The Tories risk becoming seen as the nasty party once more if Chancellor Rishi Sunak axes a £20 increase in Universal Credit, the Government s former homelessness adviser has warned.
Dame Louise Casey said that if the increase is withdrawn at the end of March as planned it would be too punitive for families struggling during the coronavirus pandemic.
Her warning comes as Mr Sunak faced mounting pressure from Conservative MPs to extend the increase - originally intended as a temporary measure following the outbreak last year.
They include a number of the so-called red wall Tories who captured a series of Labour strongholds in the North and Midlands as Boris Johnson swept to victory in the 2019 general election.
Universal Credit families could face £600 loss if government cut goes ahead
Tory MPs were told by the Prime Minister to abstain from a Commons vote yesterday on making the £20-a-week uplift in the benefit permanent
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