Bradford benefits under attack

“Look for work nine to five, or face losing your benefits.” That was the government’s right-wing mantra for cities like Bradford, which has about 14,500 claimants for Jobseeker’s Allowance, and is part of a pilot scheme to pile on more misery.

For the month of October Bradford’s jobless people must go to a signing on session, then spend the whole day (35 hours a week) looking for jobs that either don’t exist or have low wages.

The intention, of giving applicants the ability to write a CV, may seem benign. But read the small print.

Applicants will be sanctioned with a three month suspension if any transgression is registered, pushing vulnerable people and their children, further into poverty. A first breach will trigger a four week suspension. But any further transgressions will lead to an immediate three month suspension.

However there are few decent jobs in this city, we know this from the response we got at the Socialist Party’s sales stall outside the job centre. We plan more activity and hope to build a momentum with resistance from the people of Bradford to these horrendous attacks.

Peter Robson, Bradford Socialist Party