Liz Kendall refuses to retract claim too many on benefits are ‘taking the mickey’

Liz Kendall refuses to retract comments saying too many on benefits are 'taking the mickey'Source ITV News

Transcript

00:00Yes, I think they have been stigmatised for the past 14 years.

00:04I speak to so many disabled people who are desperate for a chance of work,

00:08but they need the right help and support, they need flexible working,

00:12they need to make sure that if they've been out of work for a while,

00:14they get the skills support they need.

00:16We've got to overhaul the system because it's not right for people

00:20who are written off and trapped on benefits, and it's not right for the country either.

00:24But once when we met before, and I know you did talk about the many people who wanted to work,

00:27you also said some people were taking the mickey,

00:30and some people have said to us that language really upset them.

00:33Do you regret using that language?

00:35£8 billion a year is wasted on fraud in the benefits system.

00:40That's why we've got a fraud bill going through Parliament now,

00:43and it is because I don't want to see that money wasted on fraud

00:47when it could go on supporting more people like we've seen here today.

00:50They deserve a chance, and that's what this government will give them.

00:53So you do think that people are there who are taking the mickey?

00:56There's £8 billion of fraud every single year,

00:58and you imagine the difference that money could make

01:00to actually helping more people who can work get into work.

01:03I think we've got to have trust in the system,

01:05and we've got to shift the focus more towards helping those who can work get into work.