Simply cannot believe this tired old useless idea being put forward :

www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/nov/07/...d-work-lose-benefits

doesn't work-will not work.

Give it a year before it's quietly relaxed.

What is more alarming is that Britain now has a Tory government that is more bereft of ideas than the appaling Nu Labour were.

No ideas of creating jobs, just more and more punishment for those at the bottom of the heap.

This will be a one term government and the Lib Dems will be destroyed at the next election-they will never recover.

Interesting times ahead.

I disagree Veritas; I think for a short while cutting the fat away from corrupt social services will work and the Lib Dems will benefit from the coalition.

"cutting the fat"?..oh come on JK these are politician's words !

I guarantee within 6 to 9 months the cost of implementing these 'cuts' and programs will outstrip the savings.

The old saying you get nothing in this life for free is very true but that includes the poor..they don't come free as well. You can pay them not to riot or pay for them to be in jail..Caesar knew it !!

They aren't a great government,but at least they talk a good fight
Cutting the benefit culture is vital,it's how you do it that counts.It has too be fair,and we have to remember it's government policy that created these problems,and that we shouldn't blame anybody except those who passed laws to encourage it.

The CUTS need to be made from the top - otherwise the "public" will lose faith in the cuts.
The "Bottom" should always be dealt with last - because that is where the poorest and most vulnerable are....if they become disconnected then we will see "Civil Strife" and riots.

Those who are unemployed already blame immigration from the last government as the cause - and statistics back up their claim.

To then make them work for nothing is likely to enflame them more. It will be like a recruiting advert for the BNP - EDL - and extreme left wing groups.

Though benefit culture needs to be reformed - it should be done by making work a more attractive thing - not by "Punishing" people for not having a job.

Most people on benefit are not there through choice. Yes there are some scroungers - but they are easy to deal with because they are in a minority.

The facts say that we dont have enough jobs for the number of people in the UK. That is why immigration is plainly wrong on a "work" level. That is the problem and would lead to people coming off unemployment OVERNIGHT if we closed the doors for say TWO YEARS during this period of cuts.

That is not a racist or right wing thing to do - it is just supply and demand.

This government is destined to compound the New Labour mistakes if it does not deal with immigration and its effect on the benefit culture.

I'm not against changing a system...but those at the bottom are never there through their own design.

They are the result of years of government policies.

There may be many who get into a habit of not working. I reckon not working is soul destroying and anyone given a chance really gets into a job.

I see absolutely no policies from the Tories to increase jobs...I see many plans that will destroy jobs. Unless they intend to create another beaurocracy shifting the unemployed (unemployable) through a merry go round.

They could start with cutting the scandalous amount of corporate welfare that comes with no strings attached.

There is also a very real political element to cutting housing benefit and causing people to move. It could cause some areas to be gerrymandered.