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| Minister Darren Jones sorry for 'tactless' pocket money example on benefits | Minister Darren Jones sorry for 'tactless' pocket money example on benefits |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| Treasury minister Darren Jones has apologised after he used the example of pocket money when talking about benefits cuts for disabled people. | Treasury minister Darren Jones has apologised after he used the example of pocket money when talking about benefits cuts for disabled people. |
| Jones, who is deputy to Rachel Reeves, was defending welfare cuts on the BBC's Politics Live after the Spring Statement when he made the gaffe. | Jones, who is deputy to Rachel Reeves, was defending welfare cuts on the BBC's Politics Live after the Spring Statement when he made the gaffe. |
| Government analysis suggests more than three million families will on average be £1,720 a year worse off by 2030 due to benefit cuts. | Government analysis suggests more than three million families will on average be £1,720 a year worse off by 2030 due to benefit cuts. |
| Jones said this did not take into account extra cash for training, saying it was like his children getting a Saturday job on top of their pocket money. But the minister later said he was sorry about the "tactless" comments, after they were branded "offensive" and "patronising". | Jones said this did not take into account extra cash for training, saying it was like his children getting a Saturday job on top of their pocket money. But the minister later said he was sorry about the "tactless" comments, after they were branded "offensive" and "patronising". |
| On Wednesday evening, Jones told ITV's Peston programme: "I'm sorry about it. It was tactless and it wasn't well considered. | On Wednesday evening, Jones told ITV's Peston programme: "I'm sorry about it. It was tactless and it wasn't well considered. |
| "I apologise if I've offended people," he added. | "I apologise if I've offended people," he added. |
| The chancellor said it was "not the right analogy" when she was asked about the chief secretary to the Treasury's comments on LBC Radio. | The chancellor said it was "not the right analogy" when she was asked about the chief secretary to the Treasury's comments on LBC Radio. |
| But she added: "My children and the chief secretary's children are too young, but if you have a 16-year-old and you say, 'you know what I'm not going to give you so much pocket money. I want you to go out to work'. | But she added: "My children and the chief secretary's children are too young, but if you have a 16-year-old and you say, 'you know what I'm not going to give you so much pocket money. I want you to go out to work'. |
| "And then the [Office for Budget Responsibility] does an impact assessment and says your child is going to be worse off - well, they're going to be worse off if they don't go and get themselves a Saturday job. | |
| "But if they do go and get themselves a Saturday job, they'll probably be better off and they probably might enjoy it as well. | "But if they do go and get themselves a Saturday job, they'll probably be better off and they probably might enjoy it as well. |
| "Now, that's not the right analogy, but there are lots of people who have a disability that are desperate to work." | "Now, that's not the right analogy, but there are lots of people who have a disability that are desperate to work." |
| Pressed further about Jones's comments on the BBC's Today programme she said it was a "clumsy" analogy, adding: "Of course it's not pocket money." | Pressed further about Jones's comments on the BBC's Today programme she said it was a "clumsy" analogy, adding: "Of course it's not pocket money." |
| Apsana Begum - the independent MP for Poplar and Limehouse - described Jones's original comments as "staggering". | Apsana Begum - the independent MP for Poplar and Limehouse - described Jones's original comments as "staggering". |
| Labour MP Rachael Maskell said they were disgraceful, telling Politics Live that benefits were a "lifeline" for people. | Labour MP Rachael Maskell said they were disgraceful, telling Politics Live that benefits were a "lifeline" for people. |
| Lib Dem work and pensions spokesman Steve Darling, who is blind, said it was "incredibly insulting" and showed that the government did not "understand the challenges facing people with disabilities". | Lib Dem work and pensions spokesman Steve Darling, who is blind, said it was "incredibly insulting" and showed that the government did not "understand the challenges facing people with disabilities". |
| Live: Follow the latest on the chancellor's announcement | Live: Follow the latest on the chancellor's announcement |
| Key points from the Spring Statement at a glance | Key points from the Spring Statement at a glance |
| Three ways the changes could affect you and your money | Three ways the changes could affect you and your money |
| Who is affected by the Pip and universal credit changes? | Who is affected by the Pip and universal credit changes? |
| Watch: Henry Zeffman on what you need to know...in 58 seconds | Watch: Henry Zeffman on what you need to know...in 58 seconds |
| In Wednesday's Spring Statement, Reeves announced further cuts to benefits after the OBR said changes announced last week would not raise as much money as ministers hoped. | In Wednesday's Spring Statement, Reeves announced further cuts to benefits after the OBR said changes announced last week would not raise as much money as ministers hoped. |
| An estimated 800,000 people will lose out on personal independent payments (Pips) by 2030. | An estimated 800,000 people will lose out on personal independent payments (Pips) by 2030. |
| A further 2.25 million people currently receiving the health top-up to universal credit will lose an average of £500 a year as a result of the freeze, and 730,000 future recipients will lose out. | A further 2.25 million people currently receiving the health top-up to universal credit will lose an average of £500 a year as a result of the freeze, and 730,000 future recipients will lose out. |
| About 3.9 million households not on the health element of universal credit are expected to gain an average of £265 a year from the increase to the standard allowance. | About 3.9 million households not on the health element of universal credit are expected to gain an average of £265 a year from the increase to the standard allowance. |
| And an extra 250,000 people, including 50,000 children, will be pushed into relative poverty by the government's changes, according to its own impact assessment. | And an extra 250,000 people, including 50,000 children, will be pushed into relative poverty by the government's changes, according to its own impact assessment. |
| But ministers have been keen to stress that the figures do not take into account of funding for measures to support those with disabilities into employment. | But ministers have been keen to stress that the figures do not take into account of funding for measures to support those with disabilities into employment. |
| On Wednesday, Jones told Politics Live: "My understanding is what the impact assessment doesn't account for is the benefit that you get from our additional money into support for training, skills or work. | On Wednesday, Jones told Politics Live: "My understanding is what the impact assessment doesn't account for is the benefit that you get from our additional money into support for training, skills or work. |
| "Take, for example, if I said to my kids: 'I'm going to cut your pocket money by £10 per week, but you have to go and get a Saturday job'. | "Take, for example, if I said to my kids: 'I'm going to cut your pocket money by £10 per week, but you have to go and get a Saturday job'. |
| "The impact assessment on that basis would say that my kids were down £10, irrespective of how much money they get from their Saturday job." | "The impact assessment on that basis would say that my kids were down £10, irrespective of how much money they get from their Saturday job." |
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