Cheats, scroungers and layabouts

Some of the words being used more and more to describe the unemployed.

As always those who use these words are usually privileged and have no reason to be concerned about the cuts hitting them directly.

It always confuses me as to why working class people also use these words.

There is no doubt that a small minority of people manipulate the benefits system, but we should not think that this is who these cuts are directed at.

In West Dunbartonshire a few years ago they were frustrated when they realised the levels of sickness amongst those not working was so high that they would not achieve the reductions in unemployment they wanted.

How can you get 40 per cent of people off unemployment, for example, if 70 per cent of them are on sickness benefits?

Those who manipulate the benefits system will just find another way to do it, regardless of how often you change it.

Ironically, a Liberal Democrat politician highlighted that during the election campaign.

It will be the truly needy that suffer, mainly women and their children.

Even the Welfare Reform minister sat on Newsnight and called his own welfare reform "draconian".

Students responded to the increase in tuition fees in London, some destroying the Tory Party headquarters.

This was strongly condemned by the Student Union, but what did they expect?

Do they think we are so crushed that this will not happen?

Even business leaders recognised the dangers last year when they warned against cuts to the police force, to ensure riots could be dealt with.

It may take time for the reality to strike us, but there is no doubt we will see similar scenes in the future.

As I watched Ian Duncan Smith, or the king of darkness as I like to address him, stand in Westminster justifying the cuts to welfare, it struck me ironic that he was wearing a poppy.

Proudly standing remembering the dead and injured sent to war by our Government, but what of the injured who are caught up in our welfare system, or the ones who have entered our criminal justice system, of which there are many?

The cuts affect all.

The final insult must have been when it was announced that Tony Blair was donating the profits from his book to Help for Heroes.

A man who sent soldiers to more wars than any other Prime Minister since the Second World War, and who will save £1.75m in tax by the donation. But that's the benefit of being an elected representative in our 'democracy'.

We hear that soldiers went to fight to defend the people's freedoms, way of life and right to protest, but who exactly are the people?

Is it the people who will lose their jobs, who will get the housing benefit cut, who will live in poverty?

Or is it to protect the people who evade tax, make money from slave and low paid labour, who make profit sitting in their homes whilst the working class end up physically and mentally ill and in some extreme cases dead.

You have to ask yourself who are the cheats, the scroungers and the layabouts?