Budget Resolutions and Economic Situation

Debate between John McDonnell and Anna Turley

Tuesday 22nd March 2016 Commons Chamber

[John McDonnell]

The role of the Opposition is to hold the Government to account. We are holding this Chancellor to account for a potential attack on disabled people that I believe would have devastated their lives.

What I find most disgraceful through all of this is that there has been no word of apology from the Chancellor or any Conservative Member. Apologise, I say. I say apologise for the pain and anguish he has caused disabled people and their families in the past two weeks. We all make mistakes. I understand that. But when you make a mistake and correct it, you should at least apologise.

[Anna Turley (Redcar) (Lab/Co-op)]

Does my hon. Friend share my view that the most distressing thing the former Secretary of State said this weekend was the point he made about

“it doesn’t matter because they don’t vote for us”?

Is there not a constant thread running through everything—from the bedroom tax to local government cuts to this Budget—that this is a deeply political Government who do not care unless people vote Tory?

[John McDonnell]

I find a form of electoral politics, where you target a vulnerable group in society just because they do not vote for you, unacceptable. Not a word of apology! One nation Conservativism? It is a contradiction in terms.