Independent UK: Britain faces return to Victorian levels of poverty

[marmar]

Britain faces return to Victorian levels of poverty
By Andrew Grice, Political Editor

Monday, 30 November 2009


Labour's strategy for tackling poverty has reached the end of the road and Britain risks a return to Victorian levels of inequality, according to a major two-year study seen by The Independent.

With 20 per cent of the population still stuck in poverty, the report calls for sweeping reform of the tax and welfare systems under which higher earners would finance more generous, universal benefits. The £43,888-a-year ceiling on national insurance contributions (NICs) would be abolished, so people earning more would pay NICs at 11 per cent on all their income above that level, instead of the current 1 per cent.

The study, by the Labour-affiliated Fabian Society and Webb Memorial Trust, argues that Gordon Brown's "quiet redistribution" of wealth now lacks public support – and declares that one of the reasons is Labour's tough language about benefit fraud and claimants.

Its criticism that Labour's approach has "failed" is coupled with a stark warning to the Conservative leader, David Cameron. The authors say that, in the long run, Tory plans to reduce payments to the middle classes such as tax credits and target resources on the most vulnerable would undermine the attack on poverty. They warn that moving away from universal benefits would create a "them and us" society, leading to less public money being spent on the poor because people on middle incomes would not support it. ............(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/britain-faces-return-to-victorian-levels-of-poverty-1831088.html

[arcadian]

1. Insert Oliver Twist comment here:

[MUAD_DIB]

6. Shut up and drink your gin!

[dysfunctional press]

2. well- it's only fair, seeing as the u.s. is returning to the days of the robber barons.

ronnie and maggie must be so proud.

[ShamelessHussy]

3. These are unbelievable times, something has to change or there is gonna be hell to pay

I am terrified that the elite will reach the same conclusion they always reach in times of great stress, 'great' wars :'(

[Laelth]

4. At least they care about and are willing to do something about poverty in the U.K.

The U.S. remains backward.

Interesting article, btw. The study shows that "getting tough on welfare cheats" causes the middle class to be less willing to support a war on poverty, even when the government actually is reducing welfare fraud.

:dem:

-Laelth

[jwirr]

5. Raygun and his welfare Cadillac and welfare queens had the same

effect. People are all too willing to think the worst of someone their tax dollars are helping.

[rockymountaindem]

7. I wouldn't lay money on it just because of this

It's not a government report, just a study done by a Fabian group. There's no guarantee it'll get translated into policy.