Wes Streeting apologises to constituents for 'voting to take money from you'Source: Sky News
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00:00I think it is a tough choice and we've had plenty of political criticism for it,
00:04I think, which demonstrates the political pain of it. I'm not remotely happy about it and I'm
00:09not remotely happy about having to say to some of my constituents, I'm sorry that I'm going into
00:14work this week to vote for something that will take money away from you. And you're right to
00:19put it in the wider context of the fact we're protecting the triple lot, the fact that the
00:23pension, state pension will continue to rise, that's been above inflation, pay increases,
00:28there are still free prescriptions, free eye tests and other targeted support available.
00:32You're right to point out all of those things but it is also important to say to people
00:37why when you're taking something away, why that choice is necessary. And I think there are lots
00:42of people out there, actually particularly pensioners, who've seen governments come and go
00:46and have seen what happens when politicians duck the difficult decisions, who even if they don't
00:50agree with this choice, I hope will take some reassurance that this isn't a government that
00:55ducks difficult decisions or pretend you can spend money you don't have.