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Victoria Derbyshire Asks Labour Minister 'Are You OK Making People Worse Off' In Brutal Interview

14 24
19.03.2025

Victoria Derbyshire and Torsten Bell on Newsnight.

Victoria Derbyshire asked a Labour minister if he is “OK with making people worse off” as she grilled him on the government’s cuts to welfare.

Torsten Bell was forced to admit he could not live on £70 a week as he was roasted by the BBC Newsnight presenter.

The pair clashed after work and pensions secretary Liz Kendall unveiled plans to slash £5 billion from the welfare bill by cutting health and disability benefits.

Charities and MPs have savaged the package of reforms, branding them “simply indefensible”.

On Newsnight on Tuesday, Bell, who is a minister in Kendall’s department, admitted “there will be some people that lose out from today’s announcement”.

Derbyshire asked him: “Are you OK with making people worse off?”

The minister replied: “Well, I’m OK with saying this system has to change.”

The presenter then asked........

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