http://www.chickyog.net/2008/12/21/j...ime-dole-scum/

"I was in the park walking the dog earlier on this morning when I saw
some old bloke who’d slipped and fallen in the mud. He looked quite
frail and was clearly struggling to get up so I went over to help.
Before I gave him my hand to pull him upright, however, I gave a him a
swift, firm boot to the ribs.

Sure, he’ll be quite sore for a few days but the old bastard will think
twice before he falls down again.

Which brings us to big-hearted Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell
and his latest act of unfettered altruism towards the poor and vulnerable.

Emergency state loans given to the poorest people in the UK could
cease to be interest free, under changes being considered by ministers.

The social fund currently extends £500m a year in interest-free
loans to some 1.2 million benefit claimants.

But the government says in future some loans could be run by credit
unions, who it says typically charge annual rates ranging from 12.68% to
26.8%.

How’s that for a nice big dig in the ribs when you’re struggling to get
on your feet? How’s that for ‘we feel your pain’? It’s empathy you could
only expect from a man who went to fee-paying and public schools, and
did bloody Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford before
graduating to think-tanker and Blairite special adviser without touching
the sides.

But wait, there’s more…

The BBC’s political correspondent Jo Coburn said the reforms were
designed to ensure that interest-free loans were not offered to people
who did not really need them.

Yep, only the really bloody desperate are going to be screwed. I wonder
how many will decide to stay flat in the mud. Why doesn’t Purnell just
cut to the chase and get himself a stovepipe hat and a ruddy great knob
stick for braying passing urchins?"


See also http://harpymarx.wordpress.com/2008/...shark-purnell/

x-no-archive: yes

firemonkey wrote:

> [..]
>> "I was in the park walking the dog earlier on this morning when I saw
> some old bloke who’d slipped and fallen in the mud. He looked quite
> frail and was clearly struggling to get up so I went over to help.
> Before I gave him my hand to pull him upright, however, I gave a him a
> swift, firm boot to the ribs.
>
> Sure, he’ll be quite sore for a few days but the old bastard will think
> twice before he falls down again.

I think Purnell supporters would prefer the analogy of teaching the old
man to use his unbroken arm to crawl 100 yards to the nearest park bench
which he can use to drag himself to his feet.

>
> Which brings us to big-hearted Work and Pensions Secretary James Purnell
> and his latest act of unfettered altruism towards the poor and vulnerable.
>
> Emergency state loans given to the poorest people in the UK could
> cease to be interest free, under changes being considered by ministers.
>
> The social fund currently extends £500m a year in interest-free
> loans to some 1.2 million benefit claimants.
>
> But the government says in future some loans could be run by credit
> unions, who it says typically charge annual rates ranging from 12.68% to
> 26.8%.

My understanding of credit unions is that they are co-operatives of
similar people who lend each other money, and actually on the good side.
Getting them to make toxic loans to ninjas seems completely off-planet.

> How’s that for a nice big dig in the ribs when you’re struggling to get
> on your feet? How’s that for ‘we feel your pain’? It’s empathy you could
> only expect from a man who went to fee-paying and public schools, and
> did bloody Philosophy, Politics and Economics at Oxford before
> graduating to think-tanker and Blairite special adviser without touching
> the sides.
>
> But wait, there’s more…
>
> The BBC’s political correspondent Jo Coburn said the reforms were
> designed to ensure that interest-free loans were not offered to people
> who did not really need them.

Politicians are the biggest scumbags on earth. You're not allowed to
remain an MP if you're bankrupt so each party has a slush fund to bail
out its incompetents on the quiet, thus preventing a loseable
by-election. And don't forget the illegal cheap mortgages to
uberscumbags like Mandelson. They are exactly the wrong people to decide
who needs emergency loans.

> Yep, only the really bloody desperate are going to be screwed. I wonder
> how many will decide to stay flat in the mud. Why doesn’t Purnell just
> cut to the chase and get himself a stovepipe hat and a ruddy great knob
> stick for braying passing urchins?"
>> See also [..]

It sort of fits with stasi-nulab strategy. Raise ever more in 'optional'
taxes from the poor (while reducing services) in order to pay for
increasing legions of watchers, recorders and fixed penalty issuers.

Evil Nigel