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Read The Book
Before the welfare state
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The Greycoat Hospital
The Greycoat Hospital was once a workhouse. It has since been a hospital and a school. It has a very long welfare history. It has now been taken over by the state.
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The Greycoat Hospital
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Education and State
Licence
Stats
They save in ‘communist’ China but not in ‘capitalist’ Britain. Why?
A limited formal social security system means the Chinese save like crazy. This is from a long article on the economic situation in China by Liam Halligan in the Sunday Telegraph. The unintended consequence of the welfare state is that … Continue reading
The state pension – a greatest pension scandal of them all
I was delighted to see a recent article in the Daily Telegraph by my former colleague Philip Johnston. Sometimes people ask me if I think my book has had any influence. Articles such as his clearly show an influence and, … Continue reading
Posted by James Bartholomew
Indexed in Pensions
How Gordon Brown has impoverished the retirements of those working today
Dr Ros Altman, who apparently spent six years advising the Treasury and Number 10, says that 80 per cent of workers face a retirement in poverty and that “if there is one person in Government who is responsible for this … Continue reading
Posted by James Bartholomew
Indexed in Pensions
Ruth Kelly’s ‘social justice’ and taxing more pensioners
Ruth Kelly was on the Today programme this morning and asserted that, under Labour, social justice had advanced. How does Ruth Kelly define ‘social justice’? How does she measure it? The concept seems extremely vague. Does it mean giving more … Continue reading
Somehow it is never pay or pensions that get cut for government employees
Not long ago, someone commented on this site that whenever all or part of the NHS runs out of money, wards are closed or operations are delayed or some other cost-saving measure is taken. But never are salaries cut back. … Continue reading
Posted by James Bartholomew
Indexed in Education, Healthcare and the NHS, Pensions, Waste in public services
Reform of incapacity benefit – again
The government is going to reform incapacity benefit and demand that more of those people on it who are capable of work make real efforts to be get a job. That line could have been written almost any time since … Continue reading
You wouldn’t be a hypocrite would you, Mr Brown?
Gordon Brown has gave the thumbs down to the Turner Commission report on pensions on the basis that they were ‘unaffordable’. But if Mr Brown become prime minister for just one day, his pension pot will double in size. Below … Continue reading
Is criticism of the government silenced by fear of victimisation?
Gordon Brown’s pension bungle (see below) was the lead item on the BBC’s World at One on Radio 4 today. Notice one thing that is even worse than Mr Brown’s wasting of other people’s time and money. The objections to … Continue reading
Gordon Brown has been criticised – but not enough
The press and the BBC have, for once, been fairly critical of Gordon Brown and his pre-budget report. But not critical enough. For the past year or more, the financial pages of all newspapers have been looking forward to the … Continue reading
Posted by James Bartholomew
Indexed in Pensions
The Turner Commission report
For reference, here is a link the the Turner Commission final report on pensions. Here is its full web address: http://www.pensionscommission.org.uk/publications/2005/annrep/annrep-index.asp As has been widely reported, it was killed before birth by Gordon Brown. Gordon Brown, the great means-tester, has … Continue reading
Posted by James Bartholomew
Indexed in Pensions