Blunkett, of course, is a first class idiot.

I remember him saying last year that there is no unemployment in the South East, which will come as surprise to several friends of mine (most with science and engineering degrees) who are unemployed.

Let's be clear about benefits such as incapacity benefit. Most of the claimants claim it not because they're skiving, but because they're unempoyed and IB is paid at a higher rate, for a longer period and without means testing compared with Jobseekers allowance. Most IB claimants only claim when their 6 months JSA expires - which tells you a lot about the true state of the employment market outside the public sector and one or two specific areas such as fniancial services and pharmaceuticals which are buoyed due to complicated government tax regulation and increased NHS drugs spend.

Most people claim IB because otherwise they will starve.

Posted by: HJHJ at October 11, 2005 03:11 PM

"He also complained that too many people climbed aboard what he called the "incapacity benefit train" after being signed off work by their GPs without a proper assessment."

So GP's don't do their jobs properly then? Never mind the 'incapacity train' - that's stuck on a branch line compared to the Pullman that Blunkett and the other NuLabour Politburo members are on. Cheeky bastard.

Posted by: Stuart at October 13, 2005 12:46 AM