The proposal coming from the Conservatives regarding unemployment (“Tory Party’s dire warning over benefits culture”, May 27) is nothing but hopeful vote catching.
We all know we have to do something to stop the “benefits culture” that has developed in this country but please let’s see something sensible to offer the youth of this country, like learning a trade or jobs from which they can earn money.
The Tories abolished the apprenticeships in the 1970s and brought in Youth Training programmes. Employers could have £1,000 per year for taking on a young person, and the employee had £27 per week for a full week’s work, although without health and safety protection – that wasn’t implemented until one or two were killed and many seriously hurt.
When their time ended, they were shown the door, and the employer had another one on the cheap. No offers of jobs were forthcoming at all. Is this another scheme they are proposing? If it is, if I was a parent, I’d be concerned.
We do need to tackle youth idleness and training but not on the cheap and certainly not cheap labour for employers. Beware of Tory proposals. We’ve been there, seen their ideas before – slave labour comes to mind.
This government should put legislation in place before they are allowed to implement their policies if they gain power to protect the young.
Many would be willing to learn and work; they’re not all the same. My own son worked for the £27 per week, and he’s never been out of work, but at the time it was miserly wages for a 40-hour week and dangerous.
Please, parents of today, beware of Tory proposals and look beyond the big stick they propose using.
Make sure the training is good, worthwhile and they actually learn a trade, not just be a labour device for an employer. Wages should reflect today’s level as well as the hours they would be expected to work, and health and safety should reflect the EU standards.
All people are worth their labour, whether young or old. Let’s make sure it remains that way.
Mrs B Stevens, James Dee Close, Quarry Bank.
6 Comments
Absolutelly agree with the writer. the Tories reputation is not one to my liking either. It’s a matter of trust and once blue always blue no matter what fancy paper you wrap it up in.
Report abuse
Mrs B Stevens, I salute you.
So many people who post on this site appear to have been lobotomised, or are probably fabricated by the Express & Tory to peddle their bigoted views.
We may think Gordon Brown is an incompetent buffoon, but that doesn’t then make David Cameron the answer. We rail against Council Tax - yet which party introduced it? We rail against the poor standard of public transport, yet which party deregulated bus operators and botched the privatisation of trains? We complain about tuition fees, but which party introduced them?
The list goes on and on - the Tory party is an aberration, and yet we seem to be having collective amnesia combined with an embarrassing case of infatuation with David “Bullingdon” Cameron.
Join, and then vote for The Green Party. Labour and the Tories are as bad as each other - spiteful, mean, short-sighted and only concerned with protecting the privileged.
Report abuse
And the Green Party are somehow better?
I don’t like their ideas, I don’t think they have a grasp on reality and I’m pretty sure we’d be in a worse mess if they get in.
Seems like the 3 main parties are the best chance we have.
If you really want the Green Party to get in, firstly get them to put up a lot more candidates, secondly get them to change their ideas.
Report abuse
Express & tory! Hardly… it’s more like the Express & Starlin.
Report abuse
I don’t think any of the main parties have the guts to do what the British people want. So we will all be wasting our votes voting for any of them.
Report abuse
School leavers are no longer allowed to claim benefit as soon as they leave school like they did in the 80s,they have to be 18.The problem these days is that there are not enough jobs as the government are very nicely letting the immigrants come over here and have the jobs.My son left school and continued onto further education but also wanted a part time job.It took him 18 months to get one.Now he is not at college but his employer will not take him on any more than 12 hours a week.My father in law was made redundant as he worked for a casting company that provided Rover with parts and as Rover no longer needed parts he was no longer needed.He was unable to get another job due to his age as he was classed as too old in employers eyes and spent several years on benefit before reaching pension age.Not everyone is on benefits by choice.We are on benefits because my husband has ill health and he is not well enough to work and we have a young baby and 2 teenage children to look after.I cannot work because I have to look after my husband and baby and also my teenage son is epileptic and is sent home from school frequently.What are we expected to do put our kids in care and live on the streets so we don’t have to claim benefit.We have to claim benefits to look after our children and pay the bills,its not our choice to be in this situation but we have to live.But because we are on benefit we are looked down on as spongers and part of the “benefit culture”,but at least we have both paid our way in ni contributions and tax while working and we are now looked down upon but if we had just walked into the country not speaking a word of english and been handed a house,a giro and money for a car nothing would be said.I might be part of the benefits system but the money we receive is spent on bringing up my children the best we can.We don’t drink so don’t go to pubs,we keep ourseves and our children clean and my children have respect for others and they know what manners are and have excellent school reports and are classed as top class students at school and a pleasure to teach.So does been on benefits make everyone bad?Yes the Torys went wrong with the yts scheme but Labour fair far worse by causing wars and constantly letting people into the country who need benefits, interpreters at doctors surgeries and hospitals, and school places where children who were born here are not getting school places because of over crowding.And may I add a have a son who is mixed race and a lot of friends from ethnic backgrounds before anyone classes me as racist I am far from it.These party leaders don’t know what it is like to live in the real would and until you get someone in no 10 who has lived a hard life in the real world the country will never be right.
Report abuse