Dear Editor,
I am not a member of any political party and owe no allegiance to John D. Clare. but he is the only political candidate to have knocked on my door in the last year.
He spent thirty minutes on the doorstep listening to my concerns and answering my questions. I was pleased to learn that he attended an anti bedroom tax demonstration.
Whether you agree with Mr Clare or not, the fact that he took part in the demonstration proves to me he has the courage of his convictions. I would like to ask Mr Welsh if he expressed his convictions by attending a public demonstration? When I searched the internet, I couldn’t find any pro bedroom tax demonstrations, and I assume because, the policy doesn’t carry any unified support.
Mr Welsh states that ‘we need to guard against kneejerk reactions to policies that will continue to give benefits to those who are reliant on them’. I wonder if he is aware that six out of ten people who are entitled to these benefits are poorly paid working families who rely upon some small entitlement to subsidise their low wages so they can afford to be productive members of society?
Mr Welsh states that ‘jobs which are subsidised by tax credits and housing benefit are not the answer’. I couldn’t agree more! Two of the commitments the Labour Party have made if they are elected in 2015 are, the guarantee of a job for everyone paying a living wage, and a starting ten pence tax rate. Combined, the six out of ten benefit claimants who do work, will find that they are lifted out of benefits altogether.
And those who are unemployed will find that work really will pay, but where are the jobs?
The coalition have permitted the banks to absorb 750bn – an obscene sum which should be loaned to small businesses to create jobs throughout this country. The only direct investment in job creation the coalition have announced, is a meagre 3bn, and not until after the next election.
Mr Welsh accuses Mr Clare of ‘selective indignation’. The only selective indignation I’m aware of is the coalition government who label ‘shirkers and scroungers’ those who do work for poverty wages whose benefits they’ve cut, and those who the government refuse to create jobs for who are desperate to find work.
The 22 billion the coalition government have saved in benefits will push 600,000 children from low paid hard working families back into poverty. ‘Hardship is not the making of the coalition government’ Mr Welsh asserts. I agree; international capitalism in the cause of hardship, namely, rogue bankers.
The coalition government play Fairy Godmother to these gambling addicts, who see their debts waved by a magic wand onto the shoulders of the poor as cuts in their living standards and services.
Warren Saunders
Newton Aycliffe
