Ids Petition Nears A Quarter Of A Million Signatures

[Gromit]

IDS has dismissed it as 'a complete stunt'. But 250,000 have signed it in 48 hours.

He has rather shot himself in the foot with the comment he could live on £53 a week.

Do you think he will take up the challenge? Maybe not for a year but maybe a fortnight/month. It will be embarrassing and damaging if he shirks out of it.

[cazzz1975]

no he wont, he will ignore it, he will make sure interviewers dont ask him about it either.

[McMouse]

He was asked if he could live on £53 a week, and he answered "If I had to". What's wrong with that? If asked the same question I would answer in the same way.

[Noth43]

What do you think?
But it will highlight the hypocrisy of 'all in it together'
I cant see anything coming from this other than a few quips and jibes. The Tories (their not real Tories) have done enough damage to scupper any hope of re-election despite this in my opinion anyway.

[lcg]

i've signed it.....i would pay good money to see that!

[Sqad]

"If i had too"

Seems reasonable to me.

I cannot equate momentary values of the 50's with today, but i lived (mainly) for 4 years on Corn flakes for breakfast, piece of bread and cheese ( or plate of Spaghetti)for lunch and then beans on toast for dinner. OK not everyday and it wasn't by choice but it can be done.

[VHG]

It annoys me that we have so much publicity about benefit cuts, but nobody ever seems to mention the people being made redundant, or who have had their pay cut, or a doing less overtime so less wages, or are struggling on their wages when they have to pay lots of tax (to pay for other people's benefits).

We have known for decades that many people getting benefits should not be getting them:- the shirkers, those pretending they are ill, those fiddling the system, those "playing" the system to maximize their benefits.

At last we have a party trying to do something about it, and all we hear is bleating from the church or the Labour party.

Trouble is if Labour get back in they will start giving away money to anyone and everyone, no questions asked (as they always do), and our debt problems will never go away.

Lets hear it for the WORKERS not the SHIRKERS.

[vakayu]

Nobody's denying it can't be done,thousands of people do it all the time,they have no option,but what is in question is if IDS is capable of doing it.

[emmie]

no he won't take up the challenge and though i am pleased someone had the guts to set this up, it won't make a penny worth of difference.

[pdq1]

I wonder how many of the 250,000 are Tory supporters?

[emmie]

VHG, chris said that the majority of those getting housing benefit are those in some form of employment, so how are they shirkers.

[emmie]

many might be, it doesn't mean that you agree with everything they do,

[Noth43]

VHG, I agree, but people being made redundant with no prospects or jobs to go to through no fault of their own are finding things tough.
I've always voted Conservative but this coalition is a shambles and if Iain thinks its fair he should lead the way.
..but of course he won't.

[arwyn]

One young man I know works full time and after paying utility bills and £100 a week on petrol to get to another City to do his poor paid job, he has £40 left over.

I know another young man who sits home all day living off the tax payer and after bills he has £37 left over.

The only problem I have is with those fit healthy people who decide they will never work, I have one in my street.

[emmie]

and i have any number living right near by, and i also have elderly neighbours who have worked all their lives, but because their husbands inconveniently passed away and left a pension, they get no help whatsoever.

[arwyn]

Em10 I agree, my elderly neighbours are cutting back on their heating.

[bibblebub]

http://www.guardian-series.co.uk/news/10327664.IDS__Petition_is_nothing_more_than_a_stunt_/?ref=mr

he has now said that he won't be doing it

"I have been unemployed twice in my life so I have already done this. I know what it is like to live on the breadline."

and the local paper felt it necessary to add [i](lived on the equivalent of £53 a week)[i] even though he didn't say that

[Sly,Duck]

Same old Tories and the Libs are just as bad.

[emmie]

from one of the posters.

Meanwhile, the likes of Bob Crow and Frank Dobson both live in subsidised rental accommodation despite earning well over the national average wage.

[DangerUXD]

If all he had was £53 he or anyone would survive a week. Not sure what they are all on about really.

[factor-fiction]

It's always unwise to make these sorts of statements even if you believe they are true.
If he did do it for two weeks, it would be artificial anyway. There have been TV programmes where presenters have done it. Doing it for two weeks is easy when you know that in two weeks' time things will be back to normal.