Poverty Tsar Frank Field: Shirking fathers should lose all benefits

[Mister M]

Came across this story and I wondered what people's thoughts were.

 

http://www.u.tv/News/Poverty-tsar-shirking-fathers-should-lose-their-benefits/0a3030de-eac4-4330-9826-e203a30d11af

 

Frank Field (Labour MP and 'poverty comissioner' of coalition govt), wants to cut benefits ALL TOGETHER for single dads who refuse work.

 

These aren't Government policies. Just proposals

 

Wanting to see absent dads filled with the work ethic, ready to contribute to their children's economic well being is great. We all want that. Most of us are concerned about "the loss of work for unskilled working class men".

 

But there is likely to be 750,000 to 1 million public sector job cuts if the chancellor slashes departmental spending; and possibly 250,000 to half a million jobs lost in the private sector for those in that sector who depend on public contacts. So where are the jobs going to come from that will 'mop up' these absent fathers? Some of the men Field refers to are unemployable, what does he intend to do about those? Has he thought about the knock consequence for the police and Home Office spending?

 

I certainly agree with him that there is nothing inherently Labour about people constantly refusing work and expecting to be paid for the privilige. However this principle should be applied to the idle rich as well. Including those who avoid paying tax thereby abusing the system.

[Vague_Boy]

However this principle should be applied to the idle rich as well.

 

Surely the point about the idle rich is that they don't need to work?

[HeadingNorth]

Surely the point about the idle rich is that they don't need to work?

 

You don't need to be all that rich, either. You can live fairly frugally and not bother to work, if you so choose.

[espadrille]

I believe Frank Field talks a lot of sense. We need someone like him with the backbone to stand up and say what many think but dont have the guts to speak out.

It is time for both parents to take responsibility for having a child and supporting them.After all in this day and age we do have choices whether to have children or not to so , after making that choice the only thing to do is accept that children are expensive, not just in terms of money either, but in terms of commitment and support. A lifetime of it.

 

A good article.