The British Sociological Association's annual conference heard last week that researchers went out to deprived areas of Bristol and held focus groups in cafes, hairdressers, libraries, pubs and clubs, and asked people for their views on employment, housing, debt and immigration.
One of the researchers, Phoebe Beedell, told the conference that the study uncovered “bitter sadness and frustration” and a “widespread sense of complaint and grievance” among the participants towards groups thought to be getting more favourable treatment.
These groups included unmarried mothers, disabled people living in social housing, and people given help after coming out of prison.
Ms Beedell said the reason for the resentment expressed during 2010's study was the emphasis by the then Labour government and the Conservative opposition on cutting benefits to those seen as undeserving.
“The UK political parties have appropriated the discourse of fairness to promote fundamentally divisive policies which have been popular with large sections of the electorate including, paradoxically, poor voters,” Ms Beedell said.
Ms Beedell said that the 'discourse' promoted “increasingly conditional and punitive forms of welfare” which created “rivalries rather than building solidarities amongst those who have little, and drawing attention away from greater inequalities.”
Source; 24Dash
