News from The Labour Party

James Purnell MP: Cameron is wrong to say he won’t reform welfare

Reacting to David Cameron’s opposition to Labour’s welfare reforms, James Purnell has accused David Cameron of being “wrong on welfare reform”. The Tories have now set themselves against Labour’s proposals to help lone parents off benefits and to require heroin and crack addicts on benefits to seek treatment.

James Purnell MP, Labour’s Work and Pensions Secretary, said:

“Cameron is wrong on welfare reform. He bangs on about Britain being broken but he would do nothing to help people off benefits.

“We want everyone on benefits to do something in return for their money – including asking lone parents to take active steps to prepare for a return to work – he is happy for people to do nothing.

“We want to stop benefit money ending up in the pockets of drug dealers, he would do nothing to stop this.

“Cameron would make the same mistakes the Tories did in the past – doing nothing to help people and doing nothing to require them to take up that help.”

Responding to David Cameron’s comments on his wider public spending plans, James Purnell added:

“David Cameron not only opposes the £1 billion extra help we are giving to people who lose their jobs but across the whole of government the Conservatives are committed to lower spending. Yet today the Tory leader could not say where the cuts in public spending will fall to match the commitments he is making.

“There is a clear choice emerging: Labour’s real help for families and for businesses; or a Conservative Party that would not only do nothing now but are committed to cutting public spending.”

Other news from The Labour Party

• Compassionate Conservatism is dead. Contemptuous Conservatism has taken its place - 16 May 2012
• Jim Murphy: "The cyber threat can hurt the very fabric of our society" - 16 May 2012
• Yvette Cooper: "Cutting 16,000 officers is criminal" - 16 May 2012