Church should stop meddling with the politics of poverty

MAY I say how much I agree with Bernard Ingham’s assessment of the unhelpful role of mainstream so-called Christian clergy in welfare reform (Yorkshire Post, February 26).

Why would we continue with a system that incentivises people who have little or no desire to work for a living to continue to exploit the generosity of the rest of us?

Why are these churches, the Church of England in particular, spending tens of millions of pounds a year keeping hundreds if not thousands of churches open with no more than a dozen attending?

If they really cared about the poor they would be redistributing their own vast resources far more in favour of the so-called poor. Why do these churches continue to lecture and hector the government, which is merely standing up for hard-working taxpayers who are fed up of keeping people who are capable of work in relative luxury?

Anyone who is prepared to train, work hard and take responsibility for themselves can either find work or make work by being self-employed. It has always been so and always will be.

From: Mike Padgham, Chair, Independent Care Group (York and North Yorkshire), Eastfield House, Eastway, Eastfield, Scarborough.

TWO senior figures, the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, and the former Archbishop of Canterbury, Dr Rowan Williams, recently called for people to be paid a fair wage.

Dr Sentamu called for employers to do the right thing by paying people a fair wage for a hard day’s work. Dr Williams voiced his concern about care workers having to do three jobs to make ends meet. He was also critical of care being carried out ‘on the cheap’.

The country has a moral duty to provide proper care for people to help maintain their dignity and independence.

We also have a moral duty to ensure providers and in turn their staff are paid a fair price in 
return for providing a quality service.

The United Kingdom Homecare Association recently published its suggested minimum price for providing an hour of care in someone’s home and there are also suggested minimum figures for the cost of looking after people care homes too.

If we are to pay people 
properly for providing care, whether in people’s own home 
or in care homes, then these figures should be adopted as the starting point by Government and care commissioners and not ignored or brushed under the carpet.

From: Terry Morrell, Prunus Avenue, Willerby, East Yorkshire.

I HAVE recently had two short holidays, one in Scotland and one on the South Coast. In every case the hotels were completely staffed by foreign nationals, European, Asians and Africans.

If these young people are prepared to travel across the world to find work and improve their prospects, then why are our youngsters sat on their behinds unemployed?

If we stopped all benefits for people under 21 they would have to find work even if they had to move away from their home town. But which government is strong enough to grasp this nettle?

Sure, it is radical but can anyone suggest any other way to change this idleness in our youth? I have no doubt that the liberal faction would soon denounce me as another ‘bedroom tax’ dragon.

From: David Quarrie, Lynden Way, Holgate, York.

SUSAN Dennis of Laverton, Ripon, asked (Yorkshire Post, February 25) if she was the 
only person unhappy with bishops, and other religious leaders, complaining about Government cuts on welfare pay outs?

No, I agree 100 per cent with her. I have not yet talked to anyone who agrees with what the Church has to say about this topic.

From: Max Nottingham, St Faith’s Street, Lincoln.

SOME 24 bishops have attacked David Cameron for the increase in food bank hunger/poverty.

Tory-led governments are traditionally kind to the rich and cruel to the poor.

The coalition should own up to the misery they are causing. And then do something about it.