Something tells me this isn't what most Socialists have in mind when they talk about redistributing income.

1. Residents of one of the wealthiest nations (the United States) in the world buy oil from the government of an impoverished third-world country (Venezuela).

 2. The government of an impoverished third-world country (Venezuela) takes those receipts and gives them to residents of another of the wealtheist nations on the earth (England). 

 Here's the news release from London Mayor Ken Livingstone:

Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, today launched a scheme that will mean up to 250,000 of the least well-off Londoners can now benefit from half priced bus and tram travel.

He was joined by Peter Hendy, London's Transport Commissioner, Karen Buck MP and representatives of groups that will benefit from the initiative, which will mean that all Londoners on income support are eligible to receive the benefit, including lone parents, carers, the long-term sick and disabled people.

The discount will mean that those on the lowest incomes will pay only 50p for a single bus journey, half the £1 adult Oyster fare and a quarter of the £2 cash fare.  From September 30th this year it will be even cheaper as a 10 per cent across-the-board fares cut is also introduced. This will make a single bus journey just 45p for those on income support.

The scheme follows an agreement signed earlier this year by the Mayor, Transport for London and Venezuelan Oil Company PetrÓleos de Venezuela Europa. This provided a 20 per cent reduction in the price of fuel for London's bus fleet, which will be passed on to cut fares for some of the least well off Londoners. At the same time, London will provide Venezuela with advice and technical expertise in fields of city management in which London is a world leader such as transport, town planning, tourism and the protection of the environment."