PCS: Welfare cuts are a 'perverse redistribution of wealth'
Monday, 8 October 2012
4:36 PM
Commenting on reports chancellor George Osborne will today announce a further £10.5 billion cut from the welfare budget, Public and Commercial Services union general secretary Mark Serwotka said:
"Added to the cuts already in train this will mean £30 billion being taken from the sick, disabled and vulnerable - the same amount being handed to businesses in tax breaks.
"On top of the cut to the top rate of income tax for the very wealthy, this absolutely nails the Tory lie that we can't afford to offer support to those who need it most.
"While tax dodgers like Philip Green are rewarded as government advisers, people with serious disabilities are being forced to look for work and child poverty is on the rise.
"At the same time Osborne's perverse redistribution of wealth is being made possible by a shameful vilification of anyone on benefits by politicians and sections of the media.
"If we as a society refuse to support our most vulnerable we have lost the right to be called civilised.
"It is now obvious to almost everyone that this Tory-led government's obsession with austerity isn't working, it is just making our economic situation worse. And we desperately need an alternative of investment to create jobs to get people back to work, and this alone would bring down the welfare bill."
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