[new puritan]

Speaking of benefits, Clegg has stepped in to fight IDS' corner. Thanks Nick.

NICK Clegg has stepped in TWICE to save Iain Duncan Smith’s Universal Credit welfare revolution from the chop, The Sun can reveal.

Treasury officials have repeatedly tried to scrap the sweeping benefits overhaul or delay it until after the 2015 election.

Chancellor George Osborne and his aides have deep fears over its spiralling £2billion costs and whether a huge new computer system will work.

Deputy PM Mr Clegg first came to its rescue in 2010, then again late last year, Lib Dem sources have revealed.

A senior Whitehall source said: “Nick is a huge backer.

“He believes it is the most important thing the Coalition is doing to get people out of the benefits trap.

“But Iain now has a big job to make sure the complex computer system works.”

http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/ne ... -plan.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Anyone who considers themselves on the left and still votes Lib Dem needs to ask themselves some serious questions.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Universal Credit is an admin system, isn't it?

He's supported the benefit cuts already. Not sure this makes it worse.

[Abernathy]

A senior Whitehall source said: “Nick is a huge wanker."

Bit of correction, there for you.

[Malcolm Armsteen]

Yes, that's true.

Universal Credit was a Labour idea (c2005?) which was nixed because no-one thought it could be made to work, for a variety of reasons. The civil service knew that in 2010 - but presumable Clegg thought he knew better, or was simply living in a fantasy world.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Talking of which, the Local Government Chronicle (paywall, I could read only the first para) reported the DWP was scaling back its estimates of online clients.

First step to dropping the whole thing?

[Malcolm Armsteen]

I think they'll have to. If the software doesn't work.

Remember the idea of everybody's pay being given to HMRC and them paying the nation (after tax)? That may be the only way it could work, and that isn't going to happen.

Many millions of individual accounts, kept up-to-date, circumstances changed as details are input (without error?) by tens of thousands of civil servants of varying competence? Automatic payment systems that don't go haywire? Hardware that doesn't break down? Software of amazing complexity with no bugs, errors or glitches? Not to mention a welfare clientele all of whom have computer access...

Labour's plan in 2005 failed
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19555748" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[The Weeping Angel]

Christ even Frank Field and Liam Byrne say Universal Credit is going to be a disaster

[spoonman]

I think they'll have to. If the software doesn't work.

Remember the idea of everybody's pay being given to HMRC and them paying the nation (after tax)? That may be the only way it could work, and that isn't going to happen.

Many millions of individual accounts, kept up-to-date, circumstances changed as details are input (without error?) by tens of thousands of civil servants of varying competence? Automatic payment systems that don't go haywire? Hardware that doesn't break down? Software of amazing complexity with no bugs, errors or glitches? Not to mention a welfare clientele all of whom have computer access...

Labour's plan in 2005 failed
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-19555748" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Not to mention people on public computers that forget to log off, keeping the database from being hacked etc. The potential for fraud is mind boggling.

[Abernathy]

Is Lima Byrne from the Peruvian branch of the family?

[Tubby Isaacs]

A chap here had a real good go at getting hold of the risk register for Universal Credit.

https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/ ... _programme" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Imagine how much time and money was wasted not providing it.

[oboogie]

Now Leveson's out they way the press are back doing what they do best.

[new puritan]

More complete drivel from Clegg.

If I needed a reminder of what we’re campaigning for at the national level, it came through loud and clear from Labour this week. They revealed they will stick to the same failed economic policies that led to the 2008 crash if they secure a majority in 2015, risking jobs and livelihoods. Have they learnt nothing from the economic crisis they caused?

http://www.libdemvoice.org/nick-cleggs- ... 34194.html" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Absolute bollocks. Firstly, they haven't revealed anything of the sort. Secondly, blaming Brown for the global economic crash of 2008 is a massive leap. Thirdly, Lib Dem economic policy in 2010 was closer to Darling's than Cameron's. Fourthly, go and fuck yourself you snivelling little runt.

[Abernathy]

So we see the beginning of the lies about Labour that not just the Tories, but it seems also Clegg and his band of lickspittles will be deploying in the runup to the 2015 election.

No surprise, but what a bunch of utter cunts these yellow scum are.

[Tubby Isaacs]

Ha, ha.

Old Gordo got about. Caused crashes in America, Ireland, Iceland, Spain, Greece. I think there were recessions in something like 90% of the OECD.

In America alone, he was chairing the Fed, making loans to crap borrowers, bundling up those loans as securities etc.

[new puritan]

Remarkable cynicism from Clegg over web snooping.

Nick Clegg has vetoed Theresa May's rewritten "web snooper's charter" plan, killing off the home secretary's last remaining hopes of getting any communications data legislation in the Queen's speech.

The Liberal Democrat leader told David Cameron and Theresa May on Wednesday that he could not support the home secretary's latest proposals to monitor internet and social media use because they were unworkable and disproportionate.

The decision provoked delight within his party and among privacy campaigners: "This is truly an immense moment for any liberal, and every Liberal Democrat," said Julian Huppert, the party's backbench home affairs spokesman.

"These plans were based on scant evidence, scaremongering and a disregard for our personal lives; treating everyone as a suspect and our online activity as 'fair game'," he said. The announcement was also hailed by the party's president, Tim Farron.

The privacy campaign Big Brother Watch tweeted: "The snooper's charter is dead, long live Clegg."

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/ap ... -agreement" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

It was only the possibility of Lib Dem support which kept this proposal alive for so long. Clegg could have prevented it from coming into being in the first place had he made it clear it wouldn't get his backing. Now he kills it off with the local elections looming. Obviously I'm glad it's dead, but Clegg can still fuck off.