Reply to: Incapacity Benefit

[DodgyAgent]

Dodgy argues whoever provides the money gets the vote, as if it parking people on state hand outs were a new phenomenon. The sweeping the unemployed under the Incapacity benefit banner started with the Major government and carried on into the Blair years, admittedly to become even more abused. I can't believe these guys were voting Tory and then switched to Labour when they started paying the money. We are also talking about a population with a low propensity to engage in the political process let alone be get off their arses to vote. Therefore presuming there is much political advantage in this sorry affair is somewhat naive. How much is voting influenced by intelligence and class?

Labour need the middle class votes to get in, the Conservatives need the working class vote. Both have had strong traditional support from those sections of society despite the percieved CUK view of working class and thick =Labour, Middle class and clever = Tory. If that were true then why is controling The Sun newspaper so important?

I very much doubt that many benefits recipients will vote Tory, if they vote at all. Labour do like to have a large "poor" community anyway as it gives them a group of victims upon who's behalf they can represent. Without the poor socialists would not have a cause.

[Bagpuss]

"The Tories started to park people on disability to fiddle the emplyment stats in the early 90s, so by your argument many of these people are ex Tory voters."

How do you get that one? By your argument the Tories placed somebody on IB to take them off the unemployment stats. I can't see how that would them make them want to vote Tory. I would say that if they did vote they would be more likely to vote Labour than Tory.

Dodgy argues whoever provides the money gets the vote, as if it parking people on state hand outs were a new phenomenon. The sweeping the unemployed under the Incapacity benefit banner started with the Major government and carried on into the Blair years, admittedly to become even more abused. I can't believe these guys were voting Tory and then switched to Labour when they started paying the money. We are also talking about a population with a low propensity to engage in the political process let alone be get off their arses to vote. Therefore presuming there is much political advantage in this sorry affair is somewhat naive. How much is voting influenced by intelligence and class?

Labour need the middle class votes to get in, the Conservatives need the working class vote. Both have had strong traditional support from those sections of society despite the percieved CUK view of working class and thick =Labour, Middle class and clever = Tory. If that were true then why is controling The Sun newspaper so important?

[BoredBloke]

Tony, what is your son's favourite subject at school? Just interested.

Probably IT. He's supposed to have a flair for Maths and a reading age of 17. So you can't really pin him down on that. If you ask him, he would say mobility lessons where he gets taken into town to practice with his stick. This usually involves a trip to a shop for some sweets.

[BoredBloke]

"The Tories started to park people on disability to fiddle the emplyment stats in the early 90s, so by your argument many of these people are ex Tory voters."

How do you get that one? By your argument the Tories placed somebody on IB to take them off the unemployment stats. I can't see how that would them make them want to vote Tory. I would say that if they did vote they would be more likely to vote Labour than Tory.

[Bagpuss]

Does anyone seriously believe that Labour is going to do anything? after all which political party do benefits recipients vote for?

The Tories started to park people on disability to fiddle the emplyment stats in the early 90s, so by your argument many of these people are ex Tory voters. In truth, I doubt they ever consider where the money comes from or even think about politics

[SueEllen]

Does anyone seriously believe that Labour is going to do anything? after all which political party do benefits recipients vote for?

I was wondering for years what the government was going to do to increase voter turnout.

[wendigo100]

Tony, what is your son's favourite subject at school? Just interested.

[DodgyAgent]

Does anyone seriously believe that Labour is going to do anything? after all which political party do benefits recipients vote for?

[BoredBloke]

"Not allowing blind people to drive for free! That's discrimination!
(but maybe a bit safer for the public at large)"

The fact that he is only 10 might be an issue also.

What annoys me about motability is that some chav playing the system gets a new car every 3 years. My son has to be driven about because you can't really let him out on his own with a stick yet we are deemed ineligible for the scheme simply because seen as being not disabled enough.

The RNIB are campaining about this

http://www.rnib.org.uk/xpedio/groups...laaug2006.hcsp

[Peoplesoft bloke]

Although you can get a disability badge at any decent car boot sale.

What we need is a national ID card scheme.

He he - so that they can be sold alongside the blue badges at the car boot sales no doubt

[hugebrain]

"They pay for the car out of the benefit as a lease hire. You have to qualify for a diability badge to get one. I don't think you can get one for depression,fatness, or spots, although I may be wrong"

Nope - My son has a blue badge but we don't qualify for the car scheme because in the words of the benefits person 'He is only blind'

Not allowing blind people to drive for free! That's discrimination!



(but maybe a bit safer for the public at large)

[Bagpuss]

My Plan Bee is Honey

I'll get my coat

[Lucifer Box]

No - not yet. Still trying to see how viable it is.

Go for it, man, it's got to be a better plan B than marmalade.

[BoredBloke]

No - not yet. Still trying to see how viable it is.

[Lucifer Box]

Tony, did you ever get that braille typewriter sorted out for your son?

Furthermore, did you explore making the provision of such your plan B?