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Copyright Adonis 1997. LondonNet is published by Adonis, London, UK.

FEATURE 12/12/97

Still Smiling Tony?
61 Rebels Defy Blair | Five Quit | Why the Government is Wrong | Stick and Carrot

61 Rebels Defy Blair

THE Labour Government suffered it's biggest backbench revolt on 10 December since taking office in May.1997 47 rebel Labour MPs voted against cuts to single parents, 14 abstained. The cut was carried by 457 votes to 107 with the eager support of William Hague's Tories.

Five Quit

The rebellion followed plans to cut single parents benefit by around 10 pounds per week. Not much money to the Prime Minister maybe, but big bucks to millions of Britain's poorest families. Blair lost five members of his Government in the run up to Wednesday's vote, including Scottish Minister Malcolm Chisholm.

We wholeheartedly support those Labour MPs who voted with their conscience against this absurd folly. The spindoctors of Downing Street have learned more about core Labour values in one night than in a thousand of their target group couch sessions.

Why the Government is Wrong

THE shock cut was actually planned by the outgoing administration and so Blair and Brown had argued they had to stick to their manifesto pledge to adopt Tory spending plans. Quite right to keep promises, quite right to review payments from National Insurance funds, but attacking the very people who need Labour so much is surely harsh, brutal and misguided.

Okay the current battle for votes centres on the so-called middle classes (or is that prosperous proletariat), but don't forget Labour draws it's rock solid support from the workers, the disadvantaged and the poor. The Tories from the rich and the wannabe rich.

Stick and Carrot

Labour's Social Security Secretary Harriet Harman said that this will be a carrot and stick approach to encourage single parents back to work, thus improving their living standards. But this is no carrot and stick. This is stick followed by some sort of carrot, which they will get around to later. The majority of Labour members and voters want to help the poor not punish them. This means childcare, speedier payments to reclaimants, a minimum wage, pre and after-school care, training...

The talk is all of single mums and lone parents but let us not forget this is really about the most vulnerable and important members of New Britain; CHILDREN. This ten pound cut will hit already disadvantaged kids who need our compassion not our contempt. We thought it was the Christmas season right now, maybe someone ought to remind Mr Blair.