U-turn if you want to?
By Sam Macrory - 5th October 2010
A light hearted biographical interview with the Observer’s Andrew Rawnsley has just turned troublesome for Iain Duncan Smith, as the work and pensions secretary found himself taken to task by Rawnsley and an audience member over the apparent unfairness in the Conservative Party’s controversial decision to axe child benefit payment.
"I recognise that there is a problem here”, admitted IDS, before adding: "We will be able to rectify and ameliorate some of these issues." Which begged the question, as Rawnsley asked, why announce a policy in which the sums appear to be so half-baked? IDS struggled to find a credible answer. “You [the press] were all spending your time on this issue...there was an interest, that’s why it was done", IDS suggested, as he attempted to explain why George Osborne had announced a flagship policy which could yet be rectified and ameliorated.
Looking ahead to the publication of the Comprehensive Spending Review on October 20th, IDS suggested that the next fortnight could see further changes to the policy.
"Come the spending review this will be brought into context", he told the audience. "This is one element of a larger package...I’m sure action will be taken. We’re trying to get the balance right."
Given the many vast economic brains at work in the Treasury, the department responsible for child benefits, some might be asking how a policy with such a gaping “problem” managed to make it to the conference floor. Aren’t the days of rushed policies in response to media pressure meant to be over?
- IDS also revealed a solution to getting through these times of austerity: a trip to the bookies. The former Tory leader revealed that he placed a successful bet on Ed Miliband to win the Labour leadership. Winning with odds of 10 to 1, it’s surely treble all rounds on IDS tonight.
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