PM 'picks UKIP words carefully'

Asked if he still thought UKIP voters are "closest racists, loonies and fruitcakes", the Prime Minister told ITV News: "I'll chose my words carefully." He is visiting the West Midlands as part of his local election campaign.

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PM: Voters have a straight choice between red and blue

The Prime Minister David Cameron said the next election will be a straight fight between red and blue.

Speaking to ITV News earlier he defended his government's welfare reforms, pledged to promote more women to his front bench, and responded to his description of UKIP voters as "closet racists, loonies and fruitcakes."

Watch his full interview with ITV News presenter Julie Etchingham below.

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PM pledges to appoint more women to front bench

Prime Minister David Cameron said he did not know who the "next Thatcher" coming through the Conservative Party ranks would be. Challenged by ITV News Presenter Julie Etchingham about the number of women on his front bench he said:

"I absolutely want to, I have appointed some excellent women to the front bench, and I want to do more of that."

PM: 'I don't get to pick next Tory Prime Minister'

Asked if Theresa May could be the next female Prime Minister, David Cameron told ITV News: "I think we are lucky that we have got a lot of talent on the Conservative benches.

"One of the things that struck me, because I sat in that debate, is I heard some incredibly talented politicians, some of them only arrived in Parliament in 2010, with fascinating stories to tell. I don't get to pick the next Conservative leader or the next Conservative Prime Minister."

He said he wanted to appoint more women to the front bench and said it was "really important we demonstrate this is a modern party, putting its best talent into the top jobs".

Prime Minister David Cameron and ITV News Presenter Julie Etchingham Credit: ITV News

PM: 'I will choose my words carefully' over UKIP

Asked if he still thought that UKIP voters are "closest racists, loonies and fruitcakes" the Prime Minister told ITV News: "We live in a competitive, political world and people make their choices. I'll choose my words carefully. I want people to support my party.

"I'll let people make up their own minds but at the end of the day, at the next election there is going to be a very straight choice. It will be a red, blue choice."

Prime Minister David Cameron, speaking to ITV News presenter Julie Etchingham Credit: ITV News

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David Cameron defends 'bedroom tax' system

The Prime Minister vigorously defended his so-called controversial 'bedroom tax' in an interview with ITV News. Asked if it was fair that children "bear the brunt of this kind of policy", he said:

"There is a human impact on the entire country that we currently spend £23 billion a year on housing benefit, that is more, to put it in context than we spend on the entire transport and home office budgets.

"We only spend £33 billion on our entire defence system for the UK. So it's not sustainable to go on with a housing benefit system and a benefit system."

Prime Minister David Cameron, speaking to ITV News presenter Julie Etchingham Credit: ITV News
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