Publish the names of all benefits claimants and the amount that each is paid, says Mark Littlewood.
Until as recently as 2007, he was Head of Media for the Liberal Democrats. In 2008, he was still publishing papers for discussion at that party's Conference. There is no reason to assume that he left it the following year when he took over as "Director General" (puh-lease!) of the Institute of Economic Affairs.
After all, that was founded and first funded as an entirely Liberal affair. Its ideas became government policy under a Prime Minister from a Liberal background who never knew or cared much about Toryism and who hated the Tory Party.
It beat her in the end, though. A fact which it has erased from its collective memory, instead heaping posthumous praise on the woman whom it had knifed so hard that her already fragile mental health had collapsed, leading to the collapse of her previously very robust physical health as well.
Littlewood was Chief Press Officer of the Pro-Euro Conservative Party, which left the BBC dumbfounded on the night of the 1999 European Elections when it failed to win a single seat, just as the Lib Dems were to do when they failed to make any progress in terms of seats won at the 2010 General Election, and just as UKIP will do, certainly when it wins no seats in 2015, and quite possibly when it comes third in 2014.
The Pro-Euro Conservative Party supported not only joining the euro, but also greater powers for the accumulated extremists of the European Parliament, further dilution of the principle of unanimity in the Council of Ministers, the single EU defence and security policy that is now advocated by the neoconservatives on both sides of the Atlantic, more rapid EU enlargement to the east, and closer economic and political ties to the Balkans. Yes, in 1999. All solidly Thatcherite stuff, based on her record in office. And therefore supported by Mark Littlewood, now of the Institute of Economic Affairs.
Until as recently as 2007, he was Head of Media for the Liberal Democrats. In 2008, he was still publishing papers for discussion at that party's Conference. There is no reason to assume that he left it the following year when he took over as "Director General" (puh-lease!) of the Institute of Economic Affairs.
After all, that was founded and first funded as an entirely Liberal affair. Its ideas became government policy under a Prime Minister from a Liberal background who never knew or cared much about Toryism and who hated the Tory Party.
It beat her in the end, though. A fact which it has erased from its collective memory, instead heaping posthumous praise on the woman whom it had knifed so hard that her already fragile mental health had collapsed, leading to the collapse of her previously very robust physical health as well.
Littlewood was Chief Press Officer of the Pro-Euro Conservative Party, which left the BBC dumbfounded on the night of the 1999 European Elections when it failed to win a single seat, just as the Lib Dems were to do when they failed to make any progress in terms of seats won at the 2010 General Election, and just as UKIP will do, certainly when it wins no seats in 2015, and quite possibly when it comes third in 2014.
The Pro-Euro Conservative Party supported not only joining the euro, but also greater powers for the accumulated extremists of the European Parliament, further dilution of the principle of unanimity in the Council of Ministers, the single EU defence and security policy that is now advocated by the neoconservatives on both sides of the Atlantic, more rapid EU enlargement to the east, and closer economic and political ties to the Balkans. Yes, in 1999. All solidly Thatcherite stuff, based on her record in office. And therefore supported by Mark Littlewood, now of the Institute of Economic Affairs.
But this time, the IEA has gone too far even for the crowd below the line on MailOnline. I suspect that no small part of the reason is that this proposal would entail revealing to the whole wide world on which side of certain age lines late-middle-aged people fell. Not really a scheme to endear one to the Mail readership. It would also require such universal disclosure of at least the broad extent of many people's health problems or disabilities.
But, of course, "no one needs to worry about violent retribution against claimants. The British are far too reasonable to start taking up pitchforks and burning torches and assaulting imagined benefit cheats. We are generous and fair-minded people."
As nasty a policy as you could possibly imagine. But dressed up in that kind of sanctimonious, "I dare you to disagree with me" drivel. Oh, yes. Mark Littlewood is a Lib Dem, all right.
But, of course, "no one needs to worry about violent retribution against claimants. The British are far too reasonable to start taking up pitchforks and burning torches and assaulting imagined benefit cheats. We are generous and fair-minded people."
As nasty a policy as you could possibly imagine. But dressed up in that kind of sanctimonious, "I dare you to disagree with me" drivel. Oh, yes. Mark Littlewood is a Lib Dem, all right.
If we published the names of all benefit claimants, we'd effectively have publicly exposed Labour's entire voter base.
ReplyDeleteThat would be a dreadful humiliation for those people-we shouldn't do it.
Funny how they all seem to read the Mail.
ReplyDeleteLabour voters generally read the Sun-which is too intellectual for most of them.
ReplyDeleteOh, go to bed, you preposterous little boy.
ReplyDeleteThere appears to be such hatred towards claimants and poor people. Many Gladstonain liberals are very much to the Right, economically
ReplyDelete"preposterous little boy"
ReplyDeleteIs that considered a sharp and witty reposte where you come from? You're going senile, old chap.
You should be very careful how you speak to me-I'm one of the only people who ever reads this lonely blog.
You wish...
ReplyDelete