Much ado about nothing?

Conference season has been and gone. Labour have had a very good week. the conservatives a good week and the less said about the lib dems the better.....(http://www.theguardian.com/politics/2013/oct/05/miliband-cameron-approval-ratings-poll).It was at least memorable with more clear blue water- no pun intended than in recent memory (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/10356346/Conference-season-What-a-party-that-was.html).


The conservatives have made some good noises about the growth of the british economy, they have also taken themselves into UKIP territory with some arguing such as the Spectator they risk alienating the centre ground as the party moves further to the right(http://blogs.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/2013/10/tories-shift-their-plans-on-benefits-for-under-25s/). Yet the tories is seems have enjoyed a boost from the Manchester conference with George Osbourne making much of Ed Millibands plans to control energy prices until 2017(http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/433816/It-s-nonsensical-Cameron-hits-out-at-Labour-s-economic-plan-in-conference-party-speech); as well as making political hay of generating some small economic and employment growth in the general European gloom(http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-24045546).

It would however be remiss if I wasnt to mention the proposed under 25 welfare reforms whereby benefits could be cut to those not in work or education under the age of 25 (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-24369514). This however could be seen to be business as usual and for those on the left perhaps a party bereft of new ideas, with the TUC arguing that much of this idea had the ramification of penalising the young rather than getting them into gainful employment. Not to mention there is still controversy around the Work Programme and its apparent inability to deliver (https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/department-for-work-pensions/series/work-programme-statistics--2).

However Ed Milliband has overcome it appears allegations of being a personality vacuum with his ideas around appropriating undeveloped land and his plans to freeze energy prices(http://www.theguardian.com/public-leaders-network/2013/sep/30/ed-miliband-energy-cap-policy-blunder). He struck a chord it appears with his ideas around a cost of living crisis which despite successes of the conservatives in reducing unemployment ( however dubious those numbers may be). This might be an excellent strategy with many conservatives shifting onto this ground ,however it has also exposed him to criticisms to being unrealistic and Labour reverting to a socialist utopian party. Yet despite the allegations there was excuse the pun very little red meat. Now there was talk of reforming zero hours contracts , of increasing apprenticeships for young people and some general talk of raising the minimum wage. Yet I found little in essence to get excited about.

As for the Liberal democrats there was a lot of it defending itself from criticism over lack of opposition to the Conservatives cuts with it arguing they would be a whole lot worse without the moderation of the Lib dems, his party claiming partial credit for the economic recovery (http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2424728/Lib-Dem-leader-Nick-Clegg-delivers-electoral-suicide-note-party-conference.html). However any hope of it moving to the left seems to be short lived with many in the party wishing to be seen as socially responsible yet fiscally prudent unlike the 1990s where it could be viewed as to the left of Labour until the election of Nick Clegg as party leader.

Whether it ammounted to very much I do not know. It appears given the small boost of the labour and conservative party in the opinion polls . It appears a lot of heat has been generated around the labour and conservative camps. However very little is still being said despite Ed breaking his vow of silence over policy (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/an-in-depth-look-at-labour-conference-week-ed-milibands-speech--did-you-hear-what-i-heard-8846580.html).

What this does signal is the beginning of an attempt by the three parties to define themselves in time for the general election in 2015. With Labour promising better living standards, the Conservatives better economic prospects in exchange for continuing with the economic austerity measures (http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/politics/conservative-party-conference-david-cameron-defends-tory-plan-for-more-seven-years-of-austerity-8851117.html)  and continuing with its theme of controlling immigration and welfare. The liberal democrats it appears taking the middle of the centre ground wishing to be the party of moderation.

It appears with two main parties attacking each other , one as socialist , the other as callous and out of touch, whether or not this translates beyond  London ,the South East and the media depends on whether they have any actual ideas and whether their policies make a difference in real peoples lives. Otherwise this was an autumn of all sound and no fury.

the housing reforms of the uk

Ok you may not be aware of this given not all of you reside in the uk but there is an austerity drive being presented as reforms by our incumbent coalition government.

In addition to the unjust reforms of tax credits which hurts those in work tremendously as well as cuts to housing benefits and council tax benefits ; as if to add insult to injury the government has decided to proceed with reforms making life harder for britains poorest and most vulnerable (http://england.shelter.org.uk/get_advice/housing_benefit_and_local_housing_allowance/changes_to_local_housing_allowance/housing_benefit_changes_2013).

Benefits will be adjusted at 1 percent , which is well below the rate of inflation meaning those on the lowest incomes will struggle.

A number of people , a proportion of whom have severe disabilities and medical condition are being deprived of disability living allowance and other disability benefits nessecary to living a full and productive life (http://www.disabilityrightsuk.org/forthcomingchanges.htm#april2013).

Indeed many of the coalitions so called reforms are like to be counterproductive making work less profitable, relying on tighter means testing and impoverishing the most vulnerable.

As if to rub salt in the wounds they are now proposing a so called bedroom tax meaning those on housing benefit including foster carers, the disabled, parents of disabled children and those on low income face either moving to smaller premises which may not be suitable to their needs or rise in their rent bills which many cannot afford.

Now I realise that this may be part of the every little helps mentality of the governments debt reduction programme, however the deficet remains high, despite supposedly the lowest level of unemployment in years many need income supplementation as many have resorted to part time work or casual work that cannot sustain a family or have taken lower wages or reduced hours to preserve their livelihoods(http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2013/jan/23/unemployment-rate-fell).

Indeed many of the unemployed are masked by the Work Programme which has been an abject failure (http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/public-accounts-committee/news/work-programme/). Furthermore many have been subject to increased sanctioning due to the DWPs drive to decrease the claimant count.

So what we have is a government making itself poorer ;by the prospect of expensive appeals, to make others poorer, for it to decrease spending only for either councils or charities to pick up the slack, for it to declare unemployment is going down at a time when we have had a double dip and risk a third or triple dip recession with the prospect of booming unemployment on the horizon(http://uk.reuters.com/article/2013/03/01/uk-britain-economy-idUKBRE9200DY20130301).

We what have is Britain that is getting hit by inflation and austerity, a Britain that is getting tougher and poorer, a Britain that is at risk of sustained low growth and potential mass unemployment if the economy goes south and a class of people being hit at both ends, to quote a Margaret Thatcher election campaign

"Britain isnt working".