Yeah, Let's Give People Like This More Pay..

The big civil service unions are whinging about 'below-inflation payrises' for their members, and threatening a series of strikes.

So, if people like this did go on strike, wouldn't we be better off?

Samantha Corbridge, 24, was thrown out of the Jobcentre Plus office after being told she was breaking the 'food and drink policy' by giving her daughter a bottle of milk.

Coming from the people employed by the government making an almighty fuss about public breastfeeding, would that have made a difference? Apparently not:

She went on: "A few people tried to stick up for me. One lady asked if I would have been allowed to stay if I was breastfeeding but the worker said no – 'because that is food.'

And you know you are on solid ground when, of all people, a local council worker thinks things have gone too far!

Lindsey Singleton, an employee at Brighton and Hove City Council who witnessed the incident, said: "I was absolutely appalled. I have made a formal complaint about this member of staff's treatment of this young mother.

"The member of staff was very rude and humiliated this young woman. I have raised the issue with the council."

The usual mealy-mouthed statement has been released:

A Jobcentre Plus spokesman said an investigation had been launched into the incident last Wednesday.

He added: "Jobcentre Plus asks our customers to attend on an individual basis in order to give an individual and personal service.

"We ask all customers to attend on their own unless they need assistance. There appears to have been an unfortunate misunderstanding in this instance.

"We will, as a matter of course, speak to the office involved in this case."

Hmm, yes. I think the 'misunderstanding' was when your staff member got caught doing this...