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Labour slams George Osborne after he dodges budget urgent question Labour slams George Osborne after he dodges budget urgent question
(35 minutes later)
Labour has ramped up the pressure on George Osborne after he refused to appear in the House of Commons to defend his budget.Labour has ramped up the pressure on George Osborne after he refused to appear in the House of Commons to defend his budget.
The Treasury said the chancellor would not respond in person to an urgent question laid by the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, for 3.30pm on Monday. The Treasury said the chancellor would not respond in person to an urgent question from the shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, for 3.30pm on Monday.
David Gauke, the financial secretary to the Treasury, will appear in the Commons instead to take the flak on |Osborne’s behalf. But Labour said the chancellor will be unable to escape responsibility. David Gauke, the financial secretary to the Treasury, will appear in the Commons instead to take the flak on Osborne’s behalf. But Labour said the chancellor would be unable to escape responsibility.
Tom Watson, Labour’s deputy leader, said: “George Osborne cannot avoid the blame for another disastrous budget that has unravelled in record time.”Tom Watson, Labour’s deputy leader, said: “George Osborne cannot avoid the blame for another disastrous budget that has unravelled in record time.”
The budget arithmetic published last Wednesday relied on cuts to the personal independence payments made to disabled people, which were slated to bring in more than £1bn a year.The budget arithmetic published last Wednesday relied on cuts to the personal independence payments made to disabled people, which were slated to bring in more than £1bn a year.
Just two days after the budget statement was delivered, the Treasury revealed the proposals would be “kicked into the long grass”, amid mounting opposition from Tory backbenchers, with a government source saying they were “not wedded to these figures”.Just two days after the budget statement was delivered, the Treasury revealed the proposals would be “kicked into the long grass”, amid mounting opposition from Tory backbenchers, with a government source saying they were “not wedded to these figures”.
Officials have insisted that they will not make clear how they will make good the shortfall until the autumn statement. But Labour will step up the pressure on the chancellor to explain how he will meet his fiscal pledges without the cuts.Officials have insisted that they will not make clear how they will make good the shortfall until the autumn statement. But Labour will step up the pressure on the chancellor to explain how he will meet his fiscal pledges without the cuts.
Iain Duncan Smith used his resignation letter and subsequent appearance on the Andrew Marr Show on BBC1 on Sunday morning to question whether the tax and spending rules imposed by Osborne, including his “welfare cap”, had led his party to abandon one-nation Conservatism. Iain Duncan Smith used his resignation letter and subsequent appearance on The Andrew Marr Show on BBC1 on Sunday morning to question whether the tax and spending rules imposed by Osborne, including his “welfare cap”, had led his party to abandon one-nation Conservatism.
Labour is determined to exploit the Tories’ disarray and is drawing up a list of decisions made by the government, from cutting inheritance tax to reducing spending on welfare, which seek to show that Cameron’s “compassionate Conservativism” is empty rhetoric.Labour is determined to exploit the Tories’ disarray and is drawing up a list of decisions made by the government, from cutting inheritance tax to reducing spending on welfare, which seek to show that Cameron’s “compassionate Conservativism” is empty rhetoric.
Watson said: “George Osborne has exposed the fundamental unfairness that lies at the heart of his government’s policies and shown the Tories are still the same old ‘nasty party’ his colleague Theresa May once warned they had become.”Watson said: “George Osborne has exposed the fundamental unfairness that lies at the heart of his government’s policies and shown the Tories are still the same old ‘nasty party’ his colleague Theresa May once warned they had become.”
The shadow chancellor, John McDonnell, responding, said: “It’s unacceptable to the country and insulting to parliament that the chancellor is not turning up to respond to my urgent question on the chaos of his making around a budget he delivered only last week which had collapsed by Friday night. McDonnell, said: “It’s unacceptable to the country and insulting to parliament that the chancellor is not turning up to respond to my urgent question on the chaos of his making around a budget he delivered only last week which had collapsed by Friday night.
“This has meant hundreds of thousands of disabled people will have been worried needlessly by George Osborne.”“This has meant hundreds of thousands of disabled people will have been worried needlessly by George Osborne.”
Some inside the party believe the Conservatives’ travails have bolstered the position of Jeremy Corbyn, whose grip on the leadership had been threatened by rumblings of discontent from back-bench MPs, and persistent rumours about the risk of a challenge. Some inside the party believe the Conservatives’ travails have bolstered the position of Jeremy Corbyn, whose grip on the leadership had been threatened by rumblings of discontent from backbench MPs, and persistent rumours about the risk of a challenge.
Chuka Umunna, the former shadow business secretary, used a speech on Monday to warn that the latest benefits cuts, which Conservative backbenchers find unpalatable, are the result of what he called the “Trumpification” of politics, with different groups in society set against each other.Chuka Umunna, the former shadow business secretary, used a speech on Monday to warn that the latest benefits cuts, which Conservative backbenchers find unpalatable, are the result of what he called the “Trumpification” of politics, with different groups in society set against each other.
Speaking at the launch of an all-party parliamentary group on social integration, he said: “It’s no wonder we have an utterly toxic political debate on social security, which too often ignores the impact of low-paid work and the cost of living, and ducks the challenge of addressing the real barriers which people face in getting back to work – zeroing in instead on the criminal minority who set out to scam the system.”Speaking at the launch of an all-party parliamentary group on social integration, he said: “It’s no wonder we have an utterly toxic political debate on social security, which too often ignores the impact of low-paid work and the cost of living, and ducks the challenge of addressing the real barriers which people face in getting back to work – zeroing in instead on the criminal minority who set out to scam the system.”
He added: “Iain Duncan Smith, the man who has presided over the biggest programme of misery for the disabled, the poor and those in need for a generation, only now tells us the policies he was implementing were arbitrary and unfair. The greatest sadness is not that he left it so long but that, in spite of this, the polls tell us the harsh policy agenda he has pursued commands some considerable public support.”He added: “Iain Duncan Smith, the man who has presided over the biggest programme of misery for the disabled, the poor and those in need for a generation, only now tells us the policies he was implementing were arbitrary and unfair. The greatest sadness is not that he left it so long but that, in spite of this, the polls tell us the harsh policy agenda he has pursued commands some considerable public support.”