I'm seeing a surprising number (and by surprising I mean more than one, and more than just devout Labour supporters) of people supporting what are absolutely obscene benefit reform proposals, proposals we have just about zero chance of stopping unfortunately. Take, for example, supposedly Liberal Anders Hanson who thinks that no harm can come of it...

But regardless of your circumstances, I think everyone can do some form of voluntary community service whilst being unemployed. It keeps you in the habit of getting up and going to work (even if it is only once or twice a week that you do it) and it helps put something back in whilst you receive your benefit. This shouldn’t be seen as a punishment as the Government seem to be making it. It should simply be a way of contributing.

And what happens when that person refuses to "contribute"? They get no benefits, that's cool right?

Continuing with my theme of highlighting when I'm actually impressed with Labour, given how little it has happened in the last year, I am happy to say that I'm actually glad for once that Caroline Flint has opened her gob. Usually all that falls out of it is garbage, but when it comes to rent then buy schemes she wants to set up finally there could be something at least resembling roses flowing instead.

Unfortunately with every silver lining there must be a thunderstorm of moronic proportions. Undoing any shred of good work that she started at the beginning of the week, Jacqui Smith has gone back in to nasty mode in such a way that surely the Tory old guard must be blushing.

And while we're at it why don't we throw in the fact that the Lib Dem's have announced their own strategy to tackle youth crime, one that looks like a pantheon of saintly forgiveness compared to the now fleshed out policies of Smith.

Labour have pulled a u-turn today with the announcement from everyone's favourite housing overlord, Caroline Flint, that they are now going to try and tackle the "problem" of "studentification". This is an issue that manages to branch all of the main parties as reprehensible with even supposedly student friendly MP for Bristol West, Stephen Williams, signing an EDM to tackle "studentification" through excessive planning regulations that would see local residents able to put a stop to student housing being created, certainly affordably so.