Reform plans praised

Jan 16 2008 by Barry Gibson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

A POLITICIAN has welcomed a plan which could put thousands of people in Dewsbury in work.

Conservative leader David Cameron announced plans to cut the number of people claiming incapacity benefit.

The 2.64m claimants nationwide would be subjected to in-depth assessments.

Those deemed able to work would be put on the Jobseekers’ Allowance and required to look for work.

Kevin Hollinrake, the Tories’ Parliamentary candidate for Dewsbury, welcomed the idea.

He said: “Real welfare reform will help reverse the disastrous rise in family breakdown under Labour and tackle the persistent and often hidden poverty that shames our nation.

“Labour’s old politics on welfare reform simply are not working.

“Higher numbers of incapacity benefit claimants and high youth unemployment show that the policies of the last 10 years have failed. It’s time for change.

“Rather than Whitehall taking responsibility away from people and making them dependent we need to help people across Dewsbury to take responsibility for themselves and achieve success and independence.”

There are 4,460 people on incapacity benefit in Dewsbury.