Lib Dems Not Labour Prepared to End Benefits Freeze

Below is an article from Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice. Oddly it is the Lib Dems prepared to end the benefits freeze not Labour. 

Please read the article below: 

As prices go up in a Brexit-induced inflationary spiral, spare a thought for the poorest in our society. People who are having to rely on state benefits don’t get any cushioning thanks to George Osborne’s benefit freeze. As prices go up, benefits, already at a meagre level, stay the same making it even harder for people to survive.

So, you’d think that Jeremy Corbyn’s lefty Labour Party would be all about ending the freeze. Well, that’s what they briefed reporters on Friday morning ahead of a Corbyn visit to Cambridge. Remember that until 2015, Cambridge was represented by a Liberal Democrat who voted against many of the most contentious elements of the Coalitions social security reforms.

Anyway, Jezza rolls up and, weirdly, gives a much more timid message than his advisers had briefed. From Politics Home:

Party officials briefed journalists that Mr Corbyn would make the promise during a visit to Coatbridge in Lanarkshire yesterday.

A trail of his speech quoted the Labour leader saying: “We will lift the freeze on social security, using part of the billions we set aside for reform in our costed manifesto, by recycling social security savings made by introducing a real Living Wage of £10 an hour, and by building the affordable homes we need.”

But when he came to make the address, Mr Corbyn only said: “We are confident that we will be able to end the benefits freeze.”

A Labour source told The Times: “In his campaign speeches… not everything [prebriefed] is said, but the intention was to say that. It’s in line with our policy.”

A party spokesman said: “We are confident that we will be able to end the benefits freeze.”

It’s the sort of caution that strikes resignation and frustration into the heart of anyone that actually wants to sort stuff out.

Just as a matter of interest, what is the Liberal Democrats’ policy on this? Pretty unequivocal, from the 2017 manifesto. 

The Liberal Democrats are clear – balancing the books on the backs of the poor and disabled, and demonising people who claim benefits, is neither acceptable nor responsible. Although all government budgets must be scrutinised to minimise waste and ensure value for money, this must not be used as an excuse to attack the poor and vulnerable. In any case it is more effective to tackle the causes of the benefits bill – low pay, high rents, unemployment and ill-health.

That’s why we will reverse unfair Conservative policies like reducing support for younger people and cutting the benefits of people not fit for work. We will reinstate the legally binding poverty targets of the Child Poverty Act. We will:

Uprate working-age benefits at least in line with inflation.

It has become clear that the Liberal Democrats held the Tories back from doing all sorts of horrible things with benefits. Osborne wanted to implement the benefits freeze during the Coalition but Nick Clegg wouldn’t let him. We stopped them taking Housing Benefits from young people and set the benefit cap, which many of us vehemently disagree with, at a much more humane level. Since we’ve been off the scene, the Tories have shown their usual disdain for those who need the vital safety net that social security provides.

While I would be the first to admit that our record in coalition was far from perfect, there is simply no excuse for the Labour Party to carry the benefits freeze on.

Caron Lindsay is Editor of Liberal Democrat Voice and blogs at Caron's Musings