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Yet another Tory “benefit crackdown” – Media roundup: July 16th, 2013

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Yet another Tory “benefit crackdown”

Recommendations that teenage mothers should no longer automatically be entitled to council housing or housing benefit, as part of a new drive to reduce teen pregnancy, have been welcomed by David Cameron in a report by Conservative MPs. The 40 proposals, to be published later this week, come from the 40 Group – the Tories who hold the 40 most marginal seats in Parliament. Several of their controversial ideas have been blocked by the Liberal Democrats inside the Coalition, but could be revived in the Tory manifesto for the 2015 election. – Independent
George Osborne is considering a further lowering of the amount households can receive in benefits as Tory MPs press him to reduce a newly-imposed cap by another £6,000. A limit of £26,000 a year was imposed on claimants yesterday, but the Chancellor is facing calls to take a harder line from backbenchers who want it cut to £20,000 as part of a post-election assault on welfare spending. Mr Osborne’s aides confirmed yesterday that the Treasury was preparing to reduce the cap once it had been shown to work, to drive home what the Conservatives consider a key advantage over Labour and the Liberal Democrats. – The Times(£)

Further questions raised over Crosby’s lobbying

David Cameron’s support for the Syrian uprising has been questioned after revelations that his top aide’s firm worked for the rebels. The UK arm of strategist Lynton Crosby’s lobbying empire represented the Syrian National Council. Mr Cameron stepped up his calls for action – including arming forces trying to oust bloody dictator Bashar al-Assad – after hiring the Australian as his elections adviser last year. – Mirror

David Cameron has been accused of hypocrisy after refusing to reveal details of visits by the business lobbyist Lynton Crosby to Downing Street – despite having vowed to shine “the light of transparency” into the lobbying industry. Number 10 claimed in a reply to a freedom of information request by the Financial Times that it did not hold records “of any official meetings” involving Mr Crosby, a part-time elections adviser to the Conservative party. How much time the Australian lobbyist spends in Downing Street is important because of the coalition’s insistence that he only advises the Tories – and not the government. – FT

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Tags: Benefits / Lynton Crosby /
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