Think-tank savages Tory welfare proposals

The Centre for Local Economic Strategies has launched a blistering attack on the Conservative Party’s welfare proposals. It says: “The benefit blame game won’t work” and argues that welfare reforms must be linked to “the economic reality of deprivation in our communities”.

by Tribune Web Editor
Thursday, October 15th, 2009

by Keith Richmond

The Centre for Local Economic Strategies has launched a blistering attack on the Conservative Party’s welfare proposals. It says: “The benefit blame game won’t work” and argues that welfare reforms must be linked to “the economic reality of deprivation in our communities”.

A new report by CLES – an independent think-tank, with charitable status, involved in regeneration, local economic development and local governance – says that David Cameron’s policy of “developing increasingly punitive measures” to get benefit claimants back into work means the importance of reconnecting welfare policy and the economy is lost. It concludes: “If localities cannot support jobs, welfare reform will fail.”

Neil McInroy, the chief executive of CLES, said: “Tackling worklessness will require more than tightening benefit rules. In placing the onus on the claimant, the importance of the local context is forgotten. Tackling labour market problems is intrinsically related to reshaping local economic futures.”

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  • Trevor

    Perhaps the good academics at the CLES have been asleep for the last 12 years, but New Labour has not only been enthusiastically “developing increasingly punitive measures” against benefit claimants, but also ruthlessly applying them. I know this only too well, having been one of their victims.

    When will self-deluding Labourites (such as those at this “independent” think-tank) finally realise New Labour are just as bad as the Tories when it comes to “welfare reform”?

  • Trevor

    Perhaps the good academics at the CLES have been asleep for the last 12 years, but New Labour has not only been enthusiastically “developing increasingly punitive measures” against benefit claimants, but also ruthlessly applying them. I know this only too well, having been one of their victims.

    When will self-deluding Labourites (such as those at this “independent” think-tank) finally realise New Labour are just as bad as the Tories when it comes to “welfare reform”?

  • Robert

    I do not think Labour has any idea how people really feel about welfare reforms we have ten million people on disability, if they have mothers fathers daughters sons, carers, all these people are angry with New Labour.

    I’ve left and I’ll be dammed if I’ll vote New Labour.

    and yes I’m disabled.

  • Robert

    I do not think Labour has any idea how people really feel about welfare reforms we have ten million people on disability, if they have mothers fathers daughters sons, carers, all these people are angry with New Labour.

    I’ve left and I’ll be dammed if I’ll vote New Labour.

    and yes I’m disabled.

  • http://www.cles.org.uk neil mcinroy

    We have also been equally as critical of Labour policy as regards this punitive trend in welfare policy. http://www.cles.org.uk/information/103792/pp25_worklessness/

    We need to just get off the backs of claimants and start thinking about an economy which works for all.

  • http://www.cles.org.uk neil mcinroy

    We have also been equally as critical of Labour policy as regards this punitive trend in welfare policy. http://www.cles.org.uk/information/103792/pp25_worklessness/

    We need to just get off the backs of claimants and start thinking about an economy which works for all.

  • Robert

    I’d love to work I really would because the biggest killer for the disabled is being forgotten left to basically die at home. But what we need is jobs tailored for us, last year not forgetting I walk with crutches or wheelchair, these are the jobs my adviser sent me to. Taxi driver I’m banned from driving, she said thats OK try it anyway, window cleaning, building site labourer. These are jobs this week I was told to go down to see, how tree surgeons work in the Forrest , to see if I like to train as a tree surgeon.

    These are the things I’ve got to go through so my work adviser can put down on my file jobs I’ve applied for.

  • Robert

    I’d love to work I really would because the biggest killer for the disabled is being forgotten left to basically die at home. But what we need is jobs tailored for us, last year not forgetting I walk with crutches or wheelchair, these are the jobs my adviser sent me to. Taxi driver I’m banned from driving, she said thats OK try it anyway, window cleaning, building site labourer. These are jobs this week I was told to go down to see, how tree surgeons work in the Forrest , to see if I like to train as a tree surgeon.

    These are the things I’ve got to go through so my work adviser can put down on my file jobs I’ve applied for.