Minister branded ‘insulting’ and ‘shameful’ for singing ‘Time Of My Life’ as she cuts universal credit

By Sam Blewett, Reporter6th October 2021News EnglandGovernment / Politics, News England, Poverty / Austerity, Welfare / Benefits, Welfare Reform

Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey has been criticised for singing “I’ve had the time of my life” as she cuts universal credit payments.

Ms Coffey (pictured) belted out a rendition of the power ballad with fellow Tory minister Will Quince at the Conservative Party conference in Manchester in the early hours of Wednesday.

Labour called the timing of her karaoke performance of (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life, as she removes the £20 uplift to universal credit for millions of people, “an insult and a disgrace”.

The temporary increase in the payment was introduced in response to the coronavirus pandemic and its removal has been widely opposed by charities, unions and politicians.

Shadow work and pensions secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: “The secretary of state singing that she is having the ‘time of her life’ while making families £1,000 a year worse off today is frankly an insult and a disgrace.

“It is not too late for the Government to reverse this disastrous decision, support struggling families and cancel this cut.”

From Wednesday, no assessments will include the uplift, meaning that no payments will be received that include the extra money from October 13.

The cut will be staggered as families receive payments on different dates.

The SNP’s work and pensions spokesman David Linden said: “This is just shameful behaviour and shows how utterly out of touch Therese Coffey and the Tories are with the people they impose their policies on.

“It beggars belief that on the eve of their callous cut to universal credit, which will see six million households lose vital income, the Tories are guzzling champagne and singing karaoke without a care in the world.”