Stop attacks on welfare benefits and tackle bankers' bonuses
This evening I'll be speaking at the launch of the Brighton Benefits Campaign at the Brighthelm Centre from 7:30pm, alongside trade unionists and others.
It is extraordinary that governments can find billions to bail out the banks, but can't find the money to protect some of the poorest, most vulnerable people in our society.
And so as bankers go back to business as usual, with the bonus culture entrenched once again, and over a million people have lost their jobs, thousands are having to claim unemployment benefits every week only to find how pitifully low they are.
I've met with Brighton residents who are feeling the effects of cuts to their welfare payments.
One of the most shocking cases I've heard about is that of Jack Watson, a retired postman who has had two heart attacks, severe arthritis and Meniers Disease, yet was considered fit for work by the privatised, outsourced medical assessment team processing his claim.
The Unemployed Workers Centre ran a massive campaign and took Jack's case to Tribunal - he won hands down.
The Government's welfare reform plans are massively misguided and clearly unfair, stigmatising the most vulnerable as villains, not victims, and driving working people into poverty.
That's why tonight I'll be joining forces with benefits & poverty campaigners, trade unionists & others to fight back against the attacks on disability benefits, fight back on funding for care of the elderly to highlight the alternatives to cutting payments to the most vulnerable and to stand up for equality and justice.
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Comments:
joe
18 February 2010
13:41
boycott the general election until partys agree to drop workfare, stop bullying and harrassment of sick and disabled, stop the dispicable work capability assessment.
Katie P
08 February 2010
13:09
pension @ £170 - what a great thing to support. keep it up Caroline.
KP
Caroline Lucas
07 February 2010
08:25
Hi Simon
You’re right about the large and growing gap between rich and poor, both locally and nationally.
On a local level, I'd work to expand facilities like credit unions, which can make a real difference to local people.
Another priority is affordable housing - it's important to ensure that a high percentage of any new build is ring-fenced for genuinely affordable homes, to improve conditions in the private rented sector, as well as putting pressure on government to enable us to build more council housing.
I also strongly support local campaigns against jobs and benefits cuts - tackling unemployment ought to be the priority, not slashing public spending.
There'll be an important march in Brighton on 6 March, starting at 12 noon from the Level, to campaign against pay cuts and job losses - hope to see you there!
On a national level, Greens are pressing for more progressive taxation.
It seems very unfair to me that richer people pay far less as a proportion of their income on tax than those on lower incomes.
We also need action to bring millions of pensioners out of poverty.
I support demands from the National Pensioners Convention of a basic state pension of at least £170/week.
Caroline
Caroline Lucas
07 February 2010
01:32
Good summaries of the Government's welfare reform proposals are available from the PCS union website:
http://www.pcs.org.uk/en/campaigns/welfare-reform/index.cfm
Caroline
Allie Cannell
06 February 2010
21:21
The Greens have the right idea!
They propose that £10 billion could be made by closing the tax loop holes with which the rich take their money out the country and pay NO tax!!!
Whilst Labour and the Tories are clmanouring to get back to business as usual the greens want to completely change the banking system.
Charlotte Vere talks about the importance of the benefits system but she also suports the benefits for big business to make lots more money! After all she did used to work in finance.
Besides as soon as a Labour or Tory candidate got into parlament it wouldn't matter what they personally thought. They would have to vote with the party to CUT CUT CUT!
Charlotte Vere (Conservative PPC Brighton Pavilion)
06 February 2010
00:44
You mention benefits and other cuts - can you expand on which benefits are going to be cut? I, like you, feel that we should be protecting the most vulnerable in our communities - it is very important in today's compromised economic environment.
Kind regards,
Charlotte Vere (Conservative Parliamentary Candidate, Brighton Pavilion)
Simon
05 February 2010
23:19
Brighton has low wages but also has lots of very wealthy people here.
If you're elected as a local MP, will you take action to reduce the big gap between rich and poor locally, in terms of campaigning - whichever party is in government?
If so, how will you work with the local community?
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