Archbishop of Canterbury attacks Government welfare reforms
Archbishop of Canterbury attacks Government welfare reforms
The Archbishop of Canterbury is supporting a campaign to derail a key part of the Government’s welfare reforms.
8:03PM GMT 09 Mar 2013
In his most significant political intervention since taking office, the Most Rev Justin Welby has warned that “children and families will pay the price” if plans to change the benefits system go ahead in their current form.
Mr Welby and the Archbishop of York, Dr John Sentamu, have backed a letter to The Sunday Telegraph written by 43 bishops who say the benefits cuts will have a “deeply disproportionate” effect on children.
The move will come as a blow to Iain Duncan Smith, the Work and Pensions Secretary, who is attempting to steer the reforms through Parliament.
He has said the Welfare Benefits Up-rating Bill, which will cap benefit rises at 1 per cent a year until 2016, is needed to help get spending “back under control” and create a fairer deal for taxpayers.
However, Mr Welby, who will be formally enthroned at Canterbury Cathedral on March 21, said the legislation will remove the protection given to families against the rising cost of living and could push 200,000 children into poverty.
He said: “As a civilised society, we have a duty to support those among us who are vulnerable and in need. When times are hard, that duty should be felt more than ever, not disappear or diminish.
“It is essential that we have a welfare system that responds to need and recognises the rising costs of food, fuel and housing.
Save our NHS
Norfolk MP presented with ‘save our NHS’ petition
Saturday, March 9, 2013
11:44 AM
A petition against the “privatisation” of the NHS was presented to a Norfolk MP on Friday.
Health minister Norman Lamb receives the 38 Degrees petition. Local campaigners met with health minister and North Norfolk MP Norman Lamb to hand over a national petition signed by more than 240,000 people as part of the 38 Degrees campaign.
The petition opposes the government’s section 75 plans to allow GP commissioners to open up every part of local health services to private companies.
However, Mr Lamb said the coalition government had listened to concerns by agreeing to withdrawing and rewriting section 75 of the Health and Social Care Act.
The 38 Degrees group is now calling on Mr Lamb to make sure that any new regulations honour the promises that ministers made to the public when the act went through Parliament last year.
