wanker

"is there really anyone in Britain who needs to beg?
I suppose it’s possible that an honest person, prepared to work and free of drugs, can end up destitute on the street, thanks to some mad bureaucratic Catch-22."

so says the daily mail columnist peter hitchens (now i have to say i have problems with both the hitchens brothers, yet there is a special ire for peter).

his most recent column points to all that is wrong with david cameron's 'big society' idea.

the state may not be perfect at providing care for all of the citizens in its care, it tries its best, is (in theory) impartial as to those it provides care to, most importantly it is accountable to the people.

the charity of the 'big society' moves that impartial care into the hands of private (more often than not rich) individuals. universal care becomes private charity.

for the people like peter hitchens before you are cared for you will have to bow and scrape, tug your forlock and prove that you are the deserving poor.

i suppose peter deserves our thanks for reminding us what the future holds under the compassionate conservatives of cameron.