Letter: Workfare: Labour's knee-jerk response; jobs policy; family in limbo
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Sir: On the subject of 'workfare', the Labour Party needs to abandon its knee-jerk responses and wake up to the fact that there is a world beyond Westminster crying out for action for the unemployed.
Returning to Hartlepool today, I was confronted by a constituent over Labour's dismissal of the work-for-benefits idea. I came back with the standard arguments about demeaning cheap labour, an insult to the unemployed, what we need is real jobs, etc etc. My constituent almost screamed. What did I think could be worse than being on the dole for months on end with nothing to do? Why should others have the right to work and get paid while the unemployed have to be kept indoors?
Everyone must abandon slogans and start some real thinking instead. No doubt there are Tories whose only interest is changing the benefit rules to make savings in the social security budget. But they are vastly outnumbered by the unemployed who, desperately, want the chance to work, even if normal market mechanisms have failed to create the jobs. In other times, in another generation, Labour would have supported nationalising unemployment.
Yours,
PETER MANDELSON
MP for Hartlepool (Lab)
House of Commons
London, SW1
5 February
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments