Welfare to be cut by £4bn

The government is planning to reduce the annual welfare bill by a further £4bn.

Chancellor George Osborne will give details of the savings, which follow an £11bn cut made in June, in October's spending review.

Osborne told the BBC that those making a "lifestyle choice to just sit on out-of-work benefits" would be affected.

The combined £4bn and £11bn cuts represent about 6 per cent of total spending on welfare.

Shadow work and pensions secretary Yvette Cooper claims cutting the welfare budget would lead to more people on benefits and called for more detail from the government.

Lib Dem MPs Bob Russell and Mike Hancock accused the chancellor of failing to consult their coalition partners.

In Birmingham, Caroline Lucas speaks at the opening of the Green Party autumn conference.

At her first conference since elected an MP, Lucas is expected to say pairs of parliamentary candidates should be allowed to stand in general elections and share the job if elected.

Lucas feels the move would open up jobs in politics to women.

The Plaid Cymru conference continues at the Aberystwyth Arts Centre, Ceredigion.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson has announced that he will stand for re-election in 2012.

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