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Discussions regarding the future of care have focused heavily around the elderly. However disabled people are also at the heart of this matter, especially disabled students.

There were big omissions in the Queen's Speech on PR, MPs expenses and root and branch reform of the banking system. But there are glimmers from yesterday, and before, that the election might become more of a real choice and therefore more of a contest.

Yesterday the TUC held a conference on An Alternative Vision of the Welfare State. Both Labour and the Conservatives are committed to the welfare reforms of David Freud, neither aim to raise benefits and each tries to outdo the other on how many claimants they will remove from incapacity benefit. What hope an alternative?

Compass is delighted to publish this month's Thinkpieces. The first is by Mark Perryman "We're all in this together- Towards the political practice of a Plural Left" and offers an analysis on the current state of the left. The second "The importance of the Welfare State under globalisation" is by Vittorio Trevitt looks at the current state of the welfare system in the UK specifically looking at its role in a globalised economy.

In a letter published in today's Guardian a group of leading progressive's call for a rethink on what are some of the most punitive aspects of the Welfare Reform Bill.

While the public shaming of MPs over expense claims continues, some of their more petty deeds remain hidden. Revelations of ministers who claimed thousands of pounds for interest on mortgages they had already paid off have sparked widespread anger. A lesser-known fact is that, under social security regulations passed in January, help with mortgage interest payments for the unemployed will stop after two years.

The headlines are so familiar: "Benefits cheat gets 10 months" screamed the Sun last month. In the resulting piece we were told how "scrounging" James Smith, 48, had "grabbed £35k in welfare handouts by claiming he couldn't hobble more than 20 metres - even with a stick".

Today The Guardian have published an open letter calling on the Chancellor of the Exchequer to close in on personal tax avoidance which is estimated costs the country around £15BN a year in lost public revenue. The letter coincides with our Tax Justice Rally this Wednesday 15 April from 6pm at the TUC being held with The Fabian Society, Tax Justice Network UK and The Other Tax Payer's Alliance.

Welfare reform isn't easy. It's about hard decisions and it's about making the right choices, not simply politically - as many politicians are so used to doing - but more importantly making the right decisions for people's lives. Today Purnell released his white paper on welfare reform. Looking at the white paper it is overwhelmingly clear that Purnell has made decisions on welfare reform based on what he sees it as politically right for the Labour Party.

This week the Government is expected to publish its white paper on welfare reform. In response to this Compass is delighted that over 600 people - including 100 individuals from across civil society and academia - have signed up to the Compass and PCS coordinated campaign for fairer welfare. We are also pleased to announce that Katherine Rake, Director of the Fawcett Society, Comedian Mark Thomas, and world famous children's author and Carnegie Prize winner Berlie Doherty have also offered their support.