Work and Pensions Secretary Iain Duncan Smith hit back at the Archbishop of Canterbury over a letter sent by church leaders to a newspaper criticising welfare reforms.
Justin Welby endorsed the letter, signed by 43 bishops, which warned a cap on benefit rises would have a “deeply disproportionate” effect on children.
Duncan Smith reacted by saying government plans to cap rises on certain benefits to one percent had a strong moral foundation.
“This is about fairness,” he told ITV News. “People who are paying taxes, working very hard, have hardly seen any increases in their salary and yet, under the last government, the welfare bill rose by some 60 percent.
“That same system trapped huge numbers, millions, in dependency, dependent on the state, unable, unwilling to work.
“What is either moral or fair about that? That’s my challenge over to the bishop,” he added
Duncan Smith hits back at church leader
