An BBC Question Time audience member has hit out Labour MP Steve Reed in a fiery clash over the government’s latest welfare reforms.
She exclaimed during the panel discussion: “Where’s this extra money coming from?
“He says about people not working, in sickness, they need to be helped to get back into work. It’s not just about coaching somebody back into work – which will also cost you a lot of money, so I don’t know where that’s coming from – people need to have surgeries!”
The audience member explained how “there needs to be doctors who are going to do these surgeries, or see people and get it done”.
“My daughter does not want to lay in her bed just rotting away and causing other problems.”
The woman continued to quiz the Labour minister on where the “extra money” is coming from, as well as “these magic jobs” and “adaptations” she says the government have planned for.
The Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs responds: “We have put the extra £26 billion into the health service to get those waiting lists down and get people like your daughter the…” before the audience member quickly interjected again, saying “we can’t even find a doctor to do it”.
The minister continued his point by adding: “And to provide more doctors and GPs,” before the woman said at the same time “there’s nobody specialised in her condition”.
“It’s worth investing £1bn more in getting people into work because over the long term it reduces the costs of the benefits they would be getting,” Mr Reed explained after the pair’s heated exchange.
BBC presenter Fiona Bruce hosted a panel this week of Steve Reed MP, Helen Whately MP, Fraser Nelson, Richard Bacon and Greg Swenson from Reading in Berkshire.
The government set out plans in the House of Commons earlier this week to get more people back to work and bring down the cost of the soaring benefits bill.
Labour say the changes would put the welfare system “back on a more sustainable path” as the measures are expected to save more than £5 billion a year in 2029/30.
Tightening the eligibility for Personal Independence Payments (PIP) is among the reforms. Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall also announced she would scrap work capability assessments, freeze the health element rates of Universal Credit, and ramp up health work assessments to force those claiming benefits to prove they cannot work.
