A Contemporary Christmas Carol : Thu Dec 26, 2013 8:39 am  

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/dr-steve-mccabe/iain-duncan-smith-food-banks_b_4489974.html?utm_hp_ref=uk Quite an excellent piece of informative writing (above), and is there anyone alive in the country who does not think that IDS (himself, not a deputy) should at the very least agree to a meeting with some of the folks who have offered their services in advice ? The very first two comments after the article are also very interesting (they may be at the end of the list when you read them), one giving a Tesco survey that has simply not been reported on in the media and another broadly in support of the government but urging IDS to address the issue rather than ignore it. I suspect though that he will continue to ignore the matter through 2014 as he doesn't seem to have the temperament or character to stop and look over his shoulder to see if the rest of the troops are still following him, all the more surprising when you consider that after being sacked as Tory Party leader for being "ineffective" he formed the Centre for Social Justice, a group which states that it will work with various charities to eradicate poverty, after being its founder and chair for several years until 2010 he resigned and remains a lifelong trustee - how strange.

http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/dr-steve-mccabe/iain-duncan-smith-food-banks_b_4489974.html?utm_hp_ref=uk Quite an excellent piece of informative writing (above), and is there anyone alive in the country who does not think that IDS (himself, not a deputy) should at the very least agree to a meeting with some of the folks who have offered their services in advice ? The very first two comments after the article are also very interesting (they may be at the end of the list when you read them), one giving a Tesco survey that has simply not been reported on in the media and another broadly in support of the government but urging IDS to address the issue rather than ignore it. I suspect though that he will continue to ignore the matter through 2014 as he doesn't seem to have the temperament or character to stop and look over his shoulder to see if the rest of the troops are still following him, all the more surprising when you consider that after being sacked as Tory Party leader for being "ineffective" he formed the Centre for Social Justice, a group which states that it will work with various charities to eradicate poverty, after being its founder and chair for several years until 2010 he resigned and remains a lifelong trustee - how strange.

Re: A Contemporary Christmas Carol : Thu Dec 26, 2013 11:13 am  

It would have been of more interest to know why IDS dismisses the possible link.
I mean what is his evidence that there is not a link and if so what IS the main reaon for the trend.
There will be other factors admitted.

Re: A Contemporary Christmas Carol : Thu Dec 26, 2013 11:24 am  

Followed by the ex-Archbishop of Canterbury speaking as a patron of a foodbank.

Followed by the ex-Archbishop of Canterbury speaking as a patron of a foodbank.

Re: A Contemporary Christmas Carol : Thu Dec 26, 2013 1:20 pm  

Iain Duncan Smith is a full-weight sociopath with not a semblance of humanity or empathy. Camoron is only keeping him in post to assuage the right wing element

Re: A Contemporary Christmas Carol : Thu Dec 26, 2013 4:13 pm  

I think the real reason that Cameron keeps him in the post is as a fall guy and firewall - notice how Cameron never gets the criticism even in the left wing press or blogs - the target is always IDS, his past history in the party made him the ideal candidate for the dirty work, he is a proven failure within the party and yet gets one of the top jobs, albeit the job most likely to end your political and personal career.

Having said that, I am growing more convinced that they will be re-elected in 2015 as, if the Murdoch press is to be believed, there are plenty who support measures to curb the sponging, skiving, unworking, £600 per week benefits claiming lower classes.

[DaveO]

Re: A Contemporary Christmas Carol : Thu Dec 26, 2013 10:19 pm  

cod'ead wrote:

Iain Duncan Smith is a full-weight sociopath with not a semblance of humanity or empathy. Camoron is only keeping him in post to assuage the right wing element

IDS refused to be sacked. Cameron would not force the issue and this shows he is a weak leader with next to no overall political strategy and/or moral compass and as a consequence IDS carries on despite being what he is.

This means ministers, generally, have a free reign so can go off at whatever tangent they like. I don't think Cameron could stop Hunt or Gove doing whatever they liked to the NHS or Education even if he wanted to. IDS has proved Cameron to be nothing but a front man.

Re: A Contemporary Christmas Carol : Fri Dec 27, 2013 9:05 am  

I wonder if it ever crosses the mind of the former Archbishop of Canterbury that this stereotypical single mother may be a truer reflection of the type of person who turns up at a food bank, pleading poverty? Undoubtably, not all are as feckless as this one, but I genuinely wonder if we now have a generation who believe it's their "Human Rights," to have a similar life style to those who actually have to graft for their salary. Unlike the good Bishop, I don't see food banks as a bad thing per se, but simply an example of the charitable decency of folk/firms prepared to donate goods, and give up their time freely to staff them. As for Woonga and the rest, I have absolutely no sympathy for those licensed loan sharks, who I doubt in this case are going to see a penny of their loans being repaid. Any Credit Firm who advances loans to a person whose only source of income is through the Benefit system deserves to face the ridicule from the great British public.

I wonder if it ever crosses the mind of the former Archbishop of Canterbury that this stereotypical single mother may be a truer reflection of the type of person who turns up at a food bank, pleading poverty? Undoubtably, not all are as feckless as this one, but I genuinely wonder if we now have a generation who believe it's their "Human Rights," to have a similar life style to those who actually have to graft for their salary. Unlike the good Bishop, I don't see food banks as a bad thing per se, but simply an example of the charitable decency of folk/firms prepared to donate goods, and give up their time freely to staff them. As for Woonga and the rest, I have absolutely no sympathy for those licensed loan sharks, who I doubt in this case are going to see a penny of their loans being repaid. Any Credit Firm who advances loans to a person whose only source of income is through the Benefit system deserves to face the ridicule from the great British public.

Re: A Contemporary Christmas Carol : Fri Dec 27, 2013 9:25 am  

DaveO wrote:

IDS refused to be sacked.

Did he? When was this?

Re: A Contemporary Christmas Carol : Fri Dec 27, 2013 9:28 am  

rumpelstiltskin wrote:

Unlike the good Bishop, I don't see food banks as a bad thing per se, but simply an example of the charitable decency of folk/firms prepared to donate goods, and give up their time freely to staff them.

Does the Bishop see them as a bad thing?

They're no better or worse than the 100k+ charities we already have in this country. For some reason people have a bee in their bonnet about them, without ever saying why.

Re: A Contemporary Christmas Carol : Fri Dec 27, 2013 9:42 am  

Hundreds of presents for £1,700?
At an average of less than 85p per present, if we are to take the claim literally.
A list which includes items like computer games and TVs.
I need to contact this resourceful young lady, I would like her to do my shopping for me.