'Housing benefit and jobseeker's allowance will be denied to people under the age of 25 if the Tories win the next general election as part of a "bold" move to prepare school-leavers for a tougher economic world, David Cameron has said.'
Guardian - http://bit.ly/16hv56z
'A Conservative source has told the BBC the manifesto will definitely contain a commitment to end the automatic entitlement to housing benefit for the under-25s, as suggested previously by Mr Cameron.'
BBC - http://bbc.in/16hvHJA
'Under-25s would not be able to claim benefits under all-Conservative government, David Cameron says.'
Telegraph - http://bit.ly/1buZUp3
(H/T to the 'Nobody Likes A Tory' Facebook Page for pulling out the salient points)
I don't know about you, but to me this doesn't scream "Land of Opportunity"
Get a job, work hard; be made redundant at 23 and be denied any financial help (even though you'll have been paying tax/national insurance).
Work hard at school, pass your exams, go to university; then be unable to move in order to take a job because you won't be eligible for help with any housing costs, even if those jobs are in expensive housing areas.
Oh, and if you HAVE worked hard and passed your exams and gone to university you will, of course, have been saddled with a lifetime's debt before you even start to look for a roof over your head.
And if your parents live in social housing, they'll probably have been evicted from the home in which they actually had a room for you, courtesy of the Bedroom Tax
And god forbid you're unfortunate enough to NOT have a loving and supportive family who are prepared to stick with you through thick and thin; or you have an abusive parent who resents you being a drain on already stretched household finances. You're stuck with 'em, whether it's safe or not.
You'll note that the financial responsibility for the nation's young adults will now fall on their parents - since we're clearly infantilising the next generation, I'm eagerly awaiting the extension of Child Benefit to all children from 0-25.
Conservatives hate the Nanny State, apparently, but seem happy to inhibit the life chances of anyone not born to privilege, and dictate how adults should live their lives well into their twenties.
Of course, it's the usual back-of-fag-packet policy making which doesn't bear any examination before its obvious flaws emerge, but that doesn't mean they won't press ahead with it if elected in 2015.
To any young person who says "I won't bother to vote; I don't understand it/they're all the same/politics is boring", etc. THIS is what is being planned for you by the Conservative Party. No matter how disillusioned you are with mainstream politics, it is vital that you vote - it's a crappy system, but the only one we have. Direct Action is great, but doesn't actually gain seats in parliament and whatever the SWP tell you, there will not be a socialist utopia by next Tuesday, no matter how many copies of Socialist Worker you buy, so it's really a question of 'get out and vote.'
I strongly suggest you vote in 2015. And not for these scum-sucking excuses for human beings.