Iain Duncan Smith: I could get by on £53 a week

chrisii2011chrisii2011 Posts: 2,694
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what a moron.Maybe he should try it like the rest of us!
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  • gavinfarrellygavinfarrelly Posts: 6,195
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    TBF if hes talking about his own money..he probably does that now.

    However, everything else would go on his expenses account

    Its easy to get by on fifty quid cash when you have a neverending credit account that someone else foots the bill for.
  • AnnsyreAnnsyre Posts: 109,476
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    what a moron.Maybe he should try it like the rest of us!

    That isn't what he said and you know it if you are referring to the interview with John Humphrys which I heard.
  • JillyJilly Posts: 20,455
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    what a moron.Maybe he should try it like the rest of us!

    Where did this come from?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 16,275
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    Annsyre wrote: »
    That isn't what he said and you know it if you are referring to the interview with John Humphrys which I heard.

    Yes it is, he said if he had to he could.
  • JillyJilly Posts: 20,455
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    Is this £53 what is left after all bills have been paid?
  • Jol44Jol44 Posts: 21,048
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    'Iain Duncan Smith: I could get by on £53 a week'



    I do hope he doesn't do one of these few week experience things, they're nothing like being on the dole would be.
  • Jol44Jol44 Posts: 21,048
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    Jilly wrote: »
    Is this £53 what is left after all bills have been paid?

    No, you have to take electric and gas etc out of that.


    And if you have luxuries such as a for example a land line Telephone those have to come out of it as well.
  • Richard1960Richard1960 Posts: 20,336
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    Jol44 wrote: »
    No, you have to take electric and gas etc out of that.


    And if you have luxuries such as a for example a land line Telephone those have to come out of it as well.

    And water rates to.
  • gavinfarrellygavinfarrelly Posts: 6,195
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    Jilly wrote: »
    Is this £53 what is left after all bills have been paid?

    No thats before everything. Out of £53 you need to buy gas, electric, pay whatever part of your rent (water rates if no spare bedroom), pay part of council tax in some areas, tv license if you pay it, buy food...and still have cash left to travel to look for work, or attend interviews.
  • imrightokimrightok Posts: 8,492
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    Annsyre wrote: »
    That isn't what he said and you know it if you are referring to the interview with John Humphrys which I heard.






    http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/politics/9964767/Iain-Duncan-Smith-I-could-live-on-53-per-week.html
  • CharnhamCharnham Posts: 61,157
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    that was a pretty stupid thing, for him to say

    I mean seriously, did he really think this was a smart thing to say?
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 14,920
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    Annsyre wrote: »
    That isn't what he said and you know it if you are referring to the interview with John Humphrys which I heard.

    Was this a different interview with John Humphrey's then? It seems quite clear.

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-21993453
  • PeggysDadPeggysDad Posts: 928
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    He's an idiot, and I have no time for him.....

    but...

    he was asked "could you live on £53 a week?", to which he replied "If I had to, yes".

    What else could he say? He's hardly going to say "no it's impossible to live on that amount, therefore what the government is doing is condemning people to a life of poverty" is he?

    The point I am making is he was asked a question, and gave the only answer he could. He wasn't the one to bring the subject up.
  • gamez-fangamez-fan Posts: 2,201
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    Maybe like a tory counterpart from the 80's who appeared on world in action IDS will put his money where his mouth is
    and do a dispatches or panarama special where he will attempt this feat i'll bet he will still have money left over at the end of the week :)
  • geordiejackiegeordiejackie Posts: 3,400
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    Charnham wrote: »
    that was a pretty stupid thing, for him to say

    I mean seriously, did he really think this was a smart thing to say?

    "stupid thing, for him to say" no not stupid he knows what he is saying he is sneering at the poor yet again !!!

    i hope this vile bloke pays heavy for his sneering one day

    regards jack
  • imrightokimrightok Posts: 8,492
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    PeggysDad wrote: »
    He's an idiot, and I have no time for him.....

    but...

    he was asked "could you live on £53 a week?", to which he replied "If I had to, yes".

    What else could he say? He's hardly going to say "no it's impossible to live on that amount, therefore what the government is doing is condemning people to a life of poverty" is he?

    The point I am making is he was asked a question, and gave the only answer he could. He wasn't the one to bring the subject up.


    "Pride comes before a fall".
  • Richard1960Richard1960 Posts: 20,336
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    PeggysDad wrote: »
    He's an idiot, and I have no time for him.....

    but...

    he was asked "could you live on £53 a week?", to which he replied "If I had to, yes".

    What else could he say? He's hardly going to say "no it's impossible to live on that amount, therefore what the government is doing is condemning people to a life of poverty" is he?

    The point I am making is he was asked a question, and gave the only answer he could. He wasn't the one to bring the subject up.

    I Just Wish John Humphrys had of said then,we have cleared Panoramas schedule for the next month to make a series of programmes, of you living off £53 a week.:D
  • CharnhamCharnham Posts: 61,157
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    PeggysDad wrote: »
    He's an idiot, and I have no time for him.....

    but...

    he was asked "could you live on £53 a week?", to which he replied "If I had to, yes".

    What else could he say? He's hardly going to say "no it's impossible to live on that amount, therefore what the government is doing is condemning people to a life of poverty" is he?

    The point I am making is he was asked a question, and gave the only answer he could. He wasn't the one to bring the subject up.
    I do take your point, but none the less, he said it, and I dont think the reaction hes getting is unreasonable.

    to steal a comment from the independent.
    Michael Portillo did it too - there was a TV programme about it. If memory serves, he said that it could be done for a couple of weeks but that the money was not enough once a person needed shoes, clothes etc.
    this is the important point, if you have everything you need then fine, but if you end up on the dole for more than a few months, you will need something, then it gets tricky
  • JulzeiJulzei Posts: 4,209
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    as if!
  • Ed R.MarleyEd R.Marley Posts: 9,130
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    There was a show a couple of years ago called "Tower Block of Commons" where MP's had to live with the common people. Let's just say that they didn't really take the experiment seriously.
    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tower_Block_of_Commons
  • GibsonSGGibsonSG Posts: 23,681
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    imrightok wrote: »

    I found this part particularly amusing:

    "However, Mr Duncan Smith criticised the language of his opponents who claim ministers are hurting the poor".

    Well they are hurting the poor. Has the man got a scew loose or something?
  • Jol44Jol44 Posts: 21,048
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    PeggysDad wrote: »
    he was asked "could you live on £53 a week?", to which he replied "If I had to, yes".

    He could have shown a bit of humility for a start.
  • Ethel_FredEthel_Fred Posts: 34,127
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    I Just Wish John Humphrys had of said then,we have cleared Panoramas schedule for the next month to make a series of programmes, of you living off £53 a week.:D
    I hear Superscrimpers are in talks with him.
  • Jol44Jol44 Posts: 21,048
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    The thing that gets me, is he keeps beating the drum about 'tax payers, 'tax payers money'. It's extremely disingenuous and perverse.

    The vast majority of those in receipt of benefits have been tax payers or are tax payers and probably will for most of the rest of their lives be tax payers.

    God I hate this lot.
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