Here is a link to the interview on Newsnight last night in which Iain Duncan Smith referred to a recent programme in which it appeared that some jobless people in Methyr Tydfil were not aware that there were jobs available in Cardiff which was an hour's bus ride away.

He was asked whether this was an 'on yer bus' moment similar to Norman Tebbit's 'on yer bike' moment in the earily 1980s. In fact, of course, Norman Tebbit never used those words (see box in this link) but was asked whether rioting was a natural response to unemployment. He said no. His father had been jobless in the depression. He did not riot. He got on his bike.

Iain Duncan Smith answered the question by saying 'no'. He explained that what he was saying was the there were relatively poor people who were taxed to support other people who were out of work. He thought it was right, in that situation, that if there were jobs available (an important 'if') that those who were out of work should make a 'reasonable' effort to take them.

These comments have been distorted to a shameful degree by some union leaders who have made him out to be a brutal person.

It is remarkable that these leaders take such an aggressive approach to such reasonable comments. They did not do so when Labour ministers such as David Blunkett made similar comments. They do not seem to care for those poor people who are taxed to pay for a jobless person who will not make a reasonable effort to get work.

Here are some quotes by Duncan Smith from the interview:

Referring to a recent programme, "...there were jobs in Cardiff but many of them [meaning jobseekers in Methyr Tydfil] had become static and did not know that if they got on a bus - an hour's journey - they would be in Cardiff and they could look for the job there....Sometimes you need to go to the job"

"...Right now, people who in work on low marginal incomes are paying quite significant sums in tax to help people who are in really difficult circumstances through the benefit system....We need to see some fairness for them, too...This is all we are asking... when work is available you make a reasonable effort to take that work."

Incidentally, Esler was a good interviewer - much better than Paxman.

Posted by James Bartholomew • Indexed in Welfare benefits

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