A rough ride
MILLIONS of grafters who drag themselves out of bed each day to earn a living must wonder why they bother.
One in four full-time workers take home less than many welfare claimants.
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Labour’s failure to cut the bill means that six million workers would be better off if they quit their jobs and lived off state handouts Credit: Alamy
And they will be incensed to learn their taxes are subsidising spa days, rounds of golf and pints of beer for people on benefits.
The list of freebies and discounts, which includes cut-price cinema tickets and kayaking, insults workers who can’t afford such luxuries themselves.
It also makes it harder to break the spiralling welfare culture which will cost taxpayers £333billion this year — money that would be better spent rebuilding Britain’s threadbare Armed Forces.
Labour’s failure to cut the bill means that six million workers would be better off if they quit their jobs and lived off state handouts.
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Benefits are there as a safety net for people who, through no fault of their own, are unable to work — not to fund a lifestyle choice for those who wish to sit at home doing nothing.
Yet again, it’s the strivers who play by the rules who are the mugs footing the bill.
Is it any surprise that so many fit and able people prefer the dole to work when the rules are so lax, the payments generous and the perks plentiful?
Or that businesses are looking overseas to fill vacancies?
This extravagant use of taxpayers’ money isn’t just unfair — it’s unsustainable.
Chips are down
FISH and chip shops are the cornerstones of our communities.
But they are closing at the rate of 500 a year as the cost of energy, fish and cooking oil rockets.
What was once a weekly treat is becoming less affordable for many families with the average price of a fish supper now around £12.
While we could all use them more, the Government must do its bit to bring down overheads.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves could help by cutting duty on diesel used by trawlers while the Strait of Hormuz remains closed.
But the cost of firing up deep fryers won’t come down while Energy Secretary Ed Miliband sticks to damaging Net Zero targets.
Without action, we risk losing a great British tradition.
Much at stake
BLACK market bookies are the only people who will benefit from plans to impose draconian betting restrictions.
About 1.5million Brits already stake up to £4.3billion a year through unregulated operators.
The racing industry warns even more will be driven to illegal gambling websites if Labour presses ahead with intrusive affordability checks on punters.
Ministers should declare this daft idea a non-starter.
