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Cameron to defend record after Duncan Smith resignation Cameron to defend record after Duncan Smith resignation
(35 minutes later)
David Cameron will defend his record later after Iain Duncan Smith resigned as work and pensions secretary and condemned cuts to disability benefits.David Cameron will defend his record later after Iain Duncan Smith resigned as work and pensions secretary and condemned cuts to disability benefits.
Mr Duncan Smith quit on Friday and said the government had focused benefit cuts on people who do not vote Conservative. He warned it risked dividing society.Mr Duncan Smith quit on Friday and said the government had focused benefit cuts on people who do not vote Conservative. He warned it risked dividing society.
But the PM will tell MPs he believes in "a modern, compassionate Conservatism".But the PM will tell MPs he believes in "a modern, compassionate Conservatism".
Number 10 has strongly denied reports of a rift between David Cameron and his chancellor following the resignation.Number 10 has strongly denied reports of a rift between David Cameron and his chancellor following the resignation.
Meanwhile, Mr Duncan Smith's replacement, Stephen Crabb, will tell the Commons on Monday that the proposed changes to disability benefits - known as Personal Independence Payments (PIP) - have been abandoned.Meanwhile, Mr Duncan Smith's replacement, Stephen Crabb, will tell the Commons on Monday that the proposed changes to disability benefits - known as Personal Independence Payments (PIP) - have been abandoned.
Opponents of the move said it could have affected up to 640,000 people, with recipients losing up to £100 a week.Opponents of the move said it could have affected up to 640,000 people, with recipients losing up to £100 a week.
On Sunday, Mr Duncan Smith told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show that he had supported a consultation on the changes to PIP but had come under "massive pressure" to deliver the savings ahead of last week's Budget.On Sunday, Mr Duncan Smith told the BBC's Andrew Marr Show that he had supported a consultation on the changes to PIP but had come under "massive pressure" to deliver the savings ahead of last week's Budget.
The way the cuts were presented in the Budget had been "deeply unfair" because they were "juxtaposed" with tax cuts for the wealthy, he said.The way the cuts were presented in the Budget had been "deeply unfair" because they were "juxtaposed" with tax cuts for the wealthy, he said.
He suggested the government was in "danger of drifting in a direction that divides society rather than unites it, and that, I think, is unfair".He suggested the government was in "danger of drifting in a direction that divides society rather than unites it, and that, I think, is unfair".
The BBC's assistant political editor Norman Smith said it was understood that Mr Cameron had urged Chancellor George Osborne to avoid any major controversy in the Budget so as to avoid fuelling discontent among Tory MPs ahead of the EU referendum.The BBC's assistant political editor Norman Smith said it was understood that Mr Cameron had urged Chancellor George Osborne to avoid any major controversy in the Budget so as to avoid fuelling discontent among Tory MPs ahead of the EU referendum.
Despite this, our correspondent said, Downing Street insists "the two men remain as close as ever", and have dismissed reports that the prime minister will seek to distance himself from Mr Osborne.Despite this, our correspondent said, Downing Street insists "the two men remain as close as ever", and have dismissed reports that the prime minister will seek to distance himself from Mr Osborne.
AnalysisAnalysis
By Chris Mason, BBC political correspondentBy Chris Mason, BBC political correspondent
As reactions to a Budget go, it doesn't get any worse for a government - a cabinet resignation just over 48 hours later, with several incendiary parting shots to boot, and a weekend of insults hurled by Conservatives, at each other, with gusto.As reactions to a Budget go, it doesn't get any worse for a government - a cabinet resignation just over 48 hours later, with several incendiary parting shots to boot, and a weekend of insults hurled by Conservatives, at each other, with gusto.
Today, then, the prime minister's challenge is clear: calm things down. David Cameron will tell the Commons he has long been a believer in what he will call "One Nation Conservatism".Today, then, the prime minister's challenge is clear: calm things down. David Cameron will tell the Commons he has long been a believer in what he will call "One Nation Conservatism".
The new Work and Pensions Secretary Stephen Crabb will make clear the proposed changes to PIP will now not happen. But that leaves the government either looking for cuts elsewhere or not saving as much as it hoped.The new Work and Pensions Secretary Stephen Crabb will make clear the proposed changes to PIP will now not happen. But that leaves the government either looking for cuts elsewhere or not saving as much as it hoped.
And it leaves David Cameron and the Chancellor George Osborne attempting to recover from the biggest challenge to their authority since the election.And it leaves David Cameron and the Chancellor George Osborne attempting to recover from the biggest challenge to their authority since the election.
Mr Duncan Smith also criticised the "arbitrary" decision to lower the welfare cap after the general election and suggested the government was in danger of losing "the balance of the generations", expressing his "deep concern" at a "very narrow attack on working-age benefits" while also protecting pensioner benefits. Mr Duncan Smith also criticised the "arbitrary" decision to lower the welfare cap after the general election and expressed his "deep concern" at a "very narrow attack on working-age benefits" while also protecting pensioner benefits.
If the focus on the working-age benefit budget continued, he said, "it just looks like we see this as a pot of money, that it doesn't matter because they don't vote for us". "It just looks like we see this as a pot of money, that it doesn't matter because they don't vote for us," he said.
Mr Duncan Smith spoke of his "love" for the Conservative Party and described claims he was trying to undermine Mr Cameron as "nonsense", saying he had had a "robust" conversation with the PM after telling him of his resignation.Mr Duncan Smith spoke of his "love" for the Conservative Party and described claims he was trying to undermine Mr Cameron as "nonsense", saying he had had a "robust" conversation with the PM after telling him of his resignation.
He also insisted his "painful" decision was "not personal" against Mr Osborne.He also insisted his "painful" decision was "not personal" against Mr Osborne.
A Number 10 spokesman said: "We are sorry to see Iain Duncan Smith go, but we are a 'one nation' government determined to continue helping everyone in our society have more security and opportunity, including the most disadvantaged."A Number 10 spokesman said: "We are sorry to see Iain Duncan Smith go, but we are a 'one nation' government determined to continue helping everyone in our society have more security and opportunity, including the most disadvantaged."
He said more people were in work under this government with fewer "trapped" on unemployment benefits.
'Long grass'
In his Budget on Wednesday, Mr Osborne had said the government would be spending an extra £1bn on disability, but changes to disability benefits announced a few days earlier had suggested the government would save £4.4bn by 2020-21.In his Budget on Wednesday, Mr Osborne had said the government would be spending an extra £1bn on disability, but changes to disability benefits announced a few days earlier had suggested the government would save £4.4bn by 2020-21.
They included changes to PIP, which will replace Disability Living Allowance (DLA) in January 2017, that were expected to save £1.3bn a year and sparked outcry from opposition parties and some Tory MPs.They included changes to PIP, which will replace Disability Living Allowance (DLA) in January 2017, that were expected to save £1.3bn a year and sparked outcry from opposition parties and some Tory MPs.
Recipients of PIP are assessed using a points system and the changes would have seen less weight given to the use of aids and appliances in two of the 10 daily living activities - dressing and managing toilet needs.Recipients of PIP are assessed using a points system and the changes would have seen less weight given to the use of aids and appliances in two of the 10 daily living activities - dressing and managing toilet needs.
Disability charities say just a single point difference could have meant some losing the benefit altogether or getting less.Disability charities say just a single point difference could have meant some losing the benefit altogether or getting less.
On Friday, prior to Mr Duncan Smith's resignation, a government source said the planned changes would be "kicked into the long grass", and Mr Crabb will formally tell MPs that they will not happen. 'Unsustainable'
It is not yet clear if his department will have to find cuts immediately to make the equivalent savings. On Friday, prior to Mr Duncan Smith's resignation, a government source said the planned changes would be "kicked into the long grass", but it is not yet clear if Mr Crabb's department will have to find cuts immediately to make the equivalent savings.
However, Number 10 has also stressed that PIP will still have to be reformed in the future as the cost is "unsustainable." Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn told the BBC Mr Osborne should be "considering his position".
Shadow chancellor John McDonnell has called for Mr Osborne to "rip up" the Budget, Labour is likely to table an urgent question on Monday in a bid to force Mr Osborne to come to the Commons. "We don't want that £4bn taken from somewhere else within the welfare budget, that £4bn has to be put back in.
"That means a real change in the Budget so it shouldn't be Stephen Crabb who comes to Parliament today, but George Osborne, to tell us how he is now going to reconfigure his Budget."
Tory backbencher Sarah Wollaston said Mr Duncan Smith's accusations were "very serious" and Mr Cameron may need "to signal that he is going to... revise the balance of where the burden falls for balancing the books".
Number 10 has stressed that PIP will still have to be reformed in the future as the cost is "unsustainable."