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| Mick Philpott case: Cameron backs Osborne over comments | Mick Philpott case: Cameron backs Osborne over comments |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| David Cameron has backed Chancellor George Osborne after he suggested a link between the Mick Philpott case and the need for welfare reform. | David Cameron has backed Chancellor George Osborne after he suggested a link between the Mick Philpott case and the need for welfare reform. |
| The prime minister told the BBC that living on benefits should not be a "lifestyle choice". | The prime minister told the BBC that living on benefits should not be a "lifestyle choice". |
| Unemployed Philpott has been jailed for killing six of his children in a fire. | Unemployed Philpott has been jailed for killing six of his children in a fire. |
| Senior Lib Dem Danny Alexander has rejected Mr Osborne's comments, saying the Philpott case should be treated as an "individual tragedy". | Senior Lib Dem Danny Alexander has rejected Mr Osborne's comments, saying the Philpott case should be treated as an "individual tragedy". |
| Philpott was convicted of manslaughter, along with his wife Mairead and friend Paul Mosley, over an arson revenge plot that went wrong last year. | Philpott was convicted of manslaughter, along with his wife Mairead and friend Paul Mosley, over an arson revenge plot that went wrong last year. |
| Much of the coverage of the trial focused on the fact Philpott, his wife and his mistress had lived with him at the three-bedroom council house in Derby with 11 of their children. | Much of the coverage of the trial focused on the fact Philpott, his wife and his mistress had lived with him at the three-bedroom council house in Derby with 11 of their children. |
| He received more than £8,000 a year in child benefit, as well as the income support and wages paid to his wife and mistress, which went into his bank account. | He received more than £8,000 a year in child benefit, as well as the income support and wages paid to his wife and mistress, which went into his bank account. |
| Philpott was jailed for life on Thursday. | Philpott was jailed for life on Thursday. |
| Asked about the case on a visit to Derby on the same day, Mr Osborne said there was "a question for government and for society about the welfare state - and the taxpayers who pay for the welfare state - subsidising lifestyles like that, and I think that debate needs to be had". | Asked about the case on a visit to Derby on the same day, Mr Osborne said there was "a question for government and for society about the welfare state - and the taxpayers who pay for the welfare state - subsidising lifestyles like that, and I think that debate needs to be had". |
| His comments provoked a storm of criticism from Labour and Lib Dem MPs, who accused the chancellor of trying to make political capital out of an appalling crime. | His comments provoked a storm of criticism from Labour and Lib Dem MPs, who accused the chancellor of trying to make political capital out of an appalling crime. |
| Mr Osborne's second-in-command at The Treasury, Danny Alexander also appeared to distance himself from the chancellor's remarks. | Mr Osborne's second-in-command at The Treasury, Danny Alexander also appeared to distance himself from the chancellor's remarks. |
| The chief Treasury secretary said: "George Osborne is right that there needs to be a wide debate about the future of our welfare system, but the Philpott case is an individual tragedy. | The chief Treasury secretary said: "George Osborne is right that there needs to be a wide debate about the future of our welfare system, but the Philpott case is an individual tragedy. |
| "I think that's where we should let that case lie. I wouldn't want to connect that to the much wider need to reform our welfare system." | "I think that's where we should let that case lie. I wouldn't want to connect that to the much wider need to reform our welfare system." |
| However, speaking on a visit in his constituency of Witney in Oxfordshire, Mr Cameron threw his weight behind Mr Osborne, saying the chancellor had made a point of stressing Philpott was "responsible" for his crimes. | |
| "But what the chancellor went on to say is you should ask other questions about our welfare system," said Mr Cameron. | "But what the chancellor went on to say is you should ask other questions about our welfare system," said Mr Cameron. |
| "We want to say welfare is there to help people who want to work hard, but it's not a lifestyle choice." | "We want to say welfare is there to help people who want to work hard, but it's not a lifestyle choice." |
| For Labour, shadow chancellor Ed Balls called Mr Osborne's remarks the "cynical act of a desperate chancellor", adding that "to link this wider debate to this shocking crime is nasty and divisive and demeans his office". | For Labour, shadow chancellor Ed Balls called Mr Osborne's remarks the "cynical act of a desperate chancellor", adding that "to link this wider debate to this shocking crime is nasty and divisive and demeans his office". |
| Philpott has been told he will serve a minimum of 15 years in prison, while Mairead and Mosley were told they would serve at least half of their 17-year sentences. | Philpott has been told he will serve a minimum of 15 years in prison, while Mairead and Mosley were told they would serve at least half of their 17-year sentences. |