It is healthy for society when politics is at its best and that is only the case when opposition parties are effectively holding the democratically-elected government of the day to account.
Sadly, I cannot say I have been enamoured by the performance of the Labour Party in recent months, who have been entangled in the many webs they have spun for themselves.
However, I was encouraged to hear they are discussing plans to scrap Universal Credit, the Conservatives’ flagship welfare reform, which has done unrivalled damage to the financial, psychological and emotional wellbeing of many of our most vulnerable citizens.
The consistent defence of its credibility is that unemployment is at its lowest level since 1970.
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However, there is no recognition of the growing number of people, many of whom I have met, who have simply signed off unemployment benefits due to the intimidating and intensive nature of the demands placed upon claimants.
A week ago, I met a Universal Credit claimant who was entitled to £317.82 and was sanctioned £317.82, leaving him with no money for food or electricity for a month.
I once believed that Universal Credit could be reformed but there are times when a safety net has too many holes to be restrung.
Universal Credit is such a benefit and should be scrapped in its entirety.
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