Thursday, February 21, 2013

32 days for Labour to show it believes in paid work

Labour introduced workfare in the UK.  It could now right that wrong.


parliament
(Photo: UK parliament / flickr)

Iain Duncan Smith rushed through new regulations last week to end the vacuum left when almost every workfare scheme in the UK was found unlawful. If Labour believed in social justice and opposed workfare they would put in a motion as the Official Opposition within the following forty days to call for a debate and vote on it.

Two days ago, we asked you to write to your MP to ask them to sign an EDM calling for the new workfare regulations to be annulled. From today, please help put workfare on the agenda in the by-election taking place next week.

Make Labour say where they stand on workfare

The Eastleigh by-election is garnering a lot of press attention at the moment. John O’Farrell is standing as a parliamentary hopeful for Labour. To link the issue of workfare to the hubbub surrounding this contested seat, please contact John O’Farrell via twitter, and ask him whether as a MP he would support the motion annulling the new workfare regulations.

His twitter address is: @mrjohnofarrell

Call on the Official Opposition to oppose the new workfare regulations

Once you’ve had a chance to email your MP asking them to help block the new workfare regulations, help put it on Labour’s agenda. The regulations are only likely to get overturned if the Official Opposition challenge them.

Labour introduced workfare in the UK. They could now act to right that wrong. Perhaps you’d like to send a message to the two Labour Lord spokespersons on Work and Pensions. They are:

Lord McKenzie of Luton – mckenziew@parliament.uk

Baroness Sherlock – sherlockm@parliament.uk

A template letter is available here (or here as a PDF).

Please keep us posted on any responses you get! (And remember, workfare is wobbling because of the action we’re taking to stop companies and charities taking part. Take action on the streets on 18-24 March!)

Boycott Workfare