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Free money for every council tenant
Posted by Mark 4 September 2007
So the Conservatives want to "reward" well-behaved council tenants with 10% of the value of their council house if they keep their noses clean for five years.
The first thought that crossed my mind when I read of the new Tory proposal was, "This cannot work." Now what can I say about the quality of politicians these days? Why, when presumably this initiative has been subject to close scrutiny by some of the finest minds on the political landscape, has this idea made it through to official party policy?
Setting aside the question of whether this is the best use of public resources, what do they imagine the reaction will be of anyone "disadvantaged" by the policy? They'll sue, of course. And in case they sue, nobody will dare penalise them if their behaviour over the five years doesn't meet the standards required.
Councils are institutionally averse to risk.
This is an age when people sue for thousands after tripping over a paving stone. This is an age when criminals sue their victims when a robbery goes wrong. This is an age when "human rights" legislation gives undreamed-of power to every malcontent.
Everyone will qualify for this payment, so there will be no incentive to improve behaviour and it makes as much sense as simply giving everyone free money.
As a home-owner myself, and thus on the face of it ineligible, I shall sue because it is partly my money that is being used to fund this brainless scheme and I should be entitled to be part of it.
This is a clueless policy from a party desperate for anything to tout as a "new idea."
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