Conservative leader David Cameron has answered rumours about his party cutting child benefits in tonight’s BBC Question Time.
There has been significant speculation recently over previous Tory plans for an £8bn plan to cut welfare, which included slashing child benefits and child tax credits, alleged by Liberal Democrat chief secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander.
In tonight’s BBC Question Time the opening question addressed the issue with Cameron completely rejecting the claim.
Cameron said that he rejected the reduction of child benefits when he came to power and he continues to reject it now. He still went on to add however that he believes the welfare system needs reform.
He maintained that he aims to keep the taxes of working people down and that Labour’s Ed miliband will increase in taxes.
A follow up question from the audience then questioned whether Cameron knew what he was doing and alleged he was “deceiving” the public.
The Conservative leader defended his Government in suggesting they had saved £20 billion so far, adding that they needed to save half that again.
In his comments on welfare reform, Cameron said he wants to remove the ability for people to leave school and sign on to benefits immediatly to buy a house. He said: “Starting a life on benefits is no life at all”.
When asked why more people are relying on food banks and more children are living in poverty than ever before, Cameron emphasised that there is still work to do. He described how he was “halfway through a job”.
On child benefits, Cameron emphasised that child tax credit has increased and that “it is not going to fall”.
Cameron then posed the question to the audience of whether they wanted the same people to continue with the job or whether they wanted to go right back to the beginning with Ed Miliband and the SNP.
He urged: “I never want us to go back there again.”
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