Blog, Blog, Blog, Blogging

Now, it's been a while since I've blogged here and that's for good reason! I've been looking to get more involved in the creative writing process and came across an excellent cross-political blog titled Speaker's Chair. When I investigated, I discovered that they were looking for contributors from the Conservative perspective so I thought I'd write something and see where it leads me. Now, I'm a semi-regular contributor in so far that I write articles and they seem to publish/like them. So, here's a list of the articles I've written so far:

• David Cameron's welfare reforms risk isolating and worsening the problem
• UK needs tax system that supports businesses and allows private individuals to thrive
• Education: Gove must press ahead with proposed reforms

I have a couple of other articles coming as well including an article on the coalition and what it needs to do to survive the next two years and I'm hoping I'll get the approval for an article about the European Union and calls for a referendum. So, go check it and pretend like you agree with everything I say!

The Better Side of Politics

Earlier this month or perhaps last month, I wrote an email to Nick Boles MP, a man with whom I've had a little contact with and wanted to raise concerns about social welfare. In essence, my argument was that I was being unfairly excluded from claiming social welfare because I hadn't had a job during my time at university that contributed national insurance and because I was in a relationship where my partner worked more than sixteen hours and therefore we qualified for zero support from the government. I had a response a few days ago from his caseworker asking me to send my national insurance number so he could check it out but I imagined that wouldn't go anywhere and it didn't seem like a good reason to blog.

Well, I just got an e-mail back from the caseworker and, in what has got to be one of the most surprising things this year, Nick Boles decided to write to the Rt. Hon. Chris Grayling MP (that's how he was described in the e-mail), the Minister of State Department for Work and Pensions and Lord David Freud, the Minister for Welfare in the House of Lords  Now, I wouldn't have expected that. I wouldn't have expected Mr Boles to write to two people who are rather high up in the Conservative government chain to ask about this state of affairs. I don't know what Mr Boles' opinion is on all of this and whether he necessarily agrees with me that the social welfare system is all a little ridiculous at the minute but the fact he's gone away, done his research and said "I'm going to do something for my constituent" just goes to show that the Conservative Party isn't all that people make them out to be.

With this being the huge surprise that it is, I'm not expecting Mr Boles to come back to me in a week or two and say "You know what, we completely agree with you and we're going to reform the system because one person has complained" but it's nice that he's bothered. I've seen a lot of criticism in the local newspapers about how much a party man Mr Boles is but I'm beginning to see why he was selected as a candidate. He's an extremely intelligent and considerate man and he's someone who is constantly referenced as being a progressive Conservative when there's talk of a leadership challenge for David Cameron. I wouldn't be surprised if, in the expected cabinet reshuffle, he finds himself in a better position than he currently is (Parliamentary Private Secretary to the Schools Minister). It's an assessment quite a few people have made, including The Telegraph who listed him as one to watch.

All this means that I won't be able to write him long, angry e-mails and complain but I'll be proud to say that I'd support his re-election in this constituency. On two occasions, I've contacted him and in both those situations, I've felt like he's dealt with them in a professional manner that takes into consideration the issues I've raised. Too much is made of how MPs from the 2010 batch are all baiting their breath to boot Cameron out. Now, all I have to do is convince Mr Boles to give me a job and I'll be sorted for the next twelve months. I think I've earned it with all the complaining I do.

The Rant of a Weary Traveller

Below is a transcript of an e-mail that I sent earlier this afternoon to my local Member of Parliament, Nick Boles, about the discrepancies in the benefits system and the altogether fantastic notion that I am being sidelined by the government as "youth unemployment" (despite defined as a youth myself) takes priority. There seems to be a sense that people who are in committed relationships must therefore be dependent upon one another, irrespective of that person's financial commitments. We shall see whether my complaint goes any further than an expression of an apology and to be left in the dark once again.

Dear Mr Boles, 

Having just come off the telephone from three different organisations - Jobcentre Plus / Citizens' Advice Bureau / Entitled To - I am under the impression that I am being wholly disadvantaged by a benefits system that seems to suggest partners are reliant on one another. I was rejected from claiming National Insurance based JSA and then spoke to the CBA and Entitled To, both of whom informed me that the information provided by the Jobcentre (that I wasn't entitled to JSA) was incorrect because there was a second tier - Income-Based JSA. I have, however, been informed that because I live with my partner and she works more than the maximum earnings per week, I cannot claim either JSA or Working Tax Credits. 

Since my partner works for a nursery as relief staff and her hours vary wildly and earns much less than the national average, it seems grossly unfair to me that I cannot find a job in a volatile market and am punished financially for being in a committed relationship. People are not dependent on one another for financial support and this is certainly not the case for my own situation. I find that there is a grave injustice in the benefits system that seems to reward people who claim separately, despite being in a relationship versus those who may live together and yet are independent in their financial situation. 

I must urge you as my Member of Parliament to raise the issue and do more as the government to resolve this issue. I have made more than fifty applications to different jobs and had one interview, for which I subsequently had no response. The government's "Youth Contract" scheme is, in itself, weighted to those who are claiming Jobseekers Allowance and therefore able to support themselves financially while taking work placements and work experience and unfairly disadvantages people who have come out of university into a saturated job market without any hope of a job in an extremely competitive industry. Revelations over the past year that upwards of twenty-five people apply for every job is indicative of the challenge I face in finding a job. 

I appreciate that you taken the time out to offer me some work experience in the House of Commons for which I am entirely grateful but I cannot help but feel like the government's priority of cutting the deficit and austerity measures is leaving the country reeling for the effects on the job market. It makes more financial sense to promote job growth in order to reduce reliance on the state welfare system than it does to cut and cut without any indication that it has had a positive effect on us. Our double-dip recession is surely indicative that we must focus on job growth now.

What exactly is the government doing in order to help ensure graduate students like myself are able to find jobs? It seems like we are being left in the lurch as the government pushes to help "youth unemployment" but ignores people who have spent thousands of pounds to further their careers, only to discover that they don't actually have any career lined up.

Sincerely,
Ian Caithness