Top e-petition demands axing of benefits for rioters

The most signed e-petition on the No 10 website is one calling for convicted rioters to lose benefit payments.

"No taxpayer should have to contribute to those who have destroyed property, stolen from their community and shown a disregard for the country that provides for them," the petition argues.

The petition, which had more than 90,000 signatures at 6am, will be referred to the backbench business committee of MPs if it gets 100,000 signatures.

The MPs may then call a debate on it.

The petition, submitted by Stephen Mains, is dwarfing its closest competitors on the e-petitions website.

Re: Top e-petition demands axing of benefits for rioters

This option was mentioned on the radio this morning , I can see it being adopted.

There was also mention of evicting offending adults if they lived in local authority accommodation .

Re: Top e-petition demands axing of benefits for rioters

In an ideal world, or maybe in China perhaps, this would be a simple step to keep unruly elements under some kind of control but in the UK how on earth are you going to identify transgressors? Can you imagine the costs involved?!!

As far as I know we are not (yet) in a Police State, although I do realise that there is a great deal of covert spying being carried out in the name of security and some is being abused daily but giving extended powers like this to anyone is asking for trouble. stevmk2

Re: Top e-petition demands axing of benefits for rioters

Whilst axing benefits would appear to be a very attractive punishment/deterrent I very much doubt that it is a practical idea on many grounds and it would be a legal quagmire. Two examples that immediately come to mind are:

1) Local Authorities are required by law to provide housing or accommodation to those who are homeless. It would therefor be creating a rod for their own back for a LA to do so.
2) If a tenant (of good character) had a relative who unknown to the tenant was convicted of an offence is it fair or legal that the tenant should lose their home?

In addition to the housing conundrum, I would suggest that removing the benefits such as jobseekers allowance and so on would mean that those on pitifully low incomes would be more inclined to survive by following a criminal path.

In my view this is all about the widening gap between the haves and have nots in our society. The reasons are many and complex and the solutions more so. I do not know what the solutions are but I would council against knee jerk reactions.

There is nothing new about the problems of the underclass in this country you only have to look at the Hogarth cartoons from the eighteenth century to see how long the problem has existed.

Re: Top e-petition demands axing of benefits for rioters

I think an 'e-petition' should be started demamnding that only people over 50 should be allowed to be an MP, that way we may get some sense back into society and not the 'ME' society that exists today.

Stop benifits for anyone who can afford a Blackberry.

Re: Top e-petition demands axing of benefits for rioters

I agree Antibrown. The younger generations these days have no real respect nor understanding of those over 50 and think they know it all by the time they're 18 years old.
On the other hand though, sending 18 year olds to fight and die for us should be stopped too don't you think? stevmk2

Re: Top e-petition demands axing of benefits for rioters

I know what your saying about the Blackberry Antibrown but even at my age I'd not be able to afford one of those type of phones. However......I do own an IPhone and that's just as expensive. The only reason I have one is because it's my daughters old one. When you renew your contract every 12/18 months you get the next phone free, and that's how most of the young ones get theirs too. You also get to keep the old phone and it's either sold on or given to someone else. It's not just a case of handing over £300+ for a new one when ever you feel like it.

Re: Top e-petition demands axing of benefits for rioters

I do agree Bob, I've been arguing for years that any aspiring MP should be of a certain age, and that they must also have succeeded in some sort of business so that they have practical knowledge of the world..

By the way, you don't need to be able to afford a blackberry these days, you just kick in the window and take one....

Re: Top e-petition demands axing of benefits for rioters

I noted with dismay that the local authorties are considering evicting those convicted of rioting from their council homes . . . who the hell came up with that stupid idea ? . . . if they think the trouble was bad last week they aint seen nothing yet if this stupid idead gets the go-ahead . . . I believe I heard Cameron agreeing with the idea too . . . that just sums up what he's all about eh.

Re: Top e-petition demands axing of benefits for rioters

Oh didnt know that Roxy, I thought they bought them and wondered how they could afford it, thank you.