Conservatives in a Spin over Tax Credits

As Conservatives reflect upon the underwhelming attempt to sell Working Tax Credit Reform, they may care to consider the message.  "Moving to a low tax, low welfare, low spend economy" may be an unassailable macro-economic objective but I don't think it cuts it as far as "hard-working families" go.  I suggest something more simple and directed to the individual pocket - "fair to both tax-payers and benefit claimants," perhaps?

Are We Becoming Ungovernable?

I have not read the fine print of the Conservative Manifesto 2015 and it may be, on the current issue, that the Upper House has a point and is justified in interfering with legitimate legislation.  But I was dismayed by the Government's pathetic defence of their policy and the complete surrender of sympathy to the BBC's endless stream of hard luck stories.  How about some sympathy for tax-payers? Nevertheless, suitably emboldened by yesterdays "humiliating defeat" of the Government, I fear we should expect to hear more from our Noble Lords, particularly over issues such as the EU Referendum and Human Rights.  Doubtless, they will feel similarly justified to frustrate the will of the Commons.  Such righteousness will only encourage Labour activists seeking to frustrate government through "direct action." How long, I wonder, before we become ungovernable?

Syrian Refugee Priority

A large number of senior Clergy (84) presumably representing the less than 800,000 church-goers, have written a letter to the Prime Minister attacking Government policy on Syrian refugees.  The Bishop of Durham said it was "disheartening" that he had not received a "substantive reply."

In response, Michael Fallon correctly points out that "no other country in Europe was doing more in Syria than Britain."

Meanwhile, here at home, our righteous clergy might be better placed if they directed their influence to putting our own house in order before inviting more pressure upon our limited resources.  Unless, of course, their intervention assumes that the 80,000 of our children in care will be housed first and that something has already been done about a situation which sees one child admitted to care every 20 minutes!