Alex Hern highlights an appalling testimonial by an unemployed man speaking to Radio 5 yesterday. It is a must-listen.
The narrative of deserving versus undeserving poor is one which plays into the heart of the governments strategy with must of its contentious legislation. Every at-risk group is forced to defend their turf by deflecting attention onto others, in what is a very real example of that contentious phrase, ‘divide and rule’.
Radio Five had a heartbreaking call from a listener yesterday, who described his shame at having to move back in to his parents house at 46, and the disgust with which he is treated just going about his daily life.
Speaking to Stephen Nolan, Darryl, 46, from London, said:
I don’t have a life, I don’t have a social life. I’d like to go for a beer; I can’t afford to…
I’m up to my back teeth with people saying that the unemployed have a cushy number… You’re treated with rudeness, you’re treated as though you don’t exist… I’d have more respect if I was in prison, a mass murderer. You’re looked down upon when you sign on.
I apply for several jobs each week, I’m doing my bit… I apply for all kinds of jobs… but they don’t want to hear.
It upsets me when I hear people saying “why should I work, I’d be better off on benefits” – well come and live my life for a year. Especially Iain Duncan Smith, I say to him come and live my life and see what it’s like.
Darryl’s full message can be heard here. It makes for sobering listening.
See also:
• What’s right for Aberdeen isn’t for York; unemployment needs city-specific solutions – Paul Swinney, January 23rd 2012
• A bad Budget for jobs and for jobseekers – Nicola Smith, June 28th 2010
• Coalition cuts are bad news for jobseekers – Nicola Smith, June 21st 2010
• Latest unemployment figures show vacancies up and redundancies down – Graeme Cooke, February 17th 2010
• Jobseeker’s Allowance is worth less and harder to claim than ever before – Nicola Smith, December 21st 2009
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19 Responses to “Life on the dole is not a walk in the park”
Ivan T
Life on the dole is not a walk in the park | Left Foot Forward http://t.co/pjMchIJB
DarkestAngel
Life on the dole is not a walk in the park | Left Foot Forward http://t.co/pjMchIJB
Mr. Sensible
Helping the world’s poorest is a convenient cover, isn’t it. It’s not their fault that this government is cutting too far and too fast.
Ebony Dawn Marsh
Life on the dole is not a walk in the park | Left Foot Forward http://t.co/pjMchIJB
Newsbot9
No, he couldn’t. Because he’d need to spend even more money on the necessary services. Which, of course, are typically MORE expensive for poorer people without the economies of scale allowed by universal benefits.
You’re the one working hard to cripple this country, by ensuring that the worst parts of the American model strip away society.
Benefits are miserly in this country, and unemployment an instant disaster. Our job market is a bad joke. There’s a reason the successful nations during these times are…gasp…ones like the Nordic ones.
But no, of course to you they’re ideologically incorrect. And ideology > reality…