won't actually mean much in practice.

I also dislike Blunkett's policies, but in his (partial) defence, why wasn't the plan to lt lots more legal migrant workers in (thus, hopefully, stopping lots of people from falling into the hands of people smugglers) given so much attention?

georginaa - but the new fees are added to the loan, so not paid by parents.

Bugger, I sound like an apologist for new labour now!

It depends - I will do everything in my power to make sure my kid doesn't end up saddled with debt that they struggle to pay off. 30k is too much debt to start out with. I had (and still have - never earned enough to pay it off) about 4k debt from uni and dh had about 5k (which he has paid off - but it was really tight financially for a while when that was going through) and I think 9k is a lot for a young family having over their head - especially if you're also struggling to get on the property ladder, let alone 30k!

Also, child removal ignored for the moment, can someone explain to me exactly what's going to happen to these people who have had their benefits withdrawn?! We get to watch them die on the streets? They turn to crime to feed themselves? Start begging? Fill up the homeless shelters?

And this is going to help how?

shakes head in disgust

It's also incredibly difficult to claim asylum, actually.

Also - the care system is buckling. There's a realy problem finding enough foster carers (who get a pittance for a really difficult job) as it is.

Georgina: no, we watch them take illegal jobs, then prosecute them for it and generally wind up the BNP brigade who just see lots of foreigners taking "our" work for less money. Genius!

However I've just seen twinkie's post of separating pride for your country from pride in your government. I agree. It's bad enough having such a reactionary government (with an even more reactionary opposition to wind them up), without the whole country getting blamed!

Definitely just a populist move. The problem is that we don't have a massive percentage more asylum seekers in this country than elsewhere but nobody seems to believe it.

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Its £3000, not payable until the graduate earns over a certain amount and interest free.

What has this Govt's policies got to do with being British? We have the freedom of speech, we can protest and we can vote them out.

It's Cathy Come Home all over again. It makes me feel sick. Social workers are already warning they will not forcibly drag screaming children away from their mothers - I think one bit of news footage of that happening might reverse this bit of policy rather sharpish.

Yes, but it wasn't a "positive" landslide victory: it was more a vote against the Tories wasn't it? And now they appear to have taken on many of the worst Tory policies.

Davros - it's £3000 a YEAR, plus you still have to pay living costs. Maybe that's not a lot to you, if so good for you. We've struggled long and hard to clear our debts (with the exception of my student loan) and really don't want to get into that position again. I certainly don't want my children getting into huge amounts of debt before they even start out in life.

Hmm, this is really going to encourage more doctors to qualify too, isn't it ... 7 year course?

Have to say I agree with Davros, this shouldn't make you feel ashamed to be British - just don't vote labour. We need to do something aboutthe amount of asylum seekers in this country but this isn't it.