Post by nickd on Feb 18, 2011 1:17:03 GMT 1
Well done to the lady in the Question Time audience tonight who raised the point ' let's start helping the small people'.
The lady drew attention to how - as Vince Cable squabbled with Yvette Cooper over who caused the nation's structural deficit - we are missing the real point. Notably, Lord Heseltine kept out of the squabble altogether and all three of them neglected to deal with the valid point which the lady was trying to make, I'm not sure they understood, perhaps they just didn't want to.
The point the lady was trying to make was this; what ever the cause of the deficit and whether it's justified to make these cuts or not, it's the 'small people' who are suffering - her point was how are we going to help them?
The lady drew attention to the cuts in funding for the organisations who help people facing redundancy, the victims in all of this - but, although she got a round of applause - the panel just didn't get it, they didn't get the point.
I just wonder how many others just don't get it, perhaps those who are buffered by wealth or job security can afford not to think. Thousands of people are facing a grim year ahead, there's little doubt that interest rates will rise later this year. That's fine if you've got a good few quid in the bank, but to those on variable rate mortgages; - there is the definite risk that mortgages will become a mill stone around people's necks.
It strikes me that whatever the cause of all this, people have and will continue to have very real problems, problems which need fixing. I've seen a fair few of these cases over the years, there's no doubt that recessionary related problem solving can be hard to fix. It requires ongoing assistance at casework level. People will be needing help contesting some of the harsh decisions made concerning benefit entitlement as a result of these hard hitting reforms.
But let's wake up, because the way this is heading there just won't be the help people need. It's clear the help can't be provided by volunteers - however skilled and willing they may be. Without adequate funding for skilled paid staff people are going to have no where to turn - this will come as a bombshell to those still coming to terms with being made redundant and needing specialist help for the first time. Yes, some will manage but even the most capable won't be able to deal with the complexities of appealing adverse benefit decisions and dealing with piles of debts.
It's irresponsible to withdraw specialist help and that's why we should keep on and on until we make sure these dreadful legal aid reforms don't go through.
The Big Society dream of our Prime Minister seems totally unachievable if we forget the small people - let's not leave them out.
The lady drew attention to how - as Vince Cable squabbled with Yvette Cooper over who caused the nation's structural deficit - we are missing the real point. Notably, Lord Heseltine kept out of the squabble altogether and all three of them neglected to deal with the valid point which the lady was trying to make, I'm not sure they understood, perhaps they just didn't want to.
The point the lady was trying to make was this; what ever the cause of the deficit and whether it's justified to make these cuts or not, it's the 'small people' who are suffering - her point was how are we going to help them?
The lady drew attention to the cuts in funding for the organisations who help people facing redundancy, the victims in all of this - but, although she got a round of applause - the panel just didn't get it, they didn't get the point.
I just wonder how many others just don't get it, perhaps those who are buffered by wealth or job security can afford not to think. Thousands of people are facing a grim year ahead, there's little doubt that interest rates will rise later this year. That's fine if you've got a good few quid in the bank, but to those on variable rate mortgages; - there is the definite risk that mortgages will become a mill stone around people's necks.
It strikes me that whatever the cause of all this, people have and will continue to have very real problems, problems which need fixing. I've seen a fair few of these cases over the years, there's no doubt that recessionary related problem solving can be hard to fix. It requires ongoing assistance at casework level. People will be needing help contesting some of the harsh decisions made concerning benefit entitlement as a result of these hard hitting reforms.
But let's wake up, because the way this is heading there just won't be the help people need. It's clear the help can't be provided by volunteers - however skilled and willing they may be. Without adequate funding for skilled paid staff people are going to have no where to turn - this will come as a bombshell to those still coming to terms with being made redundant and needing specialist help for the first time. Yes, some will manage but even the most capable won't be able to deal with the complexities of appealing adverse benefit decisions and dealing with piles of debts.
It's irresponsible to withdraw specialist help and that's why we should keep on and on until we make sure these dreadful legal aid reforms don't go through.
The Big Society dream of our Prime Minister seems totally unachievable if we forget the small people - let's not leave them out.