Ex-minister says government benefit plans are 'immoral'

Former children's minister Sarah Teather has criticised plans for a £500 per week cap on household benefits as "immoral".

Speaking to The Observer, 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.

"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."