Million reasons to thank Britain
IT'S hard to write about Toorpakai Saiedi, her seven kids and her £167,000-a-year benefits, without wanting to smack her.
Harder still not to want to kick her idiot son's backside from here to kingdom come as he moans about how the £1.2 million house where the family presently reside in West London (as opposed to the shack they'd have in downtown Kabul) is actually too big for his mum-who doesn't like cleaning.
And how my heart bled on discovering how upset he was when they first moved in because the garden was a mess and he had to call the council out to come and fix it.
Call me old fashioned, but what was stopping this idle good- for-nothing from doing a bit of weeding himself? Or maybe it's a given with refugees these days that the minute you hit British soil and step aboard the benefits gravy train, you need never do anything for yourself ever again.
"It feels like we've won the lottery," said Jawad Saiedi, as he stood smirking outside the family's Acton mansion-for which Ealing Council is forking out £12,458 a month. Yes, of course it does. Because in real terms they have.
And although everyone keeps saying it's not their fault and who wouldn't take a £1.2 million house if it was offered, the fact is when are the people to whom this fantastic country so generously affords shelter going to realise they really should be giving something back?
Just what exactly are the Saiedis contributing to British society in return for their 24-carat lifestyle?
What are they doing in return for the fact they are living in a seven-bedroomed house and all their kids are in full-time education-which will afford them careers (if they can ever be bothered to get off their backsides and pursue them) they would never have got at home?
Seven years in Britain, and not one of them has ever worked a single day.
They get free medical care, free dental care, free furniture (the Saiedis even have a TV room with a 50in plasma telly).
But still they moan that even £13,901 a month in benefits isn't enough to keep them in the style to which British hospitality has allowed them to become accustomed.
And it's no good Ealing Council pretending this is all someone else's fault
and they were only following government guidelines.
Common sense and respect for those British families who HAVE contributed to
the system and need to be rehoused should have prevented this travesty
happening. I wonder if anyone has suggested to Mrs Saiedi, her estranged
husband and her grown-up kids that they might like to get a job to help pay
for the luxury in which they languish?
Or maybe someone at Ealing Council ought to try to redeem a very bad situation by telling the Saiedis they must go live in a hostel or a smaller house. And if they don't like those options they could always go back to Afghanistan and see what the social services are offering there.
Because-forget the credit crunch, forget the fact this is a smack in the face to every hard-working family presently busting a gut to keep a roof over their heads-what's happened here would be an obscenity at ANY time.
Giving people shelter is one thing. Letting them live free gratis in a house that only five per cent of the British population can afford is hideous. Yet still they moan.
Mrs Saiedi has totally forgotten what this country saved her from. Now, for her, hardship isn't about torture or oppression or lack of freedom. It's about not being able to take her kids to EuroDisney.
Ealing Council needs to get Mrs Saiedi and her brood out of that house ASAP. And if she objects-tough. And if her family has to be split up and put into smaller houses-that's tough too.
Let her complain all she wants. And let her know if she wants her life to be better it's up to HER and her workshy family to do something about that.
Work and pensions secretary James Purnell says he's launching an investigation into how this has been allowed to happen.
What's to investigate? The loopholes that allowed this are obscene-they're morally corrupt, and they're grossly unfair to people who really deserve to be rehoused.
So forget the investigation, forget the reviews. Just close the loopholes and make sure this never happens again.
It's not rocket science!
FREEZE OUT RISES
QUESTION: Why the hell did local authorities stash millions of pounds in Icelandic banks when they should have been spending it on vital public services here?
And with all these millions sloshing around, why were those same authorities
forever pleading poverty-using lack of cash as the reason why thousands of
people now have to make do with fortnightly bin collections, why huge
numbers of elderly people no longer get meals on wheels, why school playing
fields have been sold off, why libraries have been closed and social
services been slashed?
The truth is there has never been a lack of money. On the contrary, there was
a huge surfeit of it, which was sitting in those Icelandic banks courtesy of
idiot town clerks who knew as much about international banking as our
next-door-neighbour's cat.
And why, with all these millions at their disposal, were our council taxes being jacked up year after year to the point where families simply couldn't afford to pay them and old people were regularly being sent to jail because they deemed them unnecessary and unfair?
Now we're being told that Joe Public might have to bail out these incompetent jobsworths (who were warned about dodgy Icelandic banks 18 months ago) by paying increased council tax.
And while we all sit bog-eyed in front of the TV every night trying to work out what the hell is happening, one thing has become abundantly clear. The taxpayer is going to be shafted twofold.
First, in the £500 billion bank bailout, thanks to the greed and irresponsibility of our financial institutions. And second, by coughing up for all these town-hall cock-ups as well. Well balls to that! Either the government has to draw the line-or WE have to. We cannot be expected to pay increased council tax simply because town halls all over Britain don't have a clue what they're doing.
We must point-blank refuse to pay any increase-go to court, take to the streets if we have to-to show our institutions that in future they cannot play fast and loose with our cash.
Moreover, those morons who ignored the warnings about the Icelandic banks need to be named, shamed and then sacked so they never again get to be in charge of taxpayers' money.
Incidentally, has anyone heard a politician, a minister or a council leader say sorry yet?
No, me neither.
PEA OFF, BULLIES
MARKET trader Janet Devers, 64, has been branded a criminal thanks to Hackney Council, which has prosecuted her for selling vegetables in pounds and ounces.
This, despite the fact the EU has said it won't force Britain to adopt the metric system (big of them).
However, the bully boys at Hackney Council think differently. They don't give a stuff that Janet sells her vegetables (on a stall that's been in her family for 60 years) in pounds and ounces and in bowls with £1 stickers because it helps the elderly, many of whom don't understand the metric system.
They couldn't care less this pensioner has to fork out £5,000 in court costs -and that because she's now a "criminal" she can't go and visit her daughter in America.
Haven't the council yobs in Hackney got better things to do than persecute old ladies?
This is the second most violent borough in London, a place where binge- drinking is out of control, kids are killing other kids with knives and guns, drug barons are running riot, deprivation is rife and the schools are among the worst in Britain.
Jules Pipe, the leader of Hackney Council, needs to get control of his jobsworths, and if he can't-or won't-he needs to move over and let someone with guts and a bit of common sense do his job!
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This article has 38 comments
Hello Carole, Idon't want you to think I'm being purvy but I am being complementary.
I've long thought of you as an attractive woman but today on Alans show you showed that you have Knees, well done may we see them again.
Regards Rob
By Rob Stevenson.. Posted December 15 2009 at 4:09 PM.
This makes me feel shameful, of being from another country, I cant believe this women is so ungratefull I lived for a while and never have my parents had such comfortble life. my mother works to part-time jobs in order to keep with the bills and keep food on the table, sure benifts help but not in the way they are helping this women. And at a time where the whole country is in this problem they have the nerves to complian about what they dont have. agreeing with everyone else i believ somthing should be done about the housing system in this country. Benfits were ment to provide help to struggling family and not to be relied on for everything and used as an excuse for not working.
By marica.. Posted November 6 2008 at 11:41 AM.
The problem is that far to many people move into Council fats, stay a couple of years then sale off, profit from it, never do anything to improve their environment..So we really running out of flats for those who need it. I have experienced people in my Estate, wearing expensive gear, driving expensive cars, going on holiday 3 times a year, using disable badges to park illigaly, being friends with Council Officials, - And then, these same people are being put foward to run the local councils, so DO NOT VOTE for people you dont know where they from, what they do, and why they do it, even if they seem to have English names, most of the time they are not, they cane here to rip off the system, and they are protected
By Mia.. Posted November 2 2008 at 11:03 AM.
I approached Islington council in the summer, 5 months pregnant as the babys father had become abusive and I couldn't live with him any more. Eventually they said I would be offered private accomodation, but I still heard nothing until on the due date. I made a complaint to the council. Yesterday they offered me a flat, £280 a week, owned by some Hisidic Jews. I am literally starting to have contractions as I decide whether I can take it on, l; and I am not in a position to work out what benifits I will get as I am not entitled to any yet, still I work in the "caring proffesions" so will not be able to pay this kind of rent for long and I can bank on nothing from the babys abusive father......I am white, UK born and raised in Islington and have always worked and paid taxes since a teenager (always in the caring professions ie. giving something back blah blah blah). I have definately found this has worked against me everytime I have approached the council for housing help. When you find its your time to need to ask for something back you get a slap in the face.
By North London Mum 2 Be.. Posted October 30 2008 at 3:08 PM.
I think it's an outrage that the Afghan family are living the life of riley at our expense, but also that people are whining while THEY'RE sitting pretty in THEIR Council houses! They're all overcrowded blah blah blah, but they still get a better deal than a lot of people. Someone is moaning about paying £350 in rent! Get real! Here, a one-bed Private Rented flat is £550 a month! You may not be as lucky as the immigrants, but you're LUCKY! You have tenancies for life, pay less than average rent & get child & working tax credit, child benefit, housing benefit etc. As for "I'm a mum of 6" having children is a choice; if you're overcrowded and broke - stop breeding! My taxes pay for your life choice! You want unfair? How about a CHILDFREE couple, who have to pay £550 in rent on a one-bed hell hole, I have Post-Viral Myalgic Encephalitis, a potentially life threatening heart condition & a degenerative knee complaint & still work 48 hours a week, partner works 50 hours. No housing benefit, no tax credits, no chance of getting social housing as priority always goes to those with brats. No help with anything. Cant get a blue badge, or help with rocketing fuel bills as not got kids! We have to pay for everything through the nose, then pay again with our taxes because everyone else keeps popping out sprogs! I'm SICK of all the bleating from the 'poor hard-up' parents, single or otherwise. Just imagine if you actually had to pay for your own kids, bet you'd think again!
By Stephie Dee.. Posted October 29 2008 at 7:02 PM.
I was shocked by the story of the immigrant family living in a mansion in the UK.
I have lived overseas for around 20 years for a UK company and still pay UK taxes. As a UK citizen and needing an operation that my insurance company would not cover - I found that after trying to arrange it in the UK I was informed that I am not eligible for medical treatment - even though I had lived, worked + paid taxes / national insurance all my life.
When I read stories such as this one it really makes me sad and angry to see the way that things are going in the UK and I fear for the future of what is a great country. I think the government needs to take urgent action to review its policies and look at putting its own citizens first for a change. Maybe they should take a leaf out of Australia's book on how to run a country?
Its a great shame that we don't have Carol Malone in charge of the country - I am sure things would run alot better!
By Eve.. Posted October 26 2008 at 8:51 PM.
Iwas on holiday when i read about the afghan lady, i was so angry, coming here getting all she wants and still complaining.My grandson was born here so was his pearants grandpearants and so on,he has a baby daughter and partner to keep and works for minamal wages,{how would she like that}and yes he to would love to take his child to disneyworld but cannot afford to go in a caravan in this country ,i keep telling him he was born in wrong country,as he couldnt even get a council house.please would you tell that lady not to worry about the hols as Uncle gordon likes people that do not come from this country, he gives them everything,so all the family have a lovely hols on all the tax payers here.
By marion evans.. Posted October 25 2008 at 3:03 PM.
Jane - I think you are absolutely right, people don't speak out loud about the desire for the British government to take care of its indigenous nationals FIRST before taking care of asylum-seekers and immigrants (legal or not) because this government cannot wait to brand anyone who does speak up as "racist". WHY is it racist to insist that those who paid the most tax into this country get the help from the benefits system first? Why SHOULDN'T those who worked the longest be first in line? The answers are (a) because as Brown sold us out into Europe, the EU can do what it wants - and what it wants is to kick all the immigrants and asylum-seekers out of their countries and into the softest touch - the UK, and (b) because this government seems to think that by putting everyone else EXCEPT the indigenous British population first, they will garner PC kudos for doing so. But with who? The EU? The immigrants themselves? Politicians of ethnic minority origin? WHY do they hate the indigenous British people so much? What is their reasoning?
The sooner we oust these evil thieves and hypocrites the better. Get to the polls and vote in a party that isn't Labour, Tory or Lib Dem. Let's see what a specilaist party could do for the country - anything's better than what we have now.
By Kevin, Derby, UK.. Posted October 19 2008 at 12:53 AM.
I wanted to highlight a discrepancy with the public image of what doctors earn and what they truly earn. it is true a handful of GP's are earning way too much for hte service they offer. Stop to think of how many more doctors there are out there working in hospitals specialising and studying often a lot harder than it takes to get to become a GP. I have been qualified for 7 years now and worked full time before this I was at uni for 5 years, I have continued studying and working full time through this time. It really frustates me despite this other friends for example teachers are earning much more than I do, my cousin who trained at a food college for 2 years and works as chef at beefeater earns more than i do. People who couldnt get into medicine when i applied went into dentistry, and they earn 3x the amount i do. I didnt go into medicine for the pay but thought there would be some recompense for the hard work put into it, and great degree of responsibility every time i go to work
By andrew salmons.. Posted October 18 2008 at 11:38 PM.
so yet another imigrant gets to live the life of luxury here in UK. what about all the pensioners like myself who are struggling at the present tme trying to makes ends meet with all this inflation. Yet this scrounger is getting everthing on a plate and never worked a day in her life in this country to contribute to these benifits.Bet she didnt get ask to fill in forms and give her life history before getting all this either. I say get her and her lazy family OUT of this house immediatly better still get them all shipped back to afghanistan to her husband who is doing what exactly over there. Yet again we learn tonight on news another soldier is killed over there enough said. My blood is boiling get this bloody woman out of the country asap. and share the £14,000 over increase in pensions, no not next year, but now before Christmas so our pensioners can have that extra little bit of comfort. Havent this government and Ealing council ever heard the saying 'charity begins at home'
By cath noad.. Posted October 16 2008 at 10:45 PM.
Sorry to just jump in and get right to the point, But the main problem in this country today is everyboby is so scared of coming of as being racist that the feel thay have to say yes, I am a stay at home mum to three kid's under seven, I worked till i was eight month's pregnant with my first, my husband work's six day's a week, We live in a counsil flat, we pay £350 per month, dont have a bit of grass for the kid's to play on' then on top got teenager's under us THAT LOVE TO THROW A GOOD PARTY, to cut a very long story very short, do i pity the work shy eejit's, NO, They should count there blessing's for just a second, that done GO GET A JOB!!!
By jane.. Posted October 15 2008 at 12:59 AM.
london borough of sutton council had block of 12 refurbished flats empty and boarded-up for 7 years now just demolished for new development on exactly same site.
By terry sullivan.. Posted October 14 2008 at 12:01 PM.
Hi Carole
Please let this story run and run until something is done about it, these people are laughing in our faces, and we let them time after time, they insult us, because they can, they probably laughed seeing themselves in a double spread in the paper, and nothing will be done about it, the joke is on us, we are the fools. I would rather see the chickens running around in that house, than have those ungrateful, wretched, idiots live there.
By Jayne .. Posted October 13 2008 at 10:39 PM.
Reading the paper on toorpakai saiedi i think is absoutley disqusting i am a mum of 6 kids i worked for 7 years in a care home when i lost my job i got nothing no help from the goverment and had to live in a two bedroom council flat also on the waiting list for several years to be rehoused i had to go private to get a bigger house but they have had it handed out to them for doing nothing,it makes me sick to think what the world is coming to,and the family have the god dame cheek to moan about hoildays they carnt go on or the house being to small i think they should move into a council house of flat of three bedrooms has the local council told me my flat was bigger enough for me and my family so why should it be different for her the whole mess needs to be sorted out and everything else that is going wrong in this country
By claire brazil .. Posted October 13 2008 at 6:46 PM.
Carole, wished there were more Journalists like yourself who are not afraid of writing the truth and showing Ealing Council and this Government for what they are worth by handing out hard earned tax payers money to immigrants who have not paid one penny in contributions in this country.
It's about time this Labour Government woke up to what is happening in this country and helped our own people first mainly the elderly and homeless.
This amount of money being handed to them on a plate is absolutely disgusting and shameful, as this family does not appreciate one iota what this country is doing for them.
It's about time we sent this family and many more like them packing back to where they came from
and free ourselves of some of the problems they present this country with.
Carole hope some of these e-mails are going to be presented to the Government so they can see what the people in this country think and act quickly before there is a revolution.
By Derek Reeves.. Posted October 13 2008 at 4:09 PM.
Hi Pleases can you let me know when GB changed to GJ (Great Joke) as all the other country,s along with our MP,s think of us that way. Thats how it looks to more & more of us every day.
We hold no respect from other country,s or from people in this country.
Our own people that have worked and paiid tax ect (This includes all tax payers living in Britian) are second class citysons in our own country.
If i went to our goverment to ask for a car to get to work i would be told tough ,on your bike chum.
And houses ect wait your turn but not for some some none tax paying people
I have never had any time for Bigits ect towards Race Religion or Colour but the MP,s that try to run this country do more harm in fast changing our people,s views to other races.
I do not blame the family,s trying to better them selves as if i could have a better life then i would go for it.
It is the goverment i blame not stoping the flood in to this country and controling the money that they have to use to look after all people in Britian.
The Moto Is Work hard and you get no help Dont work and get lots of help.
By A.Eaton.. Posted October 13 2008 at 2:54 PM.
'FREEZE OUT RISES'
Carole you are fabulous!! You are the only public figure (i.e someone with a voice) to say the words out loud that i have been thinking since this whole saga was revealled!
How dare the councils take our money (that we havnt got!) and then stash it in a bank earning interest on it!!! the cheek! I want my interest back!!! (yeah right - that'll happen)
Again thank you, it doesnt change the fact that they have stupidly lost our money but it makes me feel a tiny bit better knowing that i am not alone in my thinking.......They couldnt run a **** in a brewery!
Grateful but still annoyed.... Jackie
By Jackie .. Posted October 13 2008 at 12:58 PM.
Dear Carole yes i agree with you we a stupid nation if people come in from abroad before they get here they should be told they will not be entitle to any hand outs. they have to show they are going to work her for at least five years before any hand outs they have paid enough tax from thier wages first they take the jobs they have been offered if they refuse send them back home we have yo get tough or we will just sink the polish people are going home i am so annoyed about the whole system
By maureen page.. Posted October 13 2008 at 8:43 AM.
I agree 1000% with every iota of your column. It is total insanity that this family can fleece us tax payers out of this money. I have worked since I left school and am increasingly feeling like an outsider in my own country. As for the family in question, as the son so freely admits to earning from "buying & selling", surely this renders any income support claim illegal?
Will he be prosecuted? No. He will have an army of legal help, funded by us, to plead that he made a mistake because he has "cultural differences".... It is similar to the ridiculous situation where unemployed single parents, who by virtue of the fact that they are unemployed and therefore not paying tax, can claim tax credits! How can you claim a tax credit for tax that you do not pay! Its crazy.
This insanity will never stop until the legal aid system, that funds the appeals process for situations like this is strictly controlled. I really do believe that it should be restricted so that you can only claim benefits if you have paid NI/Tax for at least 5 years.
By MB.. Posted October 13 2008 at 10:16 AM.
Thanks Carole, that is the best page I have read in years, so honest and true keep up the good work.
Andy
By Andy.. Posted October 12 2008 at 11:37 PM.
Carole
I have never agreed with such vigour to a news paper article. The incompetence that allows someone to recieve £167000 in benefits in a year is unfathomable. I have been working hard since I was 16 years old, my step mother wanted "lodge money" as soon as I left home and had to attend college on a part time basis. I have still not been able to afford to buy a flat and I am 43 I am HIV+ and paid taxes for all those years, I am not eligable for a council flat, I work with a girl who works part time and has 4 kids she lives with her partner and the kids in a 2 bed council flat in Walthamstow and by the way one of the kids is a 15 year old girl sharing the room with 2 sisters and a brother, she too is not eligable for re-housing. What is wrong with this country we are all poor and working too hard to pay for this nonsence, and now we(the tax payer) are bailing out the banks, what about all those fat cat bonuses that were handed out over the last few years they get to keep them I suppose. Again no justice an investigation should be launched into which bankers brought bad business and they should be stripped of all that wealth, it makes me sick that they are getting off scott free. Well I will soon be too old to get a mortgage and no hope of a council flat so lets hope that the dreaded lurgy gets me before retirement so I will not have that nightmare to worry about. Tragic!!
By anon.. Posted October 12 2008 at 10:54 PM.
get those idiots out of our country and let them work their azzes off back in afghanistan and let's see how they do there, keep britain for the british
By muslim.. Posted October 12 2008 at 10:27 PM.
after reading about the woman in the mansion , my blood is boiling,
a few years ago , a neighbours son of mine was serving in afghanistan, on his return to germany he was killed in a tragic car accident.leaving a mum,dad, elder brother and sister, the sister who was married at the time with 4 very young children, not long after her husband collapsed and died,they had no insurance,then the one person her mum who helped out died too,
she ended up selling her house, and was rehoused by the council,it was a hell hole , needed new kitchen, decorating , the paper was hanging of the walls , but she got stuck in and did it, the garden was completely overgrown, she got little help from the council,her mum dad and both brothers had been in the forces,but it says everthing about the state of this country,mrs saiedi and her brood should be ashamed of themselves and clear off back to the country this girls brother served in, i agree with every thing you have said on your page and hope to god that someone takes heed.
By gail lambert.. Posted October 12 2008 at 8:51 PM.
after reading about the woman in the mansion , my blood is boiling,
a few years ago , a neighbours son of mine was serving in afghanistan, on his return to germany he was killed in a tragic car accident.leaving a mum,dad, elder brother and sister, the sister who was married at the time with 4 very young children, not long after her husband collapsed and died,they had no insurance,then the one person her mum who helped out died too,
she ended up selling her house, and was rehoused by the council,it was a hell hole , needed new kitchen, decorating , the paper was hanging of the walls , but she got stuck in and did it, the garden was completely overgrown, she got little help from the council,her mum dad and both brothers had been in the forces,but it says everthing about the state of this country,mrs saiedi and her brood should be ashamed of themselves and clear off back to the country this girls brother served in, i agree with every thing you have said on your page and hope to god that someone takes heed.
By gail lambert.. Posted October 12 2008 at 8:46 PM.
well said carole, its about time this was brought to the attention of joe public, something must be done about all the scroungers coming into this country i am a pensioner and widow and because i have my husbands pension (which he worked all his life for) i cant get a rebate on my council tax or any other type of benefit, and yet my tax is helping to keep these scrougers in the lap of luxury. i must have got it wrong somewhere but i can hold my head up high and yes i did work and brought my family up without any help
if you have ever thought of being a member of parliment you have got my vote, more poeple like you and we just might be able to put the great back into britain, keep it up carole
By jackie.. Posted October 12 2008 at 8:20 PM.
Hi carol
The British alway say that the spanish are backward. To live in spain there is no handout to anyone. The emigrate that come over here from north africa and other countries have to work you only get social sercurity if you´ve work and payed intoo the system. Yes so i´m angry that these people are living in a nice house with nice things. Send them too spain where they would have too work for a living instead of sitting on there backside claiming off the state. G.B should look at other countries before it starts dishing out.
By jenny.. Posted October 12 2008 at 7:54 PM.
Hi Carole.
people like you and Richard Littlejohn( Mail) give me hope that all is not lost.As a seventy year old english man i am totally dumdfounded by the Saiedi situation. I feel the Headline in your paper ' Scrounger' is is wrong. The whole fault is our crazy system which allows situations like this to occur. All , claiming asylum should be told. We are giving you the most precious gift of all, freedom. We will shelter and feed you. If you want anything more you must earn it.Surely, the civil servants who gladly give out every benefit they possibly can should be taken to task.
I believe that ALL imigrants should be given as LITTLE as is required to exist. NOT luxuries.until this is in place we will continue to attract immigrants legal and illegal. We cannot as a country continue to be the conscience of the world, where untold numbers bypass numerous countries to get to England, the Holy Grail.
As a man brought up happily with three brothers in a two bedroom house . I ask the question .WHY does this family need seven bedrooms?.
Yet another case of Human Rights.
As every other Pensioner in this country, sick with the increasing cost of living , heating etc. i feel completley sickened that this Government does NOTHING to tackle problems such as this. Maybe they don't believe there are problems .
By joe blease.. Posted October 12 2008 at 5:35 PM.
Thankyou for speaking up for most of us whom are still trying to make ends meet!I was brought up to work for the things you need/want and i always have done.I am a lone parent and i still continue to do this and i have always worked!The Saiedi family need to realise that it is the TAX payers money that is supporting them,their hard earned tax that has put them in this life style!The Govenment need to feel ashamed as well as the local council,look how we are fighting to keep our heads above water and where is our support! We have people in Briton who are still on the streets and need support with families.
I have worked all my life as other people have and it is very hard to keep our heads above water due to bill increases,food ect come and give us workers some of our TAX's back to support us!Think about us for once.
By Laura.. Posted October 12 2008 at 1:44 PM.
I totally agree with you with regards to the article on toorpa-kai saiedi, it makes me so mad when so many old people cant even find homes. The whole system is completly insane. I had to give up my job last year do look after my partner who had a accident and needed care from me while recovering, i have worked since the age of 16 and never not worked likewise my other half, but could i get help with benefits not on your life. I had a mortgage but was told no help was allowed until 52 weeks down the line, it took me 6 months to get income support , i was just looking for help but i unlike other people dont know how to play the system and i am british person who had worked for 20yrs paying my tax and ni. I had to remorgage my house for £10000 so that i could put it in the bank to pay my mortage payments and lived on credit cards, when i was in the centre looking for help they were giving out help left right and centre for non british citzens (like free tv licence has they cant speak english) and when i was waiting in the local post office i saw a little old man who no doubt helped us in the world war getting is allowance of £40 for a week and next to him a muslim lady getting £340 for a week. I have never felt like this but when i see first hand what other people had when i couldnt get any help in makes you question what this country is coming to, its a pity i cant seek asylum in spain, in the mean time i will save and save until i can leave the country i once called home!!!
By johanna nolan-evans.. Posted October 12 2008 at 12:25 PM.
Carole
I always enjoy reading your column every Sunday. You are absolutely right to say what the rest of the population can't, although apparently we live in a democracy!!
This b****y woman and her family want to think themselves damn lucky, the rest of us that make the foolish mistake of thinking that you better yourself by grafting for a living are the idiots! What we should all do is pack in work, sign on the rock 'n roll and sponge until there's nothing left of this once great country. We, the misguided, have this crazy notion that our leaders make decisions in our best interest....WRONG!
The really worrying upshot of all this is, I believe, we are heading towards meltdown giving the fascist loons the chance they've been waiting for. If we just took some draconian measures now and stopped this relentless inpouring of scroungers with absolutely no intention of giving instead of taking and stop giving away our taxpayers money to a cause that we did not choose, we might just save ourselves from disaster. I can't help wondering how many of our previous beneficiaries will be interested in helping us in our hour of need, I think we know the answer to that one!
Carole, you are the voice of sanity and reason.. you don't fancy standing for election do you? You'll be assured of mine and the rest of your readership's votes.
Thank you for my Sunday read. Richard, Middlesex
By Richard.. Posted October 12 2008 at 1:12 PM.
i think it is disgusting this family from a nother country can get all this and we are from england with 6 children living in a 3 bed room house i think they should be chucked out and be put in a smaller place and go and get a job and work like our country have to and shes got the cheak to moan cause she cant take her kids to disney land the goverment need to sort it out . graeme savill uk
By graeme savill.. Posted October 12 2008 at 1:06 PM.
Hi Carole,well done for that report about the benefit scroungers,what most annoys me is that I worked for 49 years none stop here being out of work once for in 1961 and then having to pay back the dole they gave me as soon as I got a new job,you say these people also get free dental care,well last year I paid my dentist £189 for root canal treatment and another dentist £60 for dental work for my tooth ache which by the way I still suffer with,having just been back again to see the dentist I have been told by him that he no longer can do a Apicectomy operation that I need to cure my pain as he does`nt have the equipment to carry it out,or more to the point he does`nt have the time,I am a senior citizen who has paid my tax and Nat insurance all my life without ever missing it and this is how I am treated by my own country`s government,it`s appalling,my three children have also never been out of work and never drew a penny in benefit`s,by the way Carole I have`nt turned my heating on yet because of the cost,I just wear an extra sweater for now.and if that family do get a freebee to Disneyland (as I`m sure they will) could they possible take me with them as I have`nt had a holiday for years..keep up the sterling work Carole bless you..
By Billy Marr.. Posted October 12 2008 at 12:08 PM.
"Mrs Saiedi has totally forgotten what this country saved her from."
You can't expect to invade someone's country, wreck everything they have and then expect them to bounce back and continue where they left off. The anger people feel in this country is nothing compared to the anger the Afghanis feel.
By Junaid Alvi.. Posted October 12 2008 at 11:44 AM.
Carole-- you are the best columnist in this or any other country! Keep it up sweetheart. Maybe one day our gormless politicians and councillors will take note and act accordingly. As if.
By Alan of Chigwell.. Posted October 12 2008 at 10:12 AM.
Eight years ago i was in the unfortunate position of having to be re-housed by my local authority, they wouldnt re-house my then 17 year old son, as he was classed as an adult, and i was only offered a grotty flat that we had to deep clean [the previous tenants used the wardrobes as a toilet], after numerous visits to the council culminating in my demanding to see a copy of the customer charter that this flat suddenly became avaliable..after we moved in the neighbours said that it had been empty for 9 months!!!,
so it beggars belief that a non tax-paying, non working non british family gets priority,
thankfully i had a wholly different attitude to the saiedi clan and worked hard so that i now own my own house which by the way doesnt have a 50inch plasma screen because i work rather than scrounge off the very generous state, prehaps i am a bit of a mug then
By michelle.. Posted October 12 2008 at 9:41 AM.
Excellent page full of the truth, I love your style of writing and admire you for speaking your mind, millions of people feel the same but do not have the opportuntiy to be heard, keep it up, well done.
By Gaynor.. Posted October 12 2008 at 8:41 AM.
Your comments about the Afghan scroungers and the councils are spot on. Bring on the revolution!
Excellent column as usual.
By Debbie.. Posted October 12 2008 at 12:34 AM.
Yet another spot-on column, Carole, and it's a much-needed comfort to know that someone else understands the staggering incredulity that so many of us out here are feeling. I have no criminal convictions, worked hard for my qualifications, and have worked for 17 years out of 20 (three unemployed), yet have not been able to afford a holiday in nine years, nor marry my fiancee of eight years. Were I to commit a crime, though, I'd get 3 square meals a day in prison, along with Sky TV, gym facilities, and the dangers I'd face from other inmates are hardly different from those I face from muggers and drunks on the streets now. If I were to plead an impoverished upbringing (which we did have) after committing a crime, maybe I'd get a free holiday from Social Services. Maybe if I pleaded asylum and claimed to be from the Middle East I too could live in a mansion. But NO - the only reward I get, for living a moral, decent, hard-working and law-abiding life in this country, is a steady reduction in basic services and help, & the final insult of watchin our Government sell this country down the river whilst treating those of us with an English lineage of more than three generations as if we are the criminals & the scum, rather than those "undesirables" Cherie Blair was wittering about last week. At least YOU understand the insanity of modern Britain, and use your column and celebrity to publicly denounce it - and for that, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Kevin, Derby, UK.
By Kevin, Derby, UK.. Posted October 12 2008 at 12:24 AM.