Stop the 'Bedroom Tax'. Don't make the poor pay with their homes to subsidise tax breaks for the rich. If the billions lost to corporate tax dodgers and very rich individuals were collected instead of cutting tax-collectors' jobs then we could take care of the sick and vulnerable, easily!
The housing crisis is not the fault of the poor. By encouraging more house-building the government could boost employment and ease the housing shortage.
Curb rich landlords' profits on poor housing and thereby reduce the welfare bill if need be but stop punishing powerlesss people with the cynical 'Bedroom Tax'.
Why is this important?
Societies are judged by how they take care of their most vulnerable. As you yourself, Mr Cameron, put it so very well:
"...Fairness means giving money to help the poorest in society. People who are sick, who are vulnerable, the elderly - I want you to know we will always look after you. That's the sign of a civilised society and it's what I believe..."
... David Cameron 6 Oct 2010
Those in power should not be cynically trying to distract the public by attacking the weakest; the young, students, immigrants, sick, disabled and elderly. Don't expect everyone to be fooled by these tactics for too much longer. Sooner or later, they'll wake up and realise that they're next in line.
Why not make our democratic society fairer by asking more from those who can afford it - those who have profited most from the shrinkage and privatisation of our national assets; the corporate companies, the bankers, CEOs and executives, the politicians with their own private health care companies, beancounters and lawyers, shareholders, the hedgefund managers, the private equity companies, PFI contractors, russian oligarchs, and other rich and thriving individuals?
The lucky wealthy have grown richer by exploiting the poor and powerless, and this 'Bedroom Tax' is yet another attempt to reduce the welfare state. Meanwhile the government continues to cut, chipping away at our welfare state, disparaging worker representation through Unions, closing hospitals, schools, public housing, swimming pools, libraries, welfare benefits, ad nauseum.
The rich don't need, and don't want to pay for, any of the welfare state - they just want to benefit from the rich prizes of opportunity as public services collapse, and they pick up the cherries.
And, of course their wealth has grown enormously since the recession started. Despite the poor losing their homes, the wealthy continue to do very nicely "Thank you very much" on their fat salaries and fat pensions, insider / offshore dealings, their directorships, private schools, investments, private healthcare, property portfolio, gyms, golf clubs, not forgetting their offshore: bank accounts, companies, and lavish homes with untaxed spare bedrooms galore.
Why are they so greedy? Why do they need my bedroom? Will they force me out of my home?
How it will be delivered
Firstly, we need everyone and their dog to sign this. Then I'll take to to Downing Street and deliver it in person.
