Congratulations to the forty four rebel Labour MPs for voting against the Government’s Jobseekers’ Bill. The decision of the Parliamentary Labour Party, and in particular, the Shadow Minister responsible, Liam Byrne, to abstain on that vote was a disgrace. It is wrong that the unemployed should be forced to work for nothing except what pittance they get in benefits. And it is wrong that these schemes are being used by employers as a charter to exploit unpaid labour. The Government’s workfare schemes have everything to do with fixing the unemployment figures and very little to do with providing valuable job skills and experience. In my experience people on Job Seekers Allowance are desperate to find work. This government needs to be providing them with proper training and jobs, rather than punishing them.
