Comments on: Conservatives blame the idle poor for unemployment http://www.touchstoneblog.org.uk/2009/09/conservatives-blame-the-idle-poor-for-unemployment/ Policy news and comment from the Trades Union Congress (TUC) Wed, 17 Mar 2010 15:56:10 +0100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: The Conservatives and welfare reform | ToUChstone blog: A public policy blog from the TUC http://www.touchstoneblog.org.uk/2009/09/conservatives-blame-the-idle-poor-for-unemployment/comment-page-1/#comment-3615 The Conservatives and welfare reform | ToUChstone blog: A public policy blog from the TUC Fri, 02 Oct 2009 17:26:10 +0000 http://www.touchstoneblog.org.uk/?p=3559#comment-3615 [...] welfare policy may be slim, they do exist – the Conservatives are more likely to publicly blame people in poverty for their own predicament, and consequently favour even greater benefits conditionality and place [...] [...] welfare policy may be slim, they do exist – the Conservatives are more likely to publicly blame people in poverty for their own predicament, and consequently favour even greater benefits conditionality and place [...]

]]> By: Charlie Marks http://www.touchstoneblog.org.uk/2009/09/conservatives-blame-the-idle-poor-for-unemployment/comment-page-1/#comment-3355 Charlie Marks Thu, 03 Sep 2009 21:20:35 +0000 http://www.touchstoneblog.org.uk/?p=3559#comment-3355 The cheek of these Tories who presided over the managed decline of the economy to blame the unemployed for their inability to find work... Coming from the people who brought us mass unemployment! The cheek of these Tories who presided over the managed decline of the economy to blame the unemployed for their inability to find work… Coming from the people who brought us mass unemployment!

]]> By: Matt http://www.touchstoneblog.org.uk/2009/09/conservatives-blame-the-idle-poor-for-unemployment/comment-page-1/#comment-3350 Matt Wed, 02 Sep 2009 23:15:35 +0000 http://www.touchstoneblog.org.uk/?p=3559#comment-3350 Sadly I think the debate is lost. I found myself unusually angered by Portillo's deeply unpleasant article, as I didn't trust many of his figures at first glance and was amazed when I actually did some research. All the reaction to the article that I've read is both emotive and seemingly instant (nobody bothers to think about the numbers, or check whether they're true). As you mention the 1980s (and I fear you are right) - here are some figures that I dug out of the Labour Force Survey. In 2009 1 in 6 households are workless. In 1996 1 in 5 (FIVE) households were workless. In 1979 1 in 12 households were workless. Doesn't take a genius to see where it went wrong. Sadly, I fear most people have short memories. Sadly I think the debate is lost. I found myself unusually angered by Portillo’s deeply unpleasant article, as I didn’t trust many of his figures at first glance and was amazed when I actually did some research.
All the reaction to the article that I’ve read is both emotive and seemingly instant (nobody bothers to think about the numbers, or check whether they’re true).

As you mention the 1980s (and I fear you are right) – here are some figures that I dug out of the Labour Force Survey.
In 2009 1 in 6 households are workless.
In 1996 1 in 5 (FIVE) households were workless.
In 1979 1 in 12 households were workless.

Doesn’t take a genius to see where it went wrong. Sadly, I fear most people have short memories.

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