date: Tuesday 2 December 2008

embargo: For immediate release

Draconian welfare reform will add to the misery of rising unemployment

Commenting on the Government-commissioned report on welfare reform, published today (Tuesday) by Professor Paul Gregg, TUC general secretary Brendan Barber said:

'This approach to welfare assumes a utopian world of unrestricted childcare and widely available jobs where only the lazy opt for life on the dole.

'The reality is very different. Thousands of people are joining the dole queue every day through no fault of their own.

'The TUC has long supported the case for responsibilities and rights going together in our benefits system but draconian workfare policies are not the answer.

'The Government should instead put employment services on an emergency footing and ratchet up its efforts to stimulate the economy.'

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Press release (300 words) issued 2 Dec 2008