Tag Archives: benefits uprating bill

Rachel Coleman Finch

Opinion: what living on benefits really means

By Rachel Coleman Finch | Fri 25th January 2013 - 12:51 pm

Rachel writes:

Every time I hear the phrase “a life on benefits”, it’s like a slap in the face to my brother, who lives in my spare room while looking for a job. He’s not lazy or a scrounger, he just can’t find a job. As Sarah Teather said two weeks ago

the term “scroungers” has become so pervasive in social consciousness that even those on benefits do not attempt to debunk the entire category, only to excuse themselves from the label.

I asked my brother if he was willing to share what his life on benefits was like:

Jonny writes:

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Posted in Op-eds | 91 Comments
Stephen Tall

Benefits Uprating Bill: Andrew George and Charles Kennedy’s arguments AGAINST

By Stephen Tall | Tue 22nd January 2013 - 10:40 am

The Government last night won the vote for its Benefits Uprating Bill, with the third and final reading passed by 305 votes to 246. A fortnight ago, six Lib Dem MPs voted against or abstained from the Coalition line that benefits rises should be capped at the same rate as public sector pay (a below inflation 1% pa) for each of the next three years.

Andrew George, Charles Kennedy and other Lib Dems sought to move an amendment to the Bill, linking future welfare increases to the rise in average earnings. However, time expired before it was put …

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Posted in Parliament | Also tagged , and | 1 Comment
Stephen Tall

++ Government wins vote on Benefits Uprating Bill; 6 Lib Dem MPs rebel

By Stephen Tall | Tue 8th January 2013 - 7:45 pm

There were no serious doubts the Coalition Government’s Benefits Uprating Bill — pegging increases in welfare payments at a below-inflation 1%, the same as public sector wage rises, for the next three years — would be approved. The only question was the size of majority and how many Lib Dems would rebel (I’ve been keeping a running tally here this afternoon).

There were two votes tonight. First, a Labour amendment to the Bill, defeated by 321 votes to 262, a government majority of 59. Then a vote on the unamended second reading, which the government won by 324 votes to …

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Posted in News | Also tagged , , , , , , and | 104 Comments



Recent Comments

  • User AvatarSimon McGrath 25th May - 6:29am
    Quite right. My local party submitted a motion on unpaid interns in the Party to the last but one Conference but it was not taken....
  • User AvatarPaul Reynolds 25th May - 4:27am
    Drawing conclusions from the melee which includes phone video footage, police and security service statements, and selected witness accounts is probably premature. For example, what...
  • User AvatarPaul Reynolds 25th May - 3:49am
    Policy on this subject matter was passed by Conference about 4 years ago. It was clumsily called 'UK response to Globalisation' or something similar. It...
  • User AvatarAmalric 25th May - 2:19am
    Thank you Geoffrey Payne for your clarification. I agree with you that the 2015 manifesto has to galvanise the membership into action. However I am...
  • User AvatarMatthew Huntbach 25th May - 2:08am
    Richard S Also I have given this example before. Among ethnically Chinese kids living in the UK the pass rate for 5 GCSEs is 78...
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