After 13 months of manufacturing decline and with unemployment heading towards 3 million, the unelected British PM has promoted the equally unelected Business Secretary, ‘Lord’ Peter Mandelson, to First Secretary of State in a clear signal that his ‘democratic renewal’ measures mean exactly the opposite. Mandelson, who is really calling the shots at the [...]
Tag Archives: james purnell
Throw away your crutches and limp down to the McJobCentre, says PM
December 10, 2008 – 7:55 pm
By John J Kelly In yet another demonstration of the sort of lateral thinking that has made Gordon Brown not only saviour of the banks but saviour of the world, Work and Pensions Minister James Purnell announced a government pledge to force long term sickness benefits claimants and some single mothers back to work. The Welfare Reform White [...]
Forcing teen mothers to work could be Labour's worst social policy idea yet
December 8, 2008 – 4:08 pm
By Julia Margo, Demos One of the themes to emerge from debates last week about the Karen Matthews/Baby P/shocking state of social services scandals was the ongoing saga of Britain’s teenage birth rate, or more precisely the so-called benefit claiming class of teenage single mothers who suck up state resources and services, do not work, [...]