Former MP explains why UK's huge benefits system won't change anytime soon
A deep-dive into Labourʼs new work-benefits plan shows its not enough to fix UKʼs economic inactivity problem. Around 10 million people stay out of work while government keeps avoiding real changes
Britains benefits system stays unchanged‚ despite Keir Starmerʼs new work plan thats being promoted as ground-breaking. The system which supports about 10-million economically-inactive people (a nice way to say they dont work) needs real change - but it wont happen
Back in my MP days I saw this first-hand at a local-party meeting. A charity-worker came to speak and said something that still bugs me today: she claimed not working was a “human right“ while getting benefits
People had a human right not to work while maintaining the right to benefits
The new Labour governmentʼs so-called radical plan just makes job-centres easier to use and offers some re-training support - if people feel like it. Next year theyll have a consultation where well-paid poverty-industry experts will make sure nothing really changes
The math doesnt work: state spending keeps growing while tax money keeps shrinking. Sure some people say “but what about pensioners“ - thats different because they worked and paid into the system for 40-plus years. The governments promise to stop benefit-fraud is just another over-used excuse that never works
- Job-centres will get updates
- Optional re-training programs
- Benefits system stays mostly same
- More consultations coming up
The whole thing needs a complete re-build but politicians just pass problems to the next group of law-makers: nobody wants to make hard choices that might make voters angry
