Ministers plan removal of rioters’ benefits

Financial times ^ | 14 Aug, 2011 | Kiran Stacey

[CharlyFord]

Ministers are drawing up controversial plans to remove benefits from those convicted of taking part in the riots that engulfed England last week, in a move Liberal Democrats and independent experts have condemned as counter-productive and overly expensive.

Officials in Number 10 and the department for work and pensions are putting together plans for the harsh punishment of those found guilty of even the most minor infringements during the riots after a public petition calling for such a move gathered nearly 200,000 signatures.

David Cameron will lay the ground for such a move on Monday, in a speech a week after the worst of the violence took place in London. The prime minister will argue that there has been a “slow-motion moral collapse” in the country, and argue that the problem needs to be tackled in various ways, including through the benefits system.

He is expected to say: “I and ministers from across the coalition government will review every aspect of our work to mend our broken society: on schools, welfare, families, parenting, addiction, communities; on the cultural, legal, bureaucratic problems in our society too.”

[CharlyFord]

I'll bet this is met with significant resistance. The Government can't really do something this drastic, now can they?? It might hurt someone's delicate feelings!! (/sarc)

[E. Pluribus Unum]

Since punishing the innocent and rewarding the guilty is SOP for Liberals, they’ll wind up increasing the dole for the rioters, and cutting-off the people who did not participate.

[umgud]

Take their freeie’s? I thought they were rioting because they didn’t have enough freebie’s.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Well, batten down the hatches because you know for SURE that London will be burning once again if that gets passed...

Good to see someone with some ‘nads in charge, though. I’ll bet this kind of cr@p never happened on Lady Thatcher’s watch. :)

[CharlyFord]

Cutting off freebies will be declared cruel and unusual punishment. Can’t do that!!

[Red_Devil 232]

"Liberal Democrats and independent experts have condemned as counter-productive and overly expensive."

Overly expensive? Cutting and saving? Huh?

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

“London will be burning once again if that gets passed...”

As will the USA, very soon.

September, 2011, will be a very interesting time to live in the United States of America.

Bet on it.

[Anti-Bubba182]

Great idea if they can do it! If that fails deport them to Detroit.

[Venturer]

Sounds like a great idea to me.but instead of just cutting their benefits off I would also offer them a free ticket back to where they came from.

[nuconvert]

They better get ready for more riots

[IllumiNaughtyByNature]

Where you reap is where you’ll sleep?

[Wordkraft]

Excellent idea! Let them get a large dose of severe reality.

[ken5050]

Brits are having their own Tea ( and crumpets?) party...

[IllumiNaughtyByNature]

Why september?

[saganite]

That’ll teach them! LOL! /s/

[Bean Counter]

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[ButThreeLeftsDo]

9/11

Ten Years.

It’s all about symbolic dates and years to those who would try to destroy us.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Because of 9/11? Or did you mean September 2012?

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

I mean next month.