Ed Miliband will today commit Labour to tough action on those at the top and bottom who are not "showing responsibility" and "shirking their duty".
Ed Miliband will today commit Labour to tough action on those at the top and bottom who are not “showing responsibility” and “shirking their duty”.
In a speech this lunchtime, he will make clear his intention to change major planks of policy, on responsibility, high pay and welfare – committing Labour to acting to restore the link between high pay and what individuals are contributing to shareholders and the economy, through greater transparency and greater accountability.
He will say:
“For too many people at the last election, we were seen as the party that represented these two types of people. Those at the top and the bottom who were not showing responsibility and were shirking their duty to each other.
“From bankers who caused the global financial crisis to some of those on benefits who were abusing the system because they could work – but didn’t. Labour, a party founded by hard working people for hard working people, was seen by some – however unfairly – as the party of those ripping off our society.
“New Labour did a lot to change the fabric of the country. But it didn’t do enough to change the ethic of Britain. My party must change… We were intensely relaxed about what happened at the top. No more. We will be a party that supports the real boardroom accountability that rewards wealth creation not failure.
“It is said we cared too little about responsibility at the bottom of society. No more. We will be a party that rewards contribution, not worklessness.”
On that point, on welfare and responsibility at the bottom, he will add:
“So we need responsibility at the top of society, but we also need it at the bottom. Again, the principle should be one that rewards contribution. We are facing a challenge to the belief in our welfare state – founded on principles of solidarity and compassion, but now tarred with the brush of unfairness and irresponsibility. If we want to protect and improve the British welfare state, we must reform it so it genuinely embodies responsibility and contribution as much as need.
“One area where people’s sense of fairness is under threat is social housing. In Manchester, as well as helping the most vulnerable families and disabled people with housing, they prioritise households who are giving something back to their communities – making a contribution – for example, people who work for or run local voluntary organisations and those who are working.
“They also look to reward people who have been good tenants in the past and who have paid their rent on time and never been involved in any Anti Social Behaviour. The London Borough of Newham is looking at something similar – prioritising work when allocating social housing and for example helping first those who give something back by, say, fostering children in need
“In their words they are ‘finding ways to end the race to the bottom where improving your situation and finding work are punished by getting pushed down the waiting list for a quality home’; these approaches mean that rather than looking solely at need, priority is also given to those who contribute – who give something back. It’s fairer and it also encourages the kind of responsible behaviour which makes our communities stronger, makes them work.
“They are just examples, but they show the kind of change we need. We are looking at all these issues in our policy review, but this is a simple way of rewarding people who do the right thing and it’s something I’d like to see done right across the country.”
We will have further analysis of Mr Miliband’s speech and his pledges on high pay later.
30 Responses to “Miliband calls for social responsibility at the top and bottom”
Mason Dixon, Autistic
Off-topic but for anyone interested in Mouse’s almost comical performance, the thread is this: https://www.leftfootforward.org/2011/06/welfare-reform-welfare-to-work-companies-atos-g4s-serco/comment-page-1/#comment-115173
Leon Wolfson
“Anon” – I’m in work on a seasonal basis, more or less. I’m a university VL, which means 8 months of the year, plus short-term research work (It’s literally week-to-week during the summer if I’m working or not).
The current measures to fight fraud are quite effective. There doesn’t need to be this hate parade. While you always need a base level of discouragement, additional resources should be deployed where they will create the greatest financial effect, especially at the moment. That currently means putting more auditors on tax issues, NOT benefit ones.
And I totally disagree on the concept that only by moving right can Milliband capture votes – he’ll lost the core left vote that way: we won’t have anyone to vote for, and you’ll see a sharp drop in voting participation (and considerably increased militancy).
Selohesra
Leon – will he really lose the core left vote? – who are they going to vote for instead. Its like Dave does not need to appeal to the true Tories – both realise they need to scrap over the waverers in the middle. I really dont think there is all that much difference between Ed & Dave C and get very annoyed with them trying to pretend there are fundemental differences between them.
On housing, while Ed has got it wrong, Boris has the answer | Left Foot Forward
[…] his speech on social responsibility today, Ed Miliband argued that low income working people and those doing voluntary work should be […]
SoapboxL
Labour supporter and Ed fan but I personally feel Ed got it wrong from top to bottom today.
He was wrong to highlight individual case. He should not be making personal criticisms.
I felt the speech was transparent and therefore lacked depth and meaning given it was simply designed with rhetoric to pander to people on one of the most talked about subjects in the media at this time, jumping onto the ‘undeserving poor’ bandwagon – because his polling is low.
And I don’t get it. Who was he appealing to? Those who vote Tory wont come to Labour based on a ‘get tough on benefits’ speech. And those who have left Labour wont come back based on a ‘get tough on benefits’ speech.
And what were the solutions to getting tough? A couple of suggestions on jumping the housing queue and helping young people on a Friday night! I don’t think Ed was even convinced these ideas would solve the problem of what is a far more complex situation… so how can the public? It was all a bit, well, wishy-washy, empty rhetoric because he felt he had to say something.. anything.
The reality is there will always be some people on benefits who could work. Governments will never be able to solve the problem completely. I’d like to see politicians being honest about it rather than coming out with the same old rhetoric
Rather than finding his voice, I feel Ed today has tried to look tough on the latest trending story.