Benefits

A quick skim through the papers suggests that all is not well with the benefits system. A woman commits suicide, because she has been persistently pursued regarding overpayments, despite the fact that she and her doctor have made it clear the DWP should approach her daughter rather than her. A study of single parents suggests that they are being punished and “set up to fail” by an unrealistic government drive to force them into something near full time work when their children turn three.

But maybe this will change with a Labour government? Don’t bank on it. Liz Kendall is anxious to insist that “there will be no option of a life on benefits.” The aim is not to humanise the system, to provide practical support which offers hope for the future. What’s important is to deny the scoungers, make sure nobody’s getting away with anything.

So the shadow play goes on, offering voters what they think we want to hear, and the chances of improving an inefficient and vindictive system shrink to zero. Like Wes Streeting says, false hope is worse than no hope, so let’s just settle for no hope and forget about making things better.