Should We Be Cutting Disability Whilst Pumping 50M A Day Into The Eu And 11Bn In Overseas Aid?

[youngmafbog]

Now, I'm all for trimming the public expenditure and only paying disability to those that really need it but surely we should cut payments to the bloated EU or stop funding other countries space programs before cutting our own?

On top of that, what idiot cuts any benefit and then give tax breaks away to the middle classes, who probably wont notice anyway as it is so insignificant.

And me a true middle class right winger too, so who is Gideon trying to please?

[fiction-factory]

We can't cut payments to the EU though unless we vote to leave or unless after a Yes vote the government can negotiate a reduction (but he would fail as we'd have a very weak negotiating position)

[VHG]

I also feel we should do more to spend money on our OWN houses rather than fund space programs abroad.

I watched a program a few months ago where they went to a poor area of Newcastle and their were boarded up houses, filthy streets, and many people out of work and on benefits.

THIS is where our money should go (and areas like it). WE generate the wealth so why should it go to dictators like Mugabe when our people are living in such awful conditions.

[Gromit]

The cuts in Disability Allowance have nothing to do with balancing the budget, saving money or paying off our debts.

The money saved is relatively small. The reason for the cut is ideological. The Conservatives do not believe this money should be paid at all. They believe Disable people should work to pay for any additional things they may need to cope with their disability.

Paying 0.7% of our GDP in Aid is a vanity project of the British and many other Governments. It is a statement that we are one of the top countries, just like Trident is.

Our EU levy is our subscription to join the EU Club. As long as we are in the EU we will have to pay, so the referendum will sort that one out.

[fiction-factory]

As for overseas aid we are part of the G7 club of top 7 economies and the G7 has agreed that members should commit 0.7% of GDP to foreign aid as part of a UN commitment. Do we want to pull out of the G7 ?

[douglas9401]

So many organisations, so many jobs for the boys.

[Old_Geezer]

It's about balance and priorities isn't it. We wish to fund all worthy things but budgets must reflect available resources. It arguable that we do not get value from being in the EU and exiting that would help. But it would be immoral to suggest we ignore suffering simply because it happens elsewhere in the world. Targeted aid is a moral duty both within and outside our borders.

[bazwillrun]

We shouldnt be sending a penny overseas except for extreme emergency aid as and when....

[youngmafbog]

Happy to pull out the G7, its only another talking frebie lunch shop

[New Judge]

Anything Mr Osborne does is far more directed towards ensuring he secures the keys to the house next door than it is to do with the economic wellbeing of the UK.

However, to the specifics, I see these two things as largely unconnected. His prime concern should be to bring down the deficit and debt. He can secure 22bn of savings at a stroke by cutting overseas aid (sorry, “development”) to nil (£11bn) and campaigning for a Brexit thus cutting our contributions to the EU to nil (currently somewhere between £12bn and £20bn, depending who you believe). This amounts to about a quarter of the annual deficit and the savings could be secured at a stroke with no effect on UK citizens at all.

Cutting a few bob off the benefits for vulnerable people will not secure anything like those savings. Having said that, there are large numbers of people on receiving disability benefits who are not too ill to work. You can see them every day. His efforts would be better spent in identifying them.

[janbee]

YMF... short answer ...NO . Long answer...NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

[Ken4155]

The biggest sum of revenue raised by Osborne's budget is the £4.4 billion that will come from the pockets of the disabled. So i guess that Gideon isn't trying to please the most vulnerable of our society.

[mikey4444]

Typical Tory budget....take from the poor and give to the rich...twas ever thus.

[Svejk]

///As for overseas aid we are part of the G7 club of top 7 economies and the G7 has agreed that members should commit 0.7% of GDP to foreign aid as part of a UN commitment. Do we want to pull out of the G7 ? ///

Ha ha ha.

[fiction-factory]

Glad you found it funny, svjek. Does that mean your answer is yes? Yes, we may feel we'd be better off not in this group but I doubt any politician in power would agree. nor would any major party. But I'd agree that we should press for change on this issue- maybe freeze it or gradually reduce it on the basis we already do a lot in other ways

[Svejk]

The most cursory check would have told you that we're the only G8(not g7) country that comes close to that 0.7% pledge.
So your premis that we'd have to leave anything is a moot one.