The good life

This couple and their ten kids living it up at our expense.

[T]hey receive so much in handouts that they have already bought and wrapped £3,000 worth of Christmas presents, and plan to buy more.

The couple say they are enjoying the credit crunch because it has forced down the price of luxury goods like TVs and computer games, but do have two gripes.

I suppose it's easy to enjoy recession if you don't have a job to lose - so what are their "gripes". Well, they want even more of your money, but they don't like being labelled "freeloaders" - which is a bit strange seeing how that is exactly what they are.

Mrs Crompton said: 'We don't have money worries. We don't go without things and I think that's because we are self-sufficient. We grow our own food. I don't see why others should have money worries.'

Self-sufficient? I think Mrs Crompton needs to look up the definition of the word as I don't think relying on state handouts really qualifies as "self-sufficiency". It's certainly a different take on the subject from that of Tom and Barbara Good in the seventies self-sufficiency sitcom.

And the reason the rest of us have money worries is because the state takes more and more of the cash we earn (that is money acquired through our own efforts, Mrs Crompton) to hand over to lazy, good for nothing, scrounging scum (that's you, Mrs C).

Sadly, others do not always understand. 'Every time I walk down the street, people shout "scroungers",' said Mrs Crompton.

Funny that. People are so judgemental.

The walls of her home are dirty and peeling and the floor is covered in videos and magazines. 'I don't have much time for cleaning since I started a college course in catering,' said Mrs Crompton.

I wonder who is paying for that? No - I don't really.

'I'm really nervous about what will happen at the end of my course. I've never worked and so it would be scary to think I would have to get a job. It would have to be very well-paid to pay more than the benefits.'

And we wonder why the country is going to the dogs?