[Nedusa]

Originally Posted by Jack_

I'm really quite sick of stories like this appearing in red top tabloids and other trashy papers which give those who are welfare dependant a collective bad name. The demonisation of this group of people is really quite appalling, cases like this are few and far between and are vastly exaggerated and it's awful that they're used as means to target often the most vulnerable and needy people in society.

I agree there are too many stories like these appearing in tabloid newspapers for their shock value, they are in reality a very very small minority of a much larger socially deprived underclass who rely on a variety of benefits to survive.

I think we have seen recently an increase in these types of sensationalised articles which reinforce this lazy idle ignorant benefit claiming stereotype. I have to wonder if there is not a more sinister plot at work here. It's no secret the current Govt is desperate to overhaul the whole benefit system and needs public opinion onside so it has cover when the axe falls and thousands of recipients will find their benefits vastly reduced or stopped.

The current system is too complicated and is open to certain abuses but it does offer a safety net to the most disadvantaged members of our society so any reform has to measured, fair and should focus on helping the people who need help the most. Using the press to create a climate of fear and loathing for these people to justify savage cuts is not the answer...!!!

[bbfan1991]

A disgrace.

[realitytvsux]

Originally Posted by Nedusa

I agree there are too many stories like these appearing in tabloid newspapers for their shock value, they are in reality a very very small minority of a much larger socially deprived underclass who rely on a variety of benefits to survive.

I think we have seen recently an increase in these types of sensationalised articles which reinforce this lazy idle ignorant benefit claiming stereotype. I have to wonder if there is not a more sinister plot at work here. It's no secret the current Govt is desperate to overhaul the whole benefit system and needs public opinion onside so it has cover when the axe falls and thousands of recipients will find their benefits vastly reduced or stopped.

The current system is too complicated and is open to certain abuses but it does offer a safety net to the most disadvantaged members of our society so any reform has to measured, fair and should focus on helping the people who need help the most. Using the press to create a climate of fear and loathing for these people to justify savage cuts is not the answer...!!!

I agree with you Nedusa and Jack it is so very easy to demonise people at the lower end of the economic scale. Meanwhile the super rich, corporations and our delightful rulers whose unpaid taxes and misclaimed expenses far exceed any financial damage the benefits claimants are doing to the general population - get off free. Not to mention the wars we are all paying for to protect business interests in oil rich countries. Seriously, this woman is hardly a shining example of UK womanhood but let's not be deluded about where the real misappropriation of funds goes on.

[thesheriff443]

Originally Posted by realitytvsux

I agree with you Nedusa and Jack it is so very easy to demonise people at the lower end of the economic scale. Meanwhile the super rich, corporations and our delightful rulers whose unpaid taxes and misclaimed expenses far exceed any financial damage the benefits claimants are doing to the general population - get off free. Not to mention the wars we are all paying for to protect business interests in oil rich countries. Seriously, this woman is hardly a shining example of UK womanhood but let's not be deluded about where the real misappropriation of funds goes on.

great post!

[realitytvsux]

Originally Posted by thesheriff443

great post!

Thanks

[Pyramid*]

Originally Posted by realitytvsux

I agree with you Nedusa and Jack it is so very easy to demonise people at the lower end of the economic scale. Meanwhile the super rich, corporations and our delightful rulers whose unpaid taxes and misclaimed expenses far exceed any financial damage the benefits claimants are doing to the general population - get off free. Not to mention the wars we are all paying for to protect business interests in oil rich countries. Seriously, this woman is hardly a shining example of UK womanhood but let's not be deluded about where the real misappropriation of funds goes on.

Absolutely -and I agree with every word said in that respect.However, the thread is about this SPECIFIC story: it's not a comparison thread as to who drains the government resources the most, which though understandable that some will do so: it is ultimately been raised to spotlight this particular story.

I don't think anyone is deluded enough to think that it's anything other than a thread raised to highlight that there are people like this woman in particulary who do abuse the system. Yes, she is an extreme example: but extreme or not: it doesn't excuse what she is doing - nor invalidate the right to discuss same.

[Nedusa]

Originally Posted by realitytvsux

I agree with you Nedusa and Jack it is so very easy to demonise people at the lower end of the economic scale. Meanwhile the super rich, corporations and our delightful rulers whose unpaid taxes and misclaimed expenses far exceed any financial damage the benefits claimants are doing to the general population - get off free. Not to mention the wars we are all paying for to protect business interests in oil rich countries. Seriously, this woman is hardly a shining example of UK womanhood but let's not be deluded about where the real misappropriation of funds goes on.

The Public are easily conned into thinking the benefit claiming masses are responsible for the budget deficit due to an ever increasing social welfare budget. But in truth this govt and successive govt's have created the conditions of economic hardship for millions by destroying the manufacturing base of this country together with the Heavy Engineering Industries. Add to this the enormous cost of funding illegal wars and the disgusting actions of the major banks in forcing govt bailouts, then one starts to see where the real money has gone from the govt purse.

Don't forget vast numbers of this so called "benefit class" used to work in these industries and after they collapsed there was little else to replace them. This has resulted in vast areas of the country where there is effectively no hope of finding suitable employment, and what new companies do open up are too busy enticing foreign EU workers from Eastern Europe to take jobs at rates which UK workers with mortgages & families cannot survive on.

So successive govts must take a lot of the blame for the messed up state of Britain today, the Woman in the OP is a sad product of Broken Britain but to sensationalize and demonize her with these ridiculous news stories only distracts the public from seeing the REAL problems in Britain today...!!!!

[Kizzy]

Originally Posted by Nedusa

The Public are easily conned into thinking the benefit claiming masses are responsible for the budget deficit due to an ever increasing social welfare budget. But in truth this govt and successive govt's have created the conditions of economic hardship for millions by destroying the manufacturing base of this country together with the Heavy Engineering Industries. Add to this the enormous cost of funding illegal wars and the disgusting actions of the major banks in forcing govt bailouts, then one starts to see where the real money has gone from the govt purse.

Don't forget vast numbers of this so called "benefit class" used to work in these industries and after they collapsed there was little else to replace them. This has resulted in vast areas of the country where there is effectively no hope of finding suitable employment, and what new companies do open up are too busy enticing foreign EU workers from Eastern Europe to take jobs at rates which UK workers with mortgages & families cannot survive on.

So successive govts must take a lot of the blame for the messed up state of Britain today, the Woman in the OP is a sad product of Broken Britain but to sensational and demonize her with these ridiculous news stories only distracts the public from seeing the REAL problems in Britain today...!!!!

Spot on, a very inciteful post!
coal, steel, textiles vast swathes of the country devastated by the loss of industry.
Privatisation, deregulation, outscourcing and war have ruined this country, it is time to stop pointing fingers of blame at those who are casualties of years of governmental failing.
Your bit in bold x 1000!

This is a quote relating to a different issue but it has relevance here..
''Without an acknowledgement that class-based discrimination is unacceptable, the MPs who are cutting wages, jobs and services will be allowed to peddle the myths that blame impoverished people for their own difficult circumstances.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisf...ndrew-mitchell