A lib dem rebellion on housing benefit proposals is brewing - with both Bob Russell MP and Simon Hughes leading the charge.
No rest for the wicked it seems as another storm brews along the corridors of Westminster, just in time to add another jab of pain to Nick Clegg’s tuition fees headache.
According to Inside Housing, a rebellion from his party’s backbenchers and peers is on the horizon. This time dissent is focused on Housing Benefit reform despite the delay to some of the measures announced this week. The paper reports:
“The government’s concessions follow intense lobbying from backbenchers and housing organisations. But Liberal Democrat MPs said they will maintain their resistance.
“Bob Russell, MP for Colchester, told Inside Housing there was still ‘no way’ he could support the cuts. Lib Dem deputy leader Simon Hughes continues to lobby ministers to drop the 10 per cent cut for long-term claimants of jobseeker’s allowance. Lib Dem peers are focusing their efforts on blocking this cut as well.”
Earlier this week, the government announced new proposals to delay reforms to local housing allowance (in the amount of rent paid per bedroom and the way the benefit is calculated). The changes will be implemented in April 2011 for new claimants but existing claimants will be given a reprieve – changes for their rates will now not take place until January 2012 avoiding the issue becoming a hot topic at local elections.
The coalition’s welfare reform policy is shaping out to be predictably Tory – based on the premise that the main reason for long-term unemployment is overly generous benefits and so the solution is to cut them. Despite an attempt to detoxify the party a la IDS and his much touted universal credit, there really is no doubt in where the Tories stand when it comes to cutting benefits – the question is, where do the Lib Dems?
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20 Responses to “Clegg’s housing headache”
Mr. Sensible
Janie_s therein lies the kind of caricature that is driving this agenda.
As far as Clegg goes, they do say it never snows but it pores…
🙂
janie_s
pours, thicko
DarkestAngel
Dear Janie_s. Do you reallt believe that the average housing benefit award is £21,000? Seriously??? My housing benefit award, for a 3 bedroom house is £5,400 a year! Stop believing the tripe you are fed by The Sun and do your own research, use your own brain. By the way, that particular benefit goes solely towards rent. it doesn’t go in our pockets, we do not spend it at brighthouse on the fancy stuff you think we all have. Come to my house and see what I have, you will be very shocked at my non flat screen TV, my 3rd hand sofa and the rest of my previously owned furniture. Also, maybe you might want to come on the monthly shopping trip to netto and try juggling bills with 3 children to feed and clothe! A life on benefits is not easy, we are not lazy and we are not stupid. I value people on their personalities, not their financial status. Whether I am working full time or inbetween jobs, I am still the same person inside. We have feelings, and so do our children! You would be wise to remember that. Lets keep our fingers crossed that you don’t become a statistic like us, lets hope you keep your job unlike the millions that are set to lose theirs. Don’t believe me? Like I said, do your own research, use your own brain and look somewhere other than the media 🙂 Perhaps we can get in touch in a few years when I’m working full time and see what your opinion is then? Because right now, your opinion of people like me is based solely on our income.
Mr.Sensible, you are sensible, shame some people aren’t able to do simple maths 🙂
DarkestAngel
*really
janie_s
no, i don’t believe the average housing benefit is 21k. read my post again you f*cking retard.
and ‘our pockets’ is it? you parasitical scavenging piece of human sewage. get a job. and you get given a 3 bedroom house! paid for by people living in shared accomodation working all hours. you may or may not be stupid but you are lazy thieving scum. I’d prefer it if you starved on the street and my money went to build a school in Africa.