Originally Posted by Chris (Post 35555550)

I care about the economic health of the country, which if it is good will provide the right environment for those who work hard to get on, do well and, who knows, earn enough to drive a nice car like IDS.

I look at those who have done well as success stories to learn from and perhaps emulate, not hate figures to be envied and punished.

Originally Posted by Osem (Post 35555552)

Correct but that won't stop Arthur blaming the Tories for everything that's happened in trying to undo the damage that Bliar and Brown did during their 13 years at the helm spending money they didn't have. I really don't think people like Arthur can, even if they wanted to, grasp just what sort of a mess SameOldLabour left behind them. Now the chickens are inevitably coming home to roost, people like him choose to bury their heads in the sand, rely on the same tired old rhetoric and believe what they want to hear from the architects of our financial problems rather than facing the tough facts. They delude themselves that just as they have a 'right' to support from the state, UK PLC has a 'right' to support from people around the world to carry on funding state spending we patently can't afford.

Originally Posted by Stephen (Post 35555565)

So many anti Tory threads from Arthur lately. Shall we just create a general hate the Tories thread ;-)

Originally Posted by Stephen (Post 35555571)

They were trying to sort out the mess the Country was in after the last time there was a Conservative Government.

Originally Posted by Chris (Post 35555530)

He's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't, so I don't imagine he's going to lose any sleep over an article in the Daily Mirror, a politically-motivated petition and the signatures of a few thousand Labour activists.

IDS was asked directly on the Today programme if he could live on £53. If he'd said 'no' then the Mirror would be screaming in fury this morning and there'd be a petition demanding that the government abandon benefit changes that they admit are unfair and impossible to live with. He said 'yes' and the Mirror is screaming in fury this morning and demanding that he prove it, which is a bit awkward for them because he has already proven his ability to live on benefits when he left the army. That's not good enough for the usual suspects though, they say that years ago "things were different" and they demand proof that he could still do it today, but IMO that's just a thinly disguised attack based on envy of someone who has made a success of his life.

Just face it everyone, IDS has been there, done that, couldn't afford the tee shirt and now has a well-paid job in which he has to take hard decisions and get personal abuse as a result. He isn't going to give up his salary, his mansion or his nice car. There's no point. If you don't believe his stint on benefits at the beginning of his civilian career proves anything, then you won't believe a daft spectacle sponsored by the Mirror proves anything either.

Originally Posted by Chris (Post 35555530)

He's damned if he does and damned if he doesn't, so I don't imagine he's going to lose any sleep over an article in the Daily Mirror, a politically-motivated petition and the signatures of a few thousand Labour activists.

IDS was asked directly on the Today programme if he could live on £53. If he'd said 'no' then the Mirror would be screaming in fury this morning and there'd be a petition demanding that the government abandon benefit changes that they admit are unfair and impossible to live with. He said 'yes' and the Mirror is screaming in fury this morning and demanding that he prove it, which is a bit awkward for them because he has already proven his ability to live on benefits when he left the army. That's not good enough for the usual suspects though, they say that years ago "things were different" and they demand proof that he could still do it today, but IMO that's just a thinly disguised attack based on envy of someone who has made a success of his life.

Just face it everyone, IDS has been there, done that, couldn't afford the tee shirt and now has a well-paid job in which he has to take hard decisions and get personal abuse as a result. He isn't going to give up his salary, his mansion or his nice car. There's no point. If you don't believe his stint on benefits at the beginning of his civilian career proves anything, then you won't believe a daft spectacle sponsored by the Mirror proves anything either.

Originally Posted by tizmeinnit (Post 35555597)

if he really does have a clue then he should back it up. You tell me Chris how would you budget 53 quid a week if it was just for you? please include food bills travel expenses to job centre and if you can not go there 3 or 4 times a week please factor in internet connection. Stamps stationary? travel to library to read papers. The travel to interviews to maintain your claim show us how it is done it is obvious IDS will choose not to

Originally Posted by Chris (Post 35555598)

No thanks.

I've worked hard to get myself out of that situation, I have no intentions of doing it again as a paper exercise which, you and I both know, won't change anyone's mind anyway.