Welsh Labour, Benefits and welfare reform

First Minister Carwyn Jones has been stating the obvious at in speech at a welfare to work conference in Cardiff, he said that as a result of the significant changes made to the benefit system and the Welsh populations disproportionate reliance on them that the poorest and going to be hit hardest.

The consequences for the poorest are awful and should concern us all and it certainly doesn’t excuse the UK Coalitions zeal on welfare reform and demonizing the poorest in the process, but you have got to admire the nerve of Labour politicians, particularly in Wales for the faux outrage at the situation many are faced with. Why because the majority of changes particularly on Incapacity Benefit and Job Seekers Allowance were already in the pipeline or underway agreed by Labour Ministers before the Tories and Lib Dems were elected last May. Does anyone remember any Welsh Labour people raising concerns before the election, no me either, although other Welsh politicians did.

Its good that Carwyn is at least sounding like leader, but his words wouldn’t sound so hollow if you believed that he and his new Government were trying and mitigate the worst effects of what was coming from the UK Government both by lobbying the DWP and using the powers they have to improve the lives of those at the bottom of the pile instead of playing politics, letting the worst happen and claiming the inevitable political benefit afterwards.

But that’s a sideshow on the benefit and welfare front, you have to wonder if Welsh politicians understand the landscape of welfare to work after devolution, because Carwyn also trotted out the old favourite that Welfare isn’t devolved and therefore the Welsh Government has no say in it. Maybe he and his advisors should go and talk to the two providers Working Links and Rehab Jobfit who were chosen to deliver the UK Government new back to work scheme, the Work Programme and ask about how many of the Welsh Government’s services and policies from skills and education to health and childcare impact directly on their delivery of welfare to work delivery in Wales post devolution. I think most of the public including Welsh Government Ministers would be surprised at the cross over between service delivery.

Populist rhetoric on nasty Tories and their Lib Dems helpers may score some good headlines and make Labour activists happy, but if the if the Labour Welsh Government really wants to save the worst off from the excess of the Coalition's benefit reductions, it could do worse than talk to the Welsh welfare to work providers and use the Welsh Government’s considerable powers in areas like health, education and the voluntary sector to develop policies that help get more people into work and lessen their dependency on benefits. It’s worth thinking about at the very least even though it’s unlikely to gain traction.Any source