Pledge on the jobless
GETTING people back into work has to be the first priority, Ed Balls said yesterday, as he visited a work centre with a new plan to tackle long-term unemployment.
The shadow chancellor met unemployed Londoners at Stratford's Workplace centre after unveiling plans for a new compulsory job scheme for anyone who has been looking for work for more than two years.
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Mr Balls' idea was attacked by Prime Minister David Cameron, who dubbed Labour's position "bizarre".
The Government said Mr Balls' funding for the idea – from changing pension tax relief rates for higher earners – was the same as his pledge to reverse tax credit changes last year.
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But Mr Balls rejected the charge, which comes ahead of Tuesday's Commons vote on Government plans to limit most working age benefits to a 1% rise, which Labour is set to oppose.
THE first person in the UK to have a hand transplant has described how he is most looking forward to holding his grandson's hand.
A shocked Mark Cahill, 51, was told on Boxing Day that a donor hand was available.
And he underwent the procedure a day later in a pioneering eight-hour operation at Leeds General Infirmary (LGI).
The former pub landlord from Greetland, near Halifax, West Yorkshire, said the move had changed his life.
CHILD benefit cuts will cause "incoherence" in the welfare system and undermine other Government reforms, a respected economic think tank has warned.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) issued a highly critical analysis of the move to strip the payments from some higher earners from next week. While it made sense to target universal benefits paid to the better-off as part of efforts to tackle the deficit, the way it was being done was "problematic", it said.
It warned that some families would end up losing as much as 65p of every extra pound they earned.
Comments
by Vinnie_Gar
Saturday, January 05 2013, 2:00PM
“MissAnthrope
I had to think about that one but very good.”
by Rick_OShay
Saturday, January 05 2013, 12:26PM
“Cameron tried hard in opposition to persuade us that the Tories were no longer the nasty party. Unfortunately since getting into power his actions have shown the opposite.
Osborne and Duncan Smith have consistently tried to stigmatise the so called "shirkers" and now they want to cap benefits for 3 years. Meanwhile rich pensioners will remain untouched by Tory reforms and people like Philip Green and Lord Ashcroft can continue to add to their £billions of wealth.
Workers in the public sector are subject to a long term pay freeze, if they are lucky enough to hold onto their jobs, and the average wages went up 2.8% over the last 4 years for us plebs. Meanwhile wages for the FTSE 100 bosses went up 21%
Cameron and Osborne talk a lot about people needing to better themselves but both are the product of inherited wealth and privilege, born with silver spoons in their mouths.
Lets not fall for the Tory lies, s'funny how the plebs are paying the price for the recession.
Rick O'Shay
Zog”
by bongaloo
Saturday, January 05 2013, 10:53AM
“So, does this master plan tackle the reasons behind why certain people are out of work for a long period of time instead of just applying a bandage to cover the wound for short period of time? ... haha .....Balls”
by puffing_billy
Saturday, January 05 2013, 10:14AM
“To paraphrase the Blackadder sketch where Edmund delared "Great Ball's up"
Non-Job creation schemes didn't work for you last time , what has changed ??”
by OutsideView
Saturday, January 05 2013, 10:11AM
“A very mixed up article, no wonder Balls could be confused!”
by MissAnthrope
Saturday, January 05 2013, 9:51AM
“I know the unemployed can be a bit unwashed but I don't think it's very ethical to spray them with furniture polish.”
by PLYMFOX01
Saturday, January 05 2013, 9:33AM
“Labour wasting money again. Lets have some real jobs please. Mr Balls you are like most politicians you come out with a whole load of tosh.”
by timplymouth
Saturday, January 05 2013, 9:19AM
“Giving the long term unemployed fake jobs for a few months will do nothing to solve the problem. Real, permanent jobs are the solution.”