Could Ian Duncan Smith live on £53 a week?

 Allegedly IDS spent £39 for his breakfast that same morning! I know there are many petition against the  cuts hitting disabled people but one that has a good chance to get the required number of signatures to get a debate at the House of Commons is this one WOW Petition

I lived for 12 months on £42 a week in 2003. Totally impossible to do nowadays due to the price hike in fuel and food. It was difficult then, I spent all my savings and a tax rebate during that year. The only clothing I recieved in that time was xmas presents. 

Why should anyone in the UK be living of £53 a week. This country needs a revolution. No monarchy, no government, no people cage, lets live in a society without false leaders, one person, one vote on all issues that is true democracy, brothers and sisters.

Jon said:

Could Ian Duncan Smith live on £53 a week?

No. Anyone could probably do it for a week..... but in the long term, NO NO NO.

There is a petition for him to prove that he can (can't).

There seems to be no thought given to WHY people are not in work. These are my 3:

• Not enough jobs.
• Consumer/capitalist based economy.
• Peoples ability to work (confidence, disability etc).

The government seems to think that all the above can just written off as 'lazy'.

It would be great if ALL people were helped in realising then achieving their full potential. That would be a great society.

Unfortunately for him, £53 does not stretch far in Fortnum and Mason!  

Finally read the article about Andrew Wakefield.What I learned:

• He apparently wants to make a Autism reality TV show in the US!
• He had Wakefield applied for a patent on a single-jab measles vaccine before his campaign against the MMR vaccine.
• He is discredited in the UK and now lives in the States.

Towards the end of the article Micael Fitzpatrick says:

'the key problem, still, for parents of autistic childrenis that doctors will say they don't what causes it and theres nothing you can do about it - two things that are difficult to live with........(for parents) the need to do something can be overwhelmming.....And then someone else comes along and says your doctor is useless, that they know what caused it, and that you can do something about it...'.

I thought that was interesting and although I am not sure that all doctors say there is 'nothing' you can do I kind of understand what he means. When you are left feeling helpless and possibly with no support and no answers then it is understandable that people are desperate to try and do something and wuite vulnerable to potential 'quacks'.

Hope said:

Exactly. Parents must take some responsibility too, though. It is negligent and arguably selfish not to  vaccinate a healthy child.

Agreed.

But when you've got self-appointed experts coming out with the sort of misinformation Mr Wakefield came out with, it is no surprise that many parents chose not to vaccinate.

Exactly. Parents must take some responsibility too, though. It is negligent and arguably selfish not to  vaccinate a healthy child.

Jon said:

Also in the paper is an article about A. Wakefield and his MMR/vaccines/autism ideas....... not read it yet .......

It's probably more about how there's now a measles epidemic in parts of this country because that man and his ridiculous and, quite frankly dangerous (it is only a matter of time before a child dies from measles), views.

Lucy Morgan in the Guardian today:

...what IDS means is that - at best - he can live for a week on £53, not that he can live on £53 a week.....

Also in the paper is an article about A. Wakefield and his MMR/vaccines/autism ideas....... not read it yet .......

Ian Duncan Smith could do this, as he would later if struggling just rob the public of another £850 BILLION for his bail out. Banks and !anks go together.

Hi - I can remember many years back when an mp did this + really it's just a gimmick.  It is totally difficult if not impossible to live on a pittance for a week.  But for privileged people, ie: those not on a low income, they know it's only for a week, then they can go back to their usual lifestyle.  To really experience living on a low income it has to be done for much longer: 3, 6, 9 or 12 months.  That's when it really tells on the individual. That's when they really struggle.  I could go on + on about this.  I won't.  I think Jon's points basically sum things up.  It has always been thus, the rich continue to prosper at the expense of the rest of us, including the really poor.

Could not agree more. Well said.