ANGER AS BENEFITS TO ELDERLY ARE CUT

Source
http://express.lineone.net/posts/view/144371/Anger-as-benefits-to-elderly-are-cut

GORDON BROWN is facing a fresh backbench revolt over Labour plans to axe benefits for frail pensioners to pay for flagship care reform.

Thirty-five Labour MPs have signed a Commons motion calling on him not to scrap two disability benefits for the over-65s. With another 55 MPs from other parties backing the move the Government could face defeat this week.

The move comes just days after the Prime Minister was forced into an embarrassing U-turn over his plans to axe childcare vouchers for thousands of working parents in the face of a backbench rebellion.

Rebels fear plans to give free social care at home to 400,000 frail pensioners could rob a further 2.4 million pensioners of an average of £3,400 a year.

Scrapping attendance allowance and disability living allowance would save £8billion which would help pay for the new care package contained in the Personal Care At Home Bill. But Labour MPs are worried by a flood of letters in protest over the benefits cuts and more than 23,000 people have already signed a Downing Street petition urging Ministers to safeguard the allowances.

Shadow Work and Pensions Minister Mark Harper said: “We clearly have another rebellion brewing in the Labour party. This shows the deep level of dissatisfaction among Labour MPs with the half-baked policies of Gordon Brown.

“Labour’s obsession with headline chasing announcements means they consistently punish the poorest members of our society with policies made on the hoof.”

Attendance allowance, paid only to over-65s, is claimed by 1.6 million and is worth an average of £60 a week. A further 800,000 receive an average £75 a week in disability living allowance.

Typical New Labour.

Billions of pounds for corrupt overseas countries through Foreign Aid.
Pennies for the most vulnerable in our own country.

Had enough ?

Then Vote BNP !

Kevin

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