Softening of tax credit blow to be funded by housing benefit cuts

Last Updated: November 23, 2015By

This Blog recently published a claim by Shadow Chancellor John McDonnell that George Osborne has, basically, lost the plot. Here’s a little more evidence to support that claim.

If Osborne’s plan to impoverish tax credit recipients raised concerns from Tories that it would punish working families unfairly, how does he think taking Housing Benefit away from the very same people will play any differently?

Another article may go into frontline policing cuts in depth, but the main issue is that Osborne seems to be planning to make the UK more vulnerable to terrorist attack, at a time when it seems increasingly likely.

Finally, Gideon’s deficit reduction plan is in tatters – but he is not worried! This is the promise that keeps on giving the Tories electoral victory after all – in the face of the facts. We all know that the only way to decrease the national deficit is to build up the economy (right?) but Osborne is sticking to his claim that cutting spending is the right way to go – childish ideological claptrap.

If Mr McDonnell is right, then Justine Greening will be sharpening her knife even as this piece is published.

The chancellor, George Osborne, is expected to fund the softening of the blow of controversial tax credits reductions by taking away housing benefit from many of the same people who will lose out.

Osborne’s tax credit changes were defeated in the House of Lords last month, with many in his own party worried they would punish working families unfairly.

The transitional arrangements will be set out in the five-year spending review, which will include further cuts at the Home Office for Theresa May – expected to lead to another round of reductions in frontline policing. The chancellor will also be forced to admit that deficit reduction forecasts for this year have proved over-optimistic and his hope of reaching a £10bn surplus at the end of the parliament is unlikely to be fulfilled.

Source: Softening of tax credit blow to be funded by housing benefit cuts | Politics | The Guardian

Join the Vox Political Facebook page.

If you have appreciated this article, don’t forget to share it using the buttons at the bottom of this page. Politics is about everybody – so let’s try to get everybody involved!

Vox Political needs your help!
If you want to support this site
(
but don’t want to give your money to advertisers)
you can make a one-off donation here:

Donate Button with Credit Cards

Buy Vox Political books so we can continue
fighting for the facts.

Health Warning: Government! is now available
in either print or eBook format here:

HWG PrintHWG eBook

The first collection, Strong Words and Hard Times,
is still available in either print or eBook format here:

SWAHTprint SWAHTeBook

12 Comments

  1. joanna may November 23, 2015 at 12:22 am - Reply

    Hi Mike it is more likely that he will push people to the end of endurance so they will have nothing left to lose, then we will have homegrown terrorists. Actually we already have homegrown terrorists, they are called the government and all the “elite” who stand by and let it all happen, where on earth do they think it is going to end?

    Here is a thought the guillotine was first invented in Yorkshire, why not build one , use it on the government, confiscate their wealth and redistribute it around Britain and make it great again. We could replace them from the best and brightest from all universities around Britain not just the elite ones. Just a thought!

    • Mike Sivier November 23, 2015 at 1:28 am - Reply

      You know I don’t condone violence against anybody.

      • joanna may November 23, 2015 at 1:40 am - Reply

        I know neither do I really, but if it carries on like it is someone is going to snap! life already has got way too much for some people! When is someone going to say enough is enough without it ending badly?

  2. AndyH November 23, 2015 at 12:22 am - Reply

    Housing Benefit is to be merged into Universal Credit – this means Universal Credit is to be cut – yet IDS will not resign… More smoke and mirrors.

  3. Mr.Angry November 23, 2015 at 8:15 am - Reply

    Yet here again Gozy Ozy has both hands poised, he is therefore doubly lying, what an absolute plonker. I think he realizes he is starting to lose the plot look into his eyes the mirror of the soul he would not know the truth if it bit him on the bum.

  4. Dez November 23, 2015 at 10:04 am - Reply

    I suppose it is easier to turn off the housing benefit tap than pushing through tax credit cuts……it will also divert much first hand aggro to the local councils who will bear the brunt of the backlash should it ever stupidly take place……which of course it will happen because they are a bunch of ne’er-do-wells. As for retracting the 10bn surplus statement that was just another election lie that was never likely to happen he just had to wait until the first excuse. Foreign aid (or brown envelopes fund) should be the first point of call for saving some UK dosh…..but that is one ego trip to far.

  5. A-Brightfuture November 23, 2015 at 10:41 am - Reply

    Oddspawn knows EXACTLY what he is doing, he is not out of touch with poor people. make no mistake, we are falling down a giant rabbit hole.

    This is a man that drip-feeds the poor cyanide, then goes home for tea with his wife and children.

    This government knows the “cause and effect” of what new “rules” they bring in. Social housing is not disappearing quick enough for them.

    Its so obvious what they are doing, they are not even trying to hide it any more. People are being manipulated to live on their nerves, and hopefully go away and crawl under a rock.

    We will get a lot of screaming and shouting on Wednesday when the man delivers his plan of attack, the media will be full of how disgusting Oddspawn is at attacking the poor and this cannot carry on (but he will).

    How many more strikes, protests, marches, polls, surveys, reports, whistle-blowers do people need to realise that nothing of significance is being done?

    Truly depressing.

  6. david November 23, 2015 at 11:14 am - Reply

    Mike don’t forget they have plans for social tenants to be given part ownership [leaving them liable for ground rent that isn’t covered by HB], which will also in effect reduce social housing stock and LA income from the state

  7. Brian November 23, 2015 at 2:00 pm - Reply

    Belgium is having problems flushing these terrorist out of the woodwork, one novel plan may be to instal an ululating guy on a tall building in Brussels, if they are as devout as they claim, it cannot fail.

    • Mike Sivier November 23, 2015 at 2:58 pm - Reply

      Yeah, there’s just one problem with that. These terrorists say they are Muslims – there’s no reason to believe they practice Islam. All your plan would do is increase hate crimes against the innocent.

  8. amnesiaclinic November 23, 2015 at 2:11 pm - Reply

    Taking away money from housing benefit fits the ideological narrative of cutting government, and benefits and doesn’t hurt the very wealthy.

    Sadly, many more families and elderly, poor, sick and disabled will be hit but unless we find a strong voice then this is what will happen.

    But, as David Icke points out, and as you are rightly pointing out, there is always, always money for war.

    Until we say ‘Enough’ and no one joins the army.

  9. mrmarcpc November 24, 2015 at 2:15 pm - Reply

    In one hand, out the other, that’s all these tories know how to do, so to subsidise this, someone else is going to get screwed, sounds about right!

Leave A Comment