‘Concerns rising over UK welfare cuts’

Criticisms are rising against the British government for pursuing poor economic plans. A central theme of the criticisms is a controversial welfare reform plan that comprises a series of austerity cuts many of which are publicly believed to specifically undermine the vulnerable members of the society. 

This appears to have provoked the United Nations to launch an investigation into the impacts of welfare cuts on the British public – and specifically less privileged “marginalized groups”.  

The investigation will study whether welfare cuts have hit groups such as single parents, ethnic minorities and children.  

Javier Farje, a UK-based editor and political commentator, has told Press TV that the UN investigation is meant to seek explanations from the British government about how it has ensured that its austerity measures do not affect the vulnerable groups of the society and what it has done to protect them. 

“This latest investigation has a chain of elements which have a lot to do with not only the austerity measures taken by the government but also how the government is taking measures to counter the effects of austerity measures on the ordinary people,” said Farje.

“Previous investigations have dealt with issues such as human rights of the people with disabilities in receiving austerity measures.”

He further emphasized that at least 50 people have reportedly committed suicide for far as a result of the government’s austerity measures, stressing that this has already created an alarming situation in the British society.

“These are a series of elements that have forced the UN to investigate this situation because we see every day in the social media how these austerity measures have affected the vulnerable people,” Farje told Press TV’s UK Desk in an exclusive interview.

“We should not accept this [situation] in one of the most industrialized countries in the world.”

Farje further emphasized that the government should prioritize spending to boost public welfare over projects like maintaining the Trident nuclear system which lack adequate pragmatic justifications.

“The government argues that projects like the Trident are for the protection of the nation against potential threats. However, many believe that the government’s investments in projects like Trident should be made in people,” he said.

“More needs to be spent on helping the more vulnerable members of the society. There is no proof that the nuclear power that Britain in terms of weapons will make any difference in terms of any potential attacks.”   

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