Ministers plan removal of rioters’ benefits

Financial times ^ | 14 Aug, 2011 | Kiran Stacey

[CharlyFord]

Ministers are drawing up controversial plans to remove benefits from those convicted of taking part in the riots that engulfed England last week, in a move Liberal Democrats and independent experts have condemned as counter-productive and overly expensive.

Officials in Number 10 and the department for work and pensions are putting together plans for the harsh punishment of those found guilty of even the most minor infringements during the riots after a public petition calling for such a move gathered nearly 200,000 signatures.

David Cameron will lay the ground for such a move on Monday, in a speech a week after the worst of the violence took place in London. The prime minister will argue that there has been a “slow-motion moral collapse” in the country, and argue that the problem needs to be tackled in various ways, including through the benefits system.

He is expected to say: “I and ministers from across the coalition government will review every aspect of our work to mend our broken society: on schools, welfare, families, parenting, addiction, communities; on the cultural, legal, bureaucratic problems in our society too.”

[Publius6961]

I hate to be the whinney liberal here but shouldn’t the “feral” rioters just be arrested for the crimes they actually commit? Making new rules and imposing a novel penalty for this particular form of stupidity doesn’t say much for the British rule of law.

Give me a break.
The laws of reason and justice no longer apply?
What "Rule of Law" requires Society to provide Room and Board permanently for criminals actively pursuing its destruction?

Either you are similarly inclined, or are so open minded that your brains fell out.

Fortunately, you don't get to decide what is moral and just for societies which are strained to the breaking point.

[Diana in Wisconsin]

Work is good. We all sell a little piece of our souls for cash each day. :)

[diamond6]

Why September? Do you know something we don’t?

[danielmryan]

Wouldn’t this kinda be like our Congress deciding to deny SS/DI benefits to panthers that intimidated voters in ‘08? It may feel good but it doesn’t exactly conform to due process.

Flemming v. Nestor, 1960.

[Winniesboy]

I’ll bet this kind of cr@p never happened on Lady Thatcher’s watch. :)

I'm afraid you'd lose your bet. The last time there was srious rioting in London (actually much more violent than last week) was in a series of race riots in the early 1980s, when Thatcher was at the height of her power.

[Lancey Howard]

He is expected to say: “I and ministers from across the coalition government will review every aspect of our work to mend our broken society: on schools, welfare, families, parenting, addiction, communities; on the cultural, legal, bureaucratic problems in our society too.”

Seriously? This passage begins with, He is expected to say: ???

[ButThreeLeftsDo]

Think: Anniversaries.

[diamond6]

Yes of course 9/11 but that was terrorism this is completely different, this is entitlement mentality at its worst.