Of course there are wasters who exploit the system - perhaps they take their lead from the MPs who do it for much greater financial gain. But there are, I believe, far more genuine jonseekers who want to work but who may not be equipped for the hard manual work that is often taken by immigrant workers (as are some of the most highly skilled and qualified jobs for which there are no takers).

On the other side of the fence - and I can only speak from personal experience here - I have found the staff at the Jobcentre to be considerate and as helpful as they can be under a repressive regime that has become far worse under this government. They have told me that they are constantly receiving directives which, in effect, are to harrass claimants until they finally just give up. My own adviser, Kath, has done everything she can to help me and, after some difficulties, finally managed to get an 'exceptional' payment for me to cover the cost of a part-time PTLLS teaching course which will allow me to teach Creative Writing and other courses to adult learners.

So let's stop the wholesale condemnation and demonisation of all benefit claimants - that's precisely what this government's PR machine is trying to do, to cover up their own inadequacies and incompetence. Let's face it, most of us have been in receipt of some 'benefit', whether it's tax relief on pension contributions, the use of the NHS, free education....that's what the Welfare State was set up to do; to help everyone have a better life and to protect those who, for whatever reason, cannot take care of themselves and their families. And that is precisely what this government is seeking to dismantle. Will you resist that or support it and take the consequences for the effect that it will have on this entire country?

I know where I stand.