Tory nerves over Osborne welfare gamble

Will George Osborne get away with his conference gamble that hits working families? The Chancellor’s speech would have received a far worse reception on the front pages of today’s newspapers had it not been for the announcement on GPs offering a seven-day service. But it remains a topic of debate in the party.

Today at a lunchtime fringe, the Chancellor tried to defend his two-year freeze on working-age benefits by arguing that he had taken uncomfortable decisions for a Conservative, such as raising corporation tax. He also was careful not to appear to be gleeful about cutting welfare, an impression he has given in the past. Instead, he told the fringe that he was ‘acutely conscious’ of the impact of his policies on low-income families, and that ‘enjoy’ was not a word he’d use to describe how he feels about his job.