BBC presenter Amol Rajan has apologised after using the term 'scroungers' during an interview on his Radio 4 programme. The comment, made while discussing the two-child benefit cap with former Labour minister Lord David Blunkett, sparked criticism from listeners on social media.
During the interview, Rajan said: 'According to the child poverty action group there are over 4 million kids in this country in poverty, more than 70 percent of those are actually in families where people work. It's not a question of scroungers on welfare, it's actually working families.'
Minutes later, Rajan addressed listeners to clarify his remarks. 'I just want to clarify something, a few moments ago in my interview with Lord Blunkett I used the word 'scroungers'. To be clear I absolutely wasn't describing people on welfare as scroungers myself,' he said. 'Sorry if that was unclear, I'd certainly never myself describe people who take social security or benefits or welfare or whatever you want to call it as scroungers.'
Listeners had taken to social media to express their displeasure. One wrote: 'Regretful that in his clarification ... Amol Rajan restated the original characterisation of people on social welfare by saying that 70 percent work, so then the rest are scroungers?? Not good.' Another questioned the BBC's impartiality.
The controversy comes after Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced in her Budget that the two-child benefit cap would be scrapped, a move the Office for Budget Responsibility said would lift 450,000 children out of poverty. The cap was introduced by the Conservatives in 2017.
