Brentwood Tories are "completely out of touch" on benefits

Lib Dem housing lead on Brentwood Council, Cllr Vicky Davies, has reacted angrily to to the appearance of Tory deputy leader Cllr Roger Hirst on Channel 4 News last week.

Cllr Davies said:

"Cllr Hirst simply refuses to understand that many Brentwood residents are on benefits, such as Job Seekers Allowace of £70 per week, due to circumstances beyond their control and that cutting their council tax benefit will honestly make a difference on whether they can afford to feed themselves and their family.

"He talks of the "carefully crafted plan" they have come up with but have no answers on how people are supposed to survive on £70pw with the reduction in their council tax benefit and meet their financial commitments. Many people who have been made redundant are facing real hardship but he still seems to think that those out of work are "shirkers" and that is the right thing to do to "remove the incentives not to go out and seek work."

"It shows that he, and much of his Tory administration, have no clue about the real world and are completely out of touch."

Cllr Hirst can be seen on the video, walking down a London street, above from 1m 45s.