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Graham Stewart

Graham Stewart takes your calls on the day's big news stories.

Graham Stewart takes your calls, texts and emails on the day's big news stories.

The biggest phone-in on Scottish radio, Graham Stewart takes your calls on the day's big news stories.

Morning Extra: Welfare dependency

Discussion & Talk

05/12/2008

Welfare dependency

BBC Radio Scotland - Morning Extra, Welfare dependency

Is benefit dependency to blame for Karen Matthews' behaviour? Plus, scaling back Xmas.

Is benefit dependency to blame for Karen Matthews' behaviour? and Should Christmas be scaled back? Graham Stewart takes your calls.

Has a dependency on benefits played a role in Karen Matthews' behaviour?

Karen Matthews, the mother of nine-year-old Shannon, has been convicted of kidnapping her own daughter. The chief constable in charge of the case believes it highlights "perverse welfare issues".  West Yorkshire Chief Constable Norman Bettison told BBC One's Panorama programme that: "The more kids you have, the more welfare you get, the less opportunity there is to contribute to society and to the economy and the less you need to." But is a whole community being tarred because of one bad apple?

Plus: Should Christmas be scaled back?

As we prepare for the biggest shopping weekend of the year, is it time for more goodness and less consumption - and a limit on tacky music? 

Graham Stewart takes your calls, texts and emails.

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