Jeremy Corbyn confronted the Tories with the poverty they're creating at PMQs - and all they could do was laugh

[blacksunday]

The Tories seem to forget that they were the last government - at some point they will have to take responsibility for their handling of the nation

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As Jeremy Corbyn stood for his second PMQs today, the mocking Tory laughs told us everything we need to know about their enduring Bullingdon Club-style politics. Old habits die hard, it seems. But Corbyn opened strongly, with an issue that unites the Labour party: the cuts to working tax credits which penalise the lowest earners, known colloquially as the Tory work penalty.

Again, the Tories laughed at the name ‘Kelly’, so apparently unbelievable do they find the first names of Corbyn’s constituents; they soon fell silent, however, as they heard of her struggle as the mother of a disabled child earning minimum wage in a 40.5-hour-per-week job. Corbyn tackled the bullyboys by pausing at their laughter this time. ‘Some may find this funny,’ he said, as he continued to talk about mass inequality and the housing problem in London. It was a subtle highlight of something glaringly obvious: for millionaires protected by Tory policies, inequality bolstered by unfair taxes and buy-to-let properties really is hilarious.

Cameron’s reply to the work penalty issue was the same old line: apparently a £20-a-week increase in wages will magically solve the problem. This is not true, of course, as Corbyn promptly replied: working families are set to be £1,300 a year worse off as the Conservative government hammers the working and middle classes so as to give to the super rich.

Cameron claimed that Corbyn’s figures on poverty were wrong, but perhaps that is something to do with the fact that the Work and Pensions Secretary fixed the definition of ‘poverty’ recently. You don’t feed and clothe homeless children by changing a definition, and the government should be ashamed. The fact that 50 per cent of wealth is in 1 per cent of hands globally is shambolic, and reports today that inequality is growing in the UK even as our country now has the third most ‘ultra-high net worth individuals’ in the world put paid to Cameron’s claims to have driven opportunity. There could be no bigger proof that his policies continue to squeeze the middle and punish the poor.

cont'd

www.independent.co.uk/voices/jeremy-corbyn-confronted-the-tories-with-the-poverty-theyre-creating-at-pmqs-and-all-they-could-do-a6693756.html

She's a Tory? I have to admit to cheering when I saw this. Unfortunately she's a rarity in her party.

So now the trolls are concentrating on how the UK gets economic, debt, Trident anarchy in the UK using the PR argument, priceless.

In the 2015 General Election the Labour Party got 30% of the vote, the Conservatives got 37% of the vote and the further right wing UKIP 12% - many of the Labour voters – so AT BEST the socialists can brag 50% of the vote that counts.

The socialist coalition thought they had it in the MORE government spending, MORE government waste, MORE debt, bag – the SNP according to Salmond was already writing Labour’s first Budget speech – and at what price?

Anarchy/indecision in the UK would have suits some in 2010 and 2015, but common sense prevailed, as the 'steady as we go' failed policies of the previous 13-years would have sent us well on the Road to Greece, via STILL stagnant socialist France.

Grazia-

Labour were perfectly happy with our electoral system when they got in using it.

Who cares?

I am never sure what the phrase get over yourself means.

It means, stop thinking of yourself and your psychopathic friends as representative of the country. You're not.

We have 5 year s of Tory rule which will be very good news for everyone rich and poor in the country and that is democracy.

Evidently not.

Hands up those who wanted NOTHING to be done from 2010 to fix the 13-years of economic, financial, rising unemployment, overly fat State, trending upward annually Budget deficit, unbalance shitstack - leading to eventually UK bankruptcy?

Hands up those you wanted the Labour alternative (above) in 2010 as a sustainable situation?

Hands up those who have EVER SEEN a comprehensive and detailed spending, tax, and cuts plan put forward by the Labour Party over two General Elections, as an alternative?

A socialist coalition in 2015 trying to get back to the high spending/debt 2010 (that did not exist in 2001) and bun fighting amongst itself for more EXPENSIVE energy, more 'interests' for Scotland, more 'interets' for Wales - would have resulted in both anarchy and the UK's rapid decline.

If some people didn't realise that before May 2010, listening to them all since, they know now.

Isitme Grazia
As Tories , could I ask you what your opinion is, on Tory politicians laughing at the struggle of the disabled and poor?brought about by Tory policies.

Do you think them callous? Disrespectful? Arrogant? Justified? Funny?

For some people in such privileged position to point and laugh at others, surely you have something to say about it?

So far neither of you have said anything in relation to the OP. All you have done is derail the thread, by pointing fingers at a previous government, and spammed links as to why you voted Tory.

TwatbyNature ... if you READ the first few posts of this thread you will find out that Tories laughing AT Corbyn, trying to crack his jokes at Cameron in the 'new PMQT' - but Blacksunday will be happy that readers here accept his propaganda headlines as facts.

NO Conservative comes in to penalise the poor (who would be a lot poorer under Labour from 2010 with extra taxes i.e. National Insurance, income tax, lower start rates of tax, Council Tax), in fact they seem to exist to CORRECT the mess Labour leaves, as the last time they left the economy (which helps support the poor) in a better state than when they found it - was back in the 1930's as best as I can see.

Hands up who can point to a bust economy globally, where the poor do the best.

Hands up if in the Eurozone's poor who's Welfare/Benefits rose NO WHERE NEAR ours in the 2000s - currently with TWICE our unemployment rate and far more on non permanent jobs - are better off than ours?

So anyone who don't believe (knows the truth) the socialists bollocks that everything was fine/sustainable in 2010 - and those idiots are the right people to run this country for me and mine in the future - has to be PAID to post some sanity?

On a board full of trolls, many not even from this country?

And the 'dead animal' comment says more about you, than I can.

Labour/socialism BUILT a UK economy on paying out more Benefits/Welfare/Tax Credits on the proceeds of a City and high street bank lending boom - that burst - with nothing in the private sector left to replace/support it e.g. manufacturing, so get over it.

Of course they weren't laughing at the disabled as explained above. We all know Cameron had a disbaled son and most Tories and most Labour voters all have huge compassion for the disabled. It is by managing the economy we can preserve the welfare state. In a sense it is Corbyn laughing at the disabled by wanting to ensure the country isn't run properly and cannot then manage a welfare state - that is cruelty and lack of compassion.

Yeah, the UN are investigating the Tory's human rights abuse of the disabled, because of their compassion.

Linky
www.disabilitynewsservice.com/confirmed-un-is-investigating-uks-grave-violations-of-disabled-peoples-rights/

Very interesting Squidzin. I work disabled young people in a residential unit. Referals are sky high, due to cuts to essential services. This is the reality.

My clients are all 18-25, we are the only residential unit that hasn't been closed in the last 5 years.

Those of you posting about Dave understanding the 'disabled' because of Ivan, obviously have no experience of how dire things are for those of us caring for children with severe disabilities. Some hospitals in this country won't consider those with severe disabilities for operations to improve their life. Their respite has been cut, their services. You really don't have any idea.

I'd tell you about my own situation but there is no point. Dave may understand the emotional side of having a severely disabled child but he doesn't understand the domestic side for the vast majority (not even just poor) it's a travesty really that he is so ignorant

the UN are investigating the Tory's human rights abuse of the disabled, because of their compassion.

IF there was a UN 'Disabled Benefits Department' methinks they have more tax funded jobsworths than the EU in Brussels looking at countries including Angola and Syria; in fact, as Squidzin's link shows, protest groups have contacted the UN and this is the first of its kind. Kudos.

But as Cameron said at PMQT Wednesday (see link below) while cooperating with the report, when comparing the UK to other countries, he seems to doubt it will go anywhere.

For example;

Quite how the UN decides if a Spare Room Subsidy (Bedroom tax) is a 'Human Rights Abuse' if local authorities can't work out a disabled persons actual needs and charges the subsidy when;

• How many countries in comparison HAVE Council/social homes?

• Why would those in Private housing pay for/stay in a home with bedrooms they don't need those in Council homes previously could?

• What about the 'Human Rights' of the poorest in society WITHOUT ANY BEDROOMS, like the 1.9 million families (5 million citizens) on the Council/social home waiting list?

www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/david-cameron-dismisses-un-investigation-into-dwps-treatment-of-disabled-people-a6702531.html

"The Prime Minister said he was proud of his Government’s record on people with disabilities and said he would cooperate with any probe, but downplayed its significance."

“Of course I will look at any United Nations investigation but sometimes when you look at these investigations they are not necessarily all they are originally cracked up to be,” he said."

“There are many disabled people our world who don’t have any of the rights or any of the support we have here in Britain and I think we should be proud of what we do as we cooperate with this report.”

Pretending it isn't happening is ignorance. I have first hand experience of how austerity is affecting people with disabilities and the services they receive. No amount of underlining and quoting and linking is going to make that any different.

Owllady .... Excuse me, I have no doubt that "it" is happening, but "it", which admittedly may have been different "its", were going to happen whether the Conservatives or Labour were in power from 2010 with a £153 bil government overspend - and I have the links to show you if you wish (which I doubt) - the latter were bragging before the last election that THEY were going to cut more from the benefits/welfare bill than the (then) coalition.

The problem for many charities is that they have significantly changed by coming more politicized, that may help individuals coming in and out between jobs make a name for themselves, unfortunately they are likely to TURN OFF both those they are lobbying AND many that might donate. IMO

www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/11037088/Half-of-Gordon-Browns-spads-work-for-charities-lobbying-Coalition-as-Tories-condemn-revolving-door.html

www.cityam.com/blog/1391593049/how-charities-lavish-millions-taxpayer-money-left-wing-campaigns

It's not to do with just welfare cuts though, the biggest problem carers and those with severe disabilities are facing is more to do with the cuts to social care budgets at a local authority level. People have brought up the fact Dave understands because of Ivan, he does not understand at a domestic level. He had round the clock nursing care for Ivan to enable them to work, for the vast majority of us we have to soldier on and are pushed into unemployed due to lack of suitable respite facilities and cutting of those budgets and closures of services. The most vulnerable in our society should not be pushed further into poverty, whether there is a deficit or not.

Owllady ... I totally get your 'what people think' Cameron point

To my mind the problem is not just about money, other than government departmental budgets were significantly increased over several years - yet I seriously doubt if by 2010 it would have provided the capacity to meet what we ACTUALLY needed with normal birth/death trends - never mind the 3 million new citizens we knew was a possibility from 2000 (as a policy), and from 2004 saw.

Not only that, the 'Baby Boomers' got 13-years closer to retirement.

So we had this ridiculous situation by 2010 where the State/taxpayers were mainly paying shed loads more, for less/diluted services - not only unable to meet the then current capacity - but now way behind in meeting the increasing public services needs of more births, those retiring and needing homes, in the decade ahead.

In no industry, whether public or private sector, can the 'directors' keep throwing money into unreformed/non reviewed services.

So while there has been cuts from the previous massive increases, the Conservative administrations from 2010 have KEPT asking for efficiency reviews/cuts, even within the NHS where more money is going in.

Government in Whitehall to local services weren't USED to using money efficiently, all taxes could keep going up e.g. Council tax up 105% on average in England, so they needed to plan/prioritize and that is still going on.

Wouldn't it have been nice if ANY government department in 2010, would have been handed over more than 2 years after the crash substantially cut tax receipts, both 'lean' and fit for purpose - from all services to the building of homes.

I'm not convinced the nhs is being run more efficiently. The night metric is awful and it needs to be stopped imo. Nurses spend more time at their computers than they do caring for patients (I'm not dissing nurses but it's true)
I've just spent a week in hospital with my child, can you tell?!

Owllady ... I'm not convinced the nhs is being run more efficiently.

I'd suggest no one ever will.

Over the past 6-years, apart from the odd day trip to A&E (mainly accompanying), I have no experience of the wards.

But I did in the 2000s when a parent (now deceased) was in and out for weeks at a time, yet could have been out within days each time, but caught that C.Diff and that other hospital caught infection - giving the wild shits weakening patients - so much so, that after two infections on one operation visit, the doctors asked if could have a DNR instruction if gets worse as with all other internal problems as would break ribs etc.

Apart from not seeing any nurses (as all walking around seemed Assistants, often with shitty pads and bed lined), I wondered what it would have been like WITHOUT a more than doubling of the NHS budget if a hospital for YEARS was unable to keep itself clean.

After, I saw that the Hospital Trusts responsible for day-to-day care had hired more managers than clinical staff, and just wonder what they were 'managing' apart from lists within lists.
www.telegraph.co.uk/health/healthnews/7520408/Rise-in-NHS-managers-outstrips-doctors-and-nurses.html

It's utterly depressing :( my gran was admitted to hospital in December and left hospital in a worse condition. They need more of what used to be called auxiliary nurses imo

Owllady ... It is depressing, but can get better with more joined up thinking on the services provided AND more money going in to support a new comprehensive plan put together by the head of the NHS, not politicians looking for short term solutions, but fully supported by government.

Whether a taxpayer funding it, a user, and/or those who work within, the NHS needs to be run like an efficient business, but not lose its compassion/humanity with those working within happy bunnies - which is a huge challenge when trying to provide both a user friendly and SUSTAINABLE service for decades to come - and when that bespoke NHS model is found, it is implemented by political parties of all colours. IMO.

Yes, I'd pay someone to go in and be with me as much as they were allowed if I went in and I'd have all my food sent in as for me food is what makes me feel good and that is not hospital food.

I remember when my father was in hospital - all those nurses bunched around computers in the nurses station for ages and ages and not sitting with the patients.