What Disability Benefit Cuts Reveal About Labour’s Grasp of Economics
Original article by Phil McDuff at https://novaramedia.com/2025/03/20/what-disability-benefit-cuts-reveal-about-labours-grasp-of-economics/
The angry volcano demands more human sacrifice.
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Austerity was a monstrous scam – a stitch up between the ruling elite and the media and think tank class to sell a decade of outright fraud and disaster capitalism as a sober but necessary correction from the excesses of Tony Blair. It was appalling and evil – but at least enough of them knew it was all a racket.
Reeves and Starmer are altogether different beasts. They’re true believers. The economy really doesn’t want those libraries in Wolverhampton!
It’s as if the economy is an angry volcano god that demands constant ritual sacrifices of poor and disabled people. Past rulers might have made up those stories so as to avoid hard questions such as “why do you get to have the big gold hat while I have to muck out this goat shed?” but we’re now at the stage where the people in charge really, truly believe that the volcano won’t erupt if we just throw enough people into it.
And, unfortunately, their response to the volcano’s stubborn insistence on erupting despite the rain of bodies is “more human sacrifice! The economy is still mad at us!”
Reeves seems to believe her powerful invocations of “growth, growth, growth” aren’t stirring the economy god into action because poor and disabled people are blocking its ears. “You’re not working hard enough! You’re not putting in enough effort! If you were, this would be working! It can’t be because my ideas are trash! Into the volcano with you!”
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Original article by Phil McDuff at https://novaramedia.com/2025/03/20/what-disability-benefit-cuts-reveal-about-labours-grasp-of-economics/
Charities respond to Spring Statement
https://socialcare.today/2025/03/27/charities-respond-to-spring-statement
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Lynn Perry, Chief Executive of the children’s charity Barnardo’s, says: ‘The Spring Statement today offered little hope to the 4.3m children and their families who are living in poverty. In fact, the welfare changes announced today will make things even worse, putting an extra 50,000 children into relative poverty. These children face devastating impacts on their health, well-being and life opportunities long into adulthood.
‘While we welcome the investment to recruit 400 new foster carers, much more action is urgently needed to achieve the government’s ambition to create the healthiest generation of children. Planned freezes to universal credit will add to the worry facing families already struggling to make ends meet. Looking ahead to the Spending Review, we urge the government to prioritise investment in lifting children out of poverty – an investment in children is an investment in the country’s future.’
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Dr Sarah Hughes, CEO of mental health charity Mind, adds: ‘The extra cuts to benefits announced today are devastating and will push more people into a mental health crisis.
‘It’s a political choice to try fixing the public finances by cutting the incomes of disabled people, including people with mental health problems. Benefits are a lifeline for so many people. Cuts will push people into poverty. This is policy making by numbers with little recognition of the impact on real people’s lives.
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https://socialcare.today/2025/03/27/charities-respond-to-spring-statement
Child poverty hits record high
https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/child-poverty-hits-record-high
THE number of children living in poverty in Britain has reached a record high of almost 4.5 million, official figures revealed today.
Data from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) showed 4.45 million children in households with relative low income after housing costs in the year to March 2024, up from 4.33m the previous year — the highest since records began in 2002-03.
A household is considered in relative poverty if its income falls below 60 per cent of the median after housing costs.
The official figure comes a day after government estimates showed that its welfare cuts will push 50,000 more children below the poverty line by 2030.
And a Resolution Foundation analysis said a weak economic outlook and benefit cuts will disproportionately impact lower-income families, reducing the average income for the poorest half by £500 on average over the next five years.
The think tank also said that Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s welfare cuts amount to £8.1 billion — far exceeding the £4.8bn stated by the government.
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Article continues at https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/child-poverty-hits-record-high
