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Tories spell out benefit cut plan Tories spell out benefit cut plan
(10 minutes later)
The Conservatives say they would pay for their £600m plan to "get Britain working" by cutting the incapacity benefit bill.The Conservatives say they would pay for their £600m plan to "get Britain working" by cutting the incapacity benefit bill.
People on employment support allowance who are deemed fit to work would be put on the jobseeker's allowance, reducing their benefits by £25 a week.People on employment support allowance who are deemed fit to work would be put on the jobseeker's allowance, reducing their benefits by £25 a week.
All incapacity benefit claimants would be assessed to see if they could work.All incapacity benefit claimants would be assessed to see if they could work.
Ministers have described the Tory plan to reduce the number of people on incapacity benefit as "callous".Ministers have described the Tory plan to reduce the number of people on incapacity benefit as "callous".
Mr Cameron's position on the Lisbon Treaty is also under the microscope at the Conservative Party's conference in Manchester, amid calls for a referendum, whether it has been ratified or not.Mr Cameron's position on the Lisbon Treaty is also under the microscope at the Conservative Party's conference in Manchester, amid calls for a referendum, whether it has been ratified or not.
But the Tory leader wants to concentrate on what he has described as a "big, bold" shake-up of the welfare system.But the Tory leader wants to concentrate on what he has described as a "big, bold" shake-up of the welfare system.
The Conservative party is on a mission, on a crusade, to deal with deep-seated social, structural problems Michael Gove, shadow schools secretary Send us your comments Nick Robinson on the welfare planThe Conservative party is on a mission, on a crusade, to deal with deep-seated social, structural problems Michael Gove, shadow schools secretary Send us your comments Nick Robinson on the welfare plan
He told the BBC the New Deal would be among schemes replaced by personalised help to get the jobless and those on incapacity benefit into work. He told the BBC it was not about trying to reduce people's standards of living: "There are about 2.6 million people on incapacity benefit. Those who genuinely can't work, who are disabled, we as a compassionate society should look after them, should help them, and should pay their benefits, yes.
There would also be training courses for those unemployed for more than six months - with benefits cut if they refused to take up the offer. "There are also people on incapacity benefit who could work, and what we're saying is: 'If you can work, you should work, we will help you to work, we will get you the tailored help and support'."
The idea is for private training firms to be employed to prepare the unemployed for work and also to assess all 2.6 million people on incapacity benefit to see what work they might be able to do. The Conservatives recognised the social and economic dangers of people becoming long-term unemployed, he added, and would act earlier and more emphatically than Labour to help people at risk.
The initial start-up cost of the change would be £600m, the Conservative leader said. The Tories plan to scrap Labour's flagship New Deal back-to-work programme in favour of more personalised help for the jobless.
The Tories say they would cover the cost of the scheme by transferring more people from incapacity benefits to jobseeker's allowance. They will offer training courses for those unemployed for more than six months - with benefits cut if people refuse to take part.
Private training firms would be used to prepare the unemployed for work and also to assess all those on incapacity benefit, with initial start-up costs totalling £600m.
The Tories plan to cover the cost of the scheme by transferring more people from incapacity benefits to jobseeker's allowance.
They say they would extend a government pilot scheme aimed at getting people on incapacity benefit into work, which has a 19% success rate, across the whole of the UK.They say they would extend a government pilot scheme aimed at getting people on incapacity benefit into work, which has a 19% success rate, across the whole of the UK.
'On a mission''On a mission'
Shadow schools secretary Michael Gove denied the approach was a throwback to more hard line Conservative policies of the 1980s and 1990s, saying the plan was within the tradition of moderate "one nation" Conservatism.Shadow schools secretary Michael Gove denied the approach was a throwback to more hard line Conservative policies of the 1980s and 1990s, saying the plan was within the tradition of moderate "one nation" Conservatism.
"The Conservative Party is a party on a mission, on a crusade, to deal with deep-seated social, structural problems which have kept 20% to 30% of our people in poverty because they have not had the opportunities to rise which others have been given," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme."The Conservative Party is a party on a mission, on a crusade, to deal with deep-seated social, structural problems which have kept 20% to 30% of our people in poverty because they have not had the opportunities to rise which others have been given," he told BBC Radio 4's Today programme.
LIB DEM CONFERENCE TWEETS CONSERVATIVE CONFERENCE TWEETS
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Boris gets his own video before his speech and an ovation as he arrives on stage-they love him#cpc09 25 minutes agoMon, 05 Oct 2009 09:56:37 +0000 40 minutes ago Small but noisy UKIP group targeting tories on their way into conference this morning #cpc09 About 2 hours ago Tories have a mini shopping mall in the conference centre, including a Harvey Nichols-no room for tacky memorabilia here!#cpc09 About 16 hours ago Caroline Spelman rehearsing her speech on the main stage-expect talk on council 'snoopers'#cpc09 About 19 hours ago What is this? Boris warns Cameron on Crossrail-must be paid for-Cameron hasn't promised it yet#cpc09 7 minutes ago Boris gets his own video before his speech and an ovation as he arrives on stage-they love him#cpc09 36 minutes agoMon, 05 Oct 2009 09:56:37 +0000 51 minutes ago Small but noisy UKIP group targeting tories on their way into conference this morning #cpc09 About 2 hours ago Tories have a mini shopping mall in the conference centre, including a Harvey Nichols-no room for tacky memorabilia here!#cpc09 About 17 hours ago What is this?
"You can characterise that mission, that desire, to ensure social mobility is spread more widely and to deal with entrenched poverty however you wish but, as far as I am concerned, it is true to the mission that David Cameron outlined when he became leader of the Conservative Party.""You can characterise that mission, that desire, to ensure social mobility is spread more widely and to deal with entrenched poverty however you wish but, as far as I am concerned, it is true to the mission that David Cameron outlined when he became leader of the Conservative Party."
Following the Tory announcement, the government announced a number of new policies aimed at getting more than 750,000 people back into work by the end of next year.Following the Tory announcement, the government announced a number of new policies aimed at getting more than 750,000 people back into work by the end of next year.
People who have been out of work for more than six months - but have turned down work experience, support or training - will be required to take a work experience placement as a condition of receiving their benefits.People who have been out of work for more than six months - but have turned down work experience, support or training - will be required to take a work experience placement as a condition of receiving their benefits.
Labour rejected the Conservative approach to incapacity benefit claimants as "callous".Labour rejected the Conservative approach to incapacity benefit claimants as "callous".
"This is unfair on the genuinely sick who should not suffer a £25 a week cut in benefit," employment minister Jim Knight said"This is unfair on the genuinely sick who should not suffer a £25 a week cut in benefit," employment minister Jim Knight said
"Our plans are to get people off benefit and into work. The Tories don't seem to care about getting people into jobs, they just want to cut their benefit.""Our plans are to get people off benefit and into work. The Tories don't seem to care about getting people into jobs, they just want to cut their benefit."
Lisbon Treaty
Mr Cameron's policy on the Lisbon Treaty is also under fire, with calls for a referendum whether it has been ratified or not.
In a survey for BBC Two's Daily Politics programme by ComRes, 80% of Conservative councillors said they wanted Mr Cameron to make a commitment to hold a referendum on the Lisbon Treaty irrespective of the result of the Irish referendum, compared with only 12% who thought he should not.
The Irish voted overwhelmingly to ratify the treaty over the weekend.
Mr Cameron has said there will be no new announcements on the party's Lisbon Treaty policy during the party's conference in an effort to head off a row about the issue.
London Mayor Boris Johnson has denied there is a split at the top of the party on Europe, after he suggested the British people "deserved a say" on the treaty.
He said there was "not a cigarette paper" between his and Mr Cameron's position, which was that the party would decide what to do about a referendum if the treaty was ratified before the general election.
He denied he had been "rapped over the knuckles" by Mr Cameron after appearing to suggest in a Sunday Times interview that voters should have a say no matter what.
The Conservatives are the last of the three main UK parties to hold their annual conference, running from Monday to Thursday in Manchester.The Conservatives are the last of the three main UK parties to hold their annual conference, running from Monday to Thursday in Manchester.
They are currently riding high in the opinion polls ahead of the general election which has to be held by next May at the latest.They are currently riding high in the opinion polls ahead of the general election which has to be held by next May at the latest.
Do you think this plan would get people back to work? Would you be affected by the cuts? Send us your comments using the form below.Do you think this plan would get people back to work? Would you be affected by the cuts? Send us your comments using the form below.
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The BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & ConditionsThe BBC may edit your comments and not all emails will be published. Your comments may be published on any BBC media worldwide. Terms & Conditions