Labour could benefit from facts on jobs

In actual fact vast numbers of the unemployed are denied benefit already. Everyone who has paid their full share of NI gets the princely sum of 64.30 a week, but only for six months. After that point, if they have a partner who works, whether or not they have a low income, this benefit is removed.

They may still sign on but many will choose not to do so. Those people won't appear in the government statistics but they are still searching for a job and they are still unemployed. Those who do get income-based JSA are means tested and have no other income. They are extremely poor and are 'on the breadline'.

Now in the midst of a serious recession Labour have decided that all those who have been unable to find a job after two years should potentially be deprived of any income whatsoever. They just don't want to work according to Labour, instead the government must give them a fake job as part of the civil service.

Firstly, the unemployed do want to work and no-one actually enjoys the pathetic income which the benefits system provides.

Secondly, as The Scotsman group must be aware, given the state of your recruitment pages, the actual amount of jobs available is extremely low and it would be in practice impossible to provide every claimant with an immediate job.

What Labour are doing is deliberately stigmatising the people at the sharp end of the depression.

This disgusting proposal sums up Labour's utter failure in office. The people's party has actually worsened the gap between rich and poor.

If threatening the unemployed and disabled (who have also been targeted shamefully by Labour) is all that this pointless party can come up with then they deserve to lose the next election. Sadly their 'official opposition' is no better.

It is long past time for Scotland to decide our own benefits system and treat ordinary working people with the basic respect they deserve.

Joe Middleton, Edinburgh