Labour and Benefits - committed to spending more on benefits for all, and opposing every welfare reform

The budget debate today focused on the words of Rachel Reeves, Labour Welfare Minister, who stated at an earlier meeting:
‘It will be much better if we can say that all of the changes that the Government have introduced we can reverse and all benefits can be universal.’

Despite being pressed she refused to deny saying this.
As others have pointed out:
- Implementing working-age Universal Benefits alone after the next election would cost Rachel £180 billion a year, which is double the benefits bill now.
- If you then include reversing all of IDS’s savings made in this parliament - like £2.1 billion to Housing Benefit Reforms or £1.3 billion to Employment and Support Allowance - you’re looking at another £50 billion needed. That takes Rachel’s bill to £230 billion . How can that figure possibly be seen as ‘much better’?
The truth is that Labour have opposed every single cut to the Nation's Budget. They are addicted to spending.

Autumn Statement today

Fuel is a necessity not a luxury in Tynedale.
So I am particularly hoping for some help for families and businesses in Northumberland on fuel costs, which we have campaigned very hard upon.
Yes we will get the revised figures on the deficit reduction and the updated growth forecasts, and I hope we hear more talk about a responsible recovery from a responsible government which has to take the tough decisions to reduce public spending. I certainly do not want a return to Gordon Brown and "No more boom and bust ... mand light touch city regulation"

David Cameron made the point yesterday that his focus is on the long-term rather than short-term in his interview with the BBC yesterday saying:

‘We have been working to a long-term plan and what you’re going to see in this Autumn Statement is the next step in that long term plan – a long-term plan to turn the country around, to get us out of our difficulty with debt and deficit, and to secure jobs and recovery for all our people. A recovery for all: that is what we want to see.
‘Now, of course, we are going to be looking ahead to a time when, yes, if the economy continues to grow and, as it were if the sun continues to shine, we should be fixing the roof when the sun is shining – what the last government failed to do – and that means, yes, not just getting rid of our deficit but in good years trying to put some money aside. That is what Britain should be trying to do.’

Gordon came, he spoke, he left

Will it be another year before we see Gordon Brown in the House of Commons again? I was gutted that I missed the chance to see a beast rarer than the Loch Ness Monster - Brown in the House. His 15 minute speech on Tuesday was on a legitimate local matter to be fair, but I still firmly believe you are elected by your voters to represent them primarily in Westminster.
The Papers pointed out the irony of Gordon getting upset about closing Remploy factories when he was responsible for closing 28 of them! See http://www.dailymail.co.uk/debate/article-2261813/Gordon-Browns--hes-doing-U-turn.html