Purnell defends Glasgow East record

Work and pensions secretary James Purnell has defended the government's record on welfare reform following allegations that Labour had "let down the people of Glasgow East".

Speaking as Labour is expected to pick its candidate for this month's by-election, Conservative MP David Gauke said that 50 per cent of people of working age were on benefits in some areas of Glasgow.

The South West Hertfordshire said the government was elected on a platform of getting people "off benefits and into work", but had "failed certain parts of the country".

However, Purnell told MPs that the proportion of unemployed people in Glasgow had been cut by 50 per cent since Labour came to power, with the number on incapacity benefit down 25 per cent.

Programmes involving the Commonwealth games and offering apprenticeships for all young people were "in sharp contrast to the way the Tories ran down that city and left people abandoned in all the time that they were in power", he argued.

Conservative MP Henry Bellingham also accused the secretary of state of promoting "draconian proposals" to get people back into work.

He pointed to an interview with the Times newspaper, in which Purnell said that "nobody had a right to benefits" and set out plans to stop unemployed people receiving benefits for up to six months if they don't co-operate in looking for a job.

"Sick and disabled people would be expected to work if their physically able to do so and drug addicts who refuse treatment will be stripped of welfare support," Bellingham said.

"These are draconian proposals. Has he discussed them with the MSP Margaret Curran and will they apply to the residents of Glasgow East?"

Purnell said that the government wanted to increase support for people to get back into work but that "people do not have a right to a life of benefits if they could be working".