Something positive about this government

I dee that IDS successor is overtly labelled in the media as "Welsh" & "Christian" They must see that as significant

What is such fun is the way various government mps come on and say what high regard they have for so and so and how succesful they were at thier job and then go on to totally trash them.

I think IDS was ambitious. I cant see how he would be where he is if he wasn't. I suspect he still is. But perhaps he isnt now.
I also suspect that if Boris were to offer him a nice job sometime after June, he would take it.
What I dont get is why he didnt speak up at all to his colleagues in the weeks leading up to the budget.

I agree with you whitewave re IDS and David Laws. IDS has been instrumental in introducing these cuts and this sudden crisis of conscience doesn't ring very true to me. I think it's a bit of political manoeuvring at a time when the Conservative party is in disarray.

By painting IDS as a rather benevolent character, I believe David Laws is trying to excuse his and his party's willingness to go along with the Conservative agenda.

eloathan now that's what I call positive

Annie, Cameron said that to a member of the government, but it's in the Times, so I can't read it in full.

Atqui Many people from all parties (including me - a sometimes reluctant Labour voter) can never forgive Blair for taking the UK into an illegal war. However, it wasn't just about Blair - during its tenure, here are some of the Labour government's achievements:

The National Minimum Wage
Working Families' Tax Credits
Educational Maintenance Allowance
Child Trust Fund
NHS Direct
Sure Start Centres across the country
Pensioners' Credits, winter fuel allowance, free TV licence for over 75's
Extended free eye tests for over 60's
Extended off peak bus travel for over 60's and disabled travellers

Negotiated the Northern Ireland Good Friday Agreement
Brought in the Countryside and Rights of Way Act 2000, enshrining the right to roam
Banned fox hunting
Reduced waiting lists by over 500,000
Set up a Building Schools for the Future programme
Led an international convention banning cluster bombs
Removed the majority of hereditary peers
Set up the Food Standards Agency
Passed the Freedom of Information Act
Initiated the construction of Crossrail
Raised the legal age of buying cigarettes to 18 and banned tobacco adverts in magazines, newspapers and on billboards
Introduced smoking ban
Banned junk food in school vending machines

He is not remotely ambitious... his interview on TV today was nauseating. He has persecuted the most vulnerable in society - who the hell even believes this stuff ?

Blimey that cant be right can it?????

Loved the way IDS said I am not remotely personally ambitious. Well if that was the case why didn't he resign years ago and fight the case from the back benches. The same with the Libs. Personal ambition constantly gets in the way of truth it seems to me.

I always listen to the paper reviews but took a phone call during the 10.30 edition, I think I saw one headline saying Cameron blames Osbourn, I could be so wrong though

Whitewave, just been reading about David Laws.
If only IDS and David Laws had spoken up last year.

Last week the sister of David Clapson took a 200,000+ petition to Downing Street, to ask the government to look into her brother's death from benefit sanctions.
He was the ex-soldier who died after having his electricity cut off, having no money to buy food and being diabetic.
They took a quilt to Downing Street, which had photos and names of the people who had died as a result of benefit cuts.

Wonder what next week will bring? I guess that number 10 is busy trying to put a lid on it and cobbling together a rehashed budget.

Is DC giving a statement tomorrow?

Thank you .jamila it isn't true but I can respect it is your opinion,

Oh, OK then, please don't misinterpret what I have posted then twist it to make it sound as if I am stupid and/or callous.
Is that better?

Obieone, I think you should read the rest of Eloethan's post, not just the list.
You appear to have missed the most important points.

www.disabilitynewsservice.com/dwp-dismissed-coroners-concerns-over-wca-suicide-link-document-reveals/

www.disabilitynewsservice.com/yvette-cooper-slams-appalling-failure-of-ministers-to-act-over-coroners-letter/

www.disabilitynewsservice.com/tribunal-could-order-dwp-to-release-key-benefit-deaths-details/

www.disabilitynewsservice.com/dwp-secrecy-over-benefit-related-suicides/

www.disabilitynewsservice.com/damning-research-on-wca-deaths-is-timely-reminder-of-governments-shame/

An article in the Guardian in February 2015 referred to data collected by the Office for National Statistics:

"According to ONT there had been a downward trend in the suicide rate between 1981 and 2007 but since then there has been a steady increase."

Jamila, I find your insults crossed through followed by a different word uncalled for, you mean misinterpret so why cross through it, just say it,

The more people who are able to use their gumption to find work and have to perhaps put up with a bit of hardship or separation from their families, the more people there will be paying tax to help the disabled and those who cannot help themselves

Well they will not be paying tax to help the disabled if their in Australia or traveling from country to country.

Apart from historic references to migrating overseas I didn't mention moving to Australia in my post above. Moving to other parts of the UK would still mean they pay tax if they find a job.

Do you always have an answer for everything that anyone posts that you misinterpret disagree with anniebach

Well I look at eloethans list and think how little has been achieved. Funny how perspective colours your understanding

Thank you very much Eloethan for the breakdown of this thread.

A lot of left wing posters seem to be almost blind to the points.

I have come to the conclusion that they need things said to them again and again and again before they take them in.

I agree with Jess, this whole austerity scenario has achieved nothing, absolutely nothing , apart from this Government's sheer determination to grind the working class into the ground. I believe that was their main objective. Their economic policy has failed miserably and yet they persist. It almost beggars belief

Anya I don't think that's it because the revised 2012 RTB scheme does require councils to build a new house for every one bought. So far this has hardly happened because basically councils can't afford to build new houses for the amount they get from their share of the sales (and they can't afford the land prices). The number of new social rent properties built is a small fraction of the number of properties sold. In fact, I read councils in areas where property is expensive are spending a lot of money buy back ex council houses from private landlords as a cheaper way of increasing its housing stock. I might be wrong, but I think a council could always use the money from council house sales to reduce its debt, so maybe councils are occurring debt by buying property, knowing the debt can be offset in some way. I have been out of housing far too long to remember the nuts and bolts of the old RTB scheme, let alone the newer one. I searched Google for ages yesterday, but couldn't find anything that rang a bell about what I thought I'd read before.