Archbishop Vincent Nichols: Welfare cuts 'a disgrace'

The leader of the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales said the government's austerity measures have left people facing "hunger or destitution" which is "quite frankly, a disgrace."

Archbishop Vincent Nichols told The Daily Telegraph that the public accepted a need "to tighten our belts" but added that the Coalition had destroyed "the basic safety net."

"People do understand that we do need to tighten our belts and be much more responsible and careful in public expenditure," Nichols said.

But he said the welfare system had become more unwieldy for those who need it most, calling the changes "a disgrace".

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