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For Stephen Crabb, welfare reform is very personal For Stephen Crabb, welfare reform is very personal
(35 minutes later)
For Stephen Crabb, the new secretary of state for work and pensions, welfare reform is personal.For Stephen Crabb, the new secretary of state for work and pensions, welfare reform is personal.
During last year’s general election, the Welshman spoke repeatedly about watching his benefit-dependent mother slowly come off welfare. She had separated from his violent father and what she managed by coming off state handouts is “the model for what we are trying to achieve”, said Crabb. During last year’s general election, the Welsh MP spoke repeatedly about watching his benefit-dependent mother slowly come off welfare. She had separated from his violent father and what she managed by coming off state help, said Crabb, is “the model for what we are trying to achieve”.
“I saw for myself my mother going from being wholly dependent on welfare – somebody in crisis, raising three boys on her own in council housing, making that journey – first working four or five hours a week, and that was her stepping stone back into a life of full economic independence,” he said. “I saw for myself my mother going from being wholly dependent on welfare – somebody in crisis, raising three boys on her own in council housing, making that journey – first working four or five hours a week, and that was her stepping stone back into a life of full economic independence,” the work and pensions secretary said.
On Saturday, the 43-year-old, who was appointed on Friday following Iain Duncan Smith’s resignation, spoke again of the government’s “important mission to better support people making the transition into work”. On Saturday, the 43-year-old, who was appointed following Iain Duncan Smith’s resignation on Friday, spoke again of the government’s “important mission to better support people making the transition into work”.
His first job will be to tackle George Osborne on the proposed £1.3bn cuts to disability benefits he announced in last week’s budget that have created rancorous divisions in the Tory party. The signs are that, as with Duncan Smith before him who used his resignation letter to question David Cameron on whether “enough has been done to ensure ‘we are all in this together’, he will resist the move firmly. His first job will be to tackle George Osborne on the proposed £1.3bn cuts to disability benefits the chancellor announced in last week’s budget. The cuts proposal have created rancorous divisions in the Tory party.
Last year Crabb said: “The moment welfare change smacks of any kind of politics, of singling out poor people, there is the risk of not carrying them with us.” This weekend, without being overt about his intentions, he spoke of the government facing “very challenging decisions”. One close parliamentary colleague said it was clear he had “a better relationship with the Treasury” than Duncan Smith did. Crabb has been tipped in some quarters as a possible future Tory leader. The signs are that, he will resist the move as firmly as Duncan Smith, who used his resignation letter to question David Cameron on whether “enough has been done to ensure ‘we are all in this together’”.
Last year Crabb said: “The moment welfare change smacks of any kind of politics, of singling out poor people, there is the risk of not carrying them with us.” This weekend, without being overt about his intentions, the Pembrokeshire MP spoke of the government facing “very challenging decisions”. One close parliamentary colleague said it was clear Crabb had “a better relationship with the Treasury” than Duncan Smith did. Crabb has been tipped in some quarters as a possible future Tory leader.
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David Burrowes MP, a member with Crabb of a new social justice caucus inside the Conservative party, said of him: “His raison d’etre in politics is that he walks and talks compassionate Conservatism. He fits this portfolio very well. He will be able to handle it, in perception and reality, in a compassionate way.” David Burrowes MP, who like Crabb is a member of a new social justice caucus inside the Conservative party, said of him: “His raison d’etre in politics is that he walks and talks compassionate Conservatism. He fits this portfolio very well. He will be able to handle it, in perception and reality, in a compassionate way.”
While Crabb is considered “a fellow traveller” with Duncan Smith on policy, he is expected to take a different approach to the politics of delivery. Where Duncan Smith was seen in parliament and Whitehall as adopting fixed and intransigent positions, Crabb is expected to gain wider traction across government, particularly in the Treasury, for the social justice agenda.While Crabb is considered “a fellow traveller” with Duncan Smith on policy, he is expected to take a different approach to the politics of delivery. Where Duncan Smith was seen in parliament and Whitehall as adopting fixed and intransigent positions, Crabb is expected to gain wider traction across government, particularly in the Treasury, for the social justice agenda.
“His definition of the right cuts will be about fairness rather than making the books balance,” said a friend at Westminster who has known him for 20 years. “His Christian ethic is absolutely central to his ideology: loving your neighbour and being responsible for those among us with least.”“His definition of the right cuts will be about fairness rather than making the books balance,” said a friend at Westminster who has known him for 20 years. “His Christian ethic is absolutely central to his ideology: loving your neighbour and being responsible for those among us with least.”
Crabb, who became the MP for Preseli Pembrokeshire in 2005 and was Welsh secretary from July 2014, appears well-placed to channel backbench resistance to Osborne’s disability cuts. “He is very well liked in the parliamentary party and that comes from spending time with a lot of people,” said the friend. “He will be much more able [than Duncan Smith] to communicate policy.”Crabb, who became the MP for Preseli Pembrokeshire in 2005 and was Welsh secretary from July 2014, appears well-placed to channel backbench resistance to Osborne’s disability cuts. “He is very well liked in the parliamentary party and that comes from spending time with a lot of people,” said the friend. “He will be much more able [than Duncan Smith] to communicate policy.”