- Sarah Teather has condemned the benefits cap as 'immoral'
- She accused the Government of seeking to 'gain popularity at the expense of children's lives'
- Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith accused the Lib Dem of 'needless scaremongering'
By Steve Nolan
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A former minister has today condemned Government plans to cap household benefits at 500-a-week as 'immoral'.
Former children's minister Sarah Teather accused ministers of seeking to 'gain popularity at the expense of children's lives' by pushing through a popular but ineffective measure.
She said: 'I think deliberately to stoke up envy and division between people in order to gain popularity at the expense of children's lives is immoral. It has no good intent.
Speaking out: Sarah Teather has hit out at plans by David Cameron and the Government to cap household benefits at 500-a-week
She added: 'There are all sorts of things you have to do when times are tight that have negative consequences but you do them for good purposes.
'But to do something for negative purposes that also has negative consequences - that is immoral.'
The Lib Dem had faced calls for her sacking after missing a crucial vote on the reforms in February despite having publicly questioned them.
She was eventually relieved of her government role in September's reshuffle.
Teather said that the cap is merely a political device to 'demonstrate whose side you're on' rather than a move that will save the Government much money.
She predicted a mass exodus of families from London who can no longer afford to live there because of the cap but who would struggle to find work in cheaper areas.
Dismissive: A spokesman for Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith accused Sarah Teather of hugely misinformed scaremongering
She told The Observer that child protection and education services might struggle to keep track of youngsters whose families are forced to leave London.
But a spokesman for Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith accused her of hugely misinformed scaremongering.
He said: 'The criticisms Sarah Teather is levelling against the Government's welfare reforms are hugely misinformed and therefore result in needless scaremongering.'
'It's not fair or right that benefits claimants receive higher incomes than hard-working families who are striving to get on in life.
'Our reforms bring fairness back to the system while ensuring we support the most vulnerable.'
Exodus: Sarah Teather says that many families may be forced to leave London as they will be unable to afford to live there under the proposed benefit cap
Business Secretary Vince Cable said his party colleague was right to warn of the risks of 'very serious social consequences' but defended the need for a cap.
It was required to prevent housing benefit 'escalating out of control' but had to be accompanied by an increase in the provision of affordable housing, he said.
'What is immoral, and I have read her article carefully, is demonising poor people.'
He told BBC1's Andrew Marr Show: 'We have got to cap the housing benefit element while at the same time increasing the supply of affordable housing.
'That is absolutely critical because without that you will have very serious social consequences which Sarah has quite rightly warned about.'
Defiant: Business secretary Vince Cable defended the cap on benefits despite the attack from his party colleague Sarah Teather
LABOUR WIDENS POLL LEAD OVER THE CONSERVATIVES
Labour has posted a 12-point opinion poll lead over the Tories - its widest margin of advantage in a ComRes survey for more than seven years.
The Opposition gained two points to 43 per cent on a month ago and the Conservatives dropped two to 31 per cent, in the poll conducted for the Independent on Sunday and Sunday Mirror.
It showed the Liberal Democrats static on 10% and Ukip down one on 8 per cent.
Two thirds of voters also backed a cut in British contributions to the EU as Prime Minister David Cameron prepares for a Brussels summit later this week to discuss the future budget.
Tory rebels joined forces with Labour last month to defeat the Government by pushing through a call for a real-terms cut. Mr Cameron is arguing for a real-terms freeze.
In the poll, 66 per cent said UK payments 'should be cut rather than frozen' with 12 per cent against and 22 per cent unsure.
A majority (58 per cent) also agreed that Britain should withdraw from the EU altogether 'if some EU powers cannot be restored to the UK', including a 53 per cent majority of Labour voters.
Even Liberal Democrat voters backed that stance by a margin of 39 per cent to 32 per cent.
Asked if the UK should 'leave the EU regardless', 43 per cent agreed - with more Tory and Labour supporters backing the policy than not.
While nearly a quarter (23 per cent) of Lib Dem voters agreed, a clear 57 per cent were opposed.
ComRes interviewed 2,024 British adults online between November 14-16.
Once again the name calling begins, you are a Scaremonger if you dare to speak against IDS brain child Think Tank. Tami Grey Thompson was also called a Scaremonger. I would trust Tami Grey before any of these Politicians,
- Alan , Wigan, 18/11/2012 18:43
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