Esther McVey has refused SIX times to apologise for the rollout of Universal Credit in an excruciating live radio clash.
The former Work and Pensions Secretary turned an interview into a car crash as she cruelly refused to say the word "sorry" for the six-in-one benefit's flaws.
She was asked six times by LBC presenter Nick Ferrari whether she apologised to those who lost out on money in the rollout of the new welfare system.
It comes after during her time as Tory welfare chief.
But despite admitting she'd had to make several changes because claimants were losing out, she refused point-blank to say sorry.
Asked the first time if she would "apologise in any way", she insisted: "The benefits system before was failing people."
She said under Labour the number of households where nobody had worked had doubled, and the benefits bill had gone up by 65%
She added she made sure more people could get into work while Tories also "supported the most vulnerable".
Mr Ferrari pressed on.
He said: "Do you apologise for the way it was introduced, that some people were left without money?"
Ms McVey - who is running to be the UK's next Prime Minister - replied: "I wasn't in government when those changes were brought in, those were George Osborne's changes.
"I actually fought to bring more money into the system, because I could see where the failings were."
This much is true - Mr Osborne stripped £4billion out of the benefit, and Ms McVey as welfare chief persuaded the Treasury to give some, not all, of that cash back.
But still she didn't say sorry.
A third time Mr Ferrari said: "I get that, but do you apologise for those who did lose out?"
She stuttered: "What we've done is... Nick..."
But Mr Ferrari asked a fourth time: "It was reported that maybe 3million households lost up to £2,000 each.
"If that were the case even if it was half that number do you apologise to those households?"
Again she insisted she managed to get more money into the benefit by being honest about the problems at Cabinet.
Mr Ferrari said: "I think I've asked you five times to apologise, Esther McVey."
She pressed on, still not saying sorry, telling him: "I made sure we changed them [the previous cuts], to make sure we reached out and helped the most vulnerable.
"Did I change direction for the party? Yes I did - to help the most vulnerable."
Asked, a sixth time, to confirm she would not apoloigse, she said: "If people didn't get what they meant to get, that's why we have a process by which you can appeal and give the money back."
She added, correctly, that she had also reversed previous limitations on Personal Independence Payments (PIP) - though she neglected to say it was after a High Court defeat.
"I've changed a lot of things for the benefit of people on benefits," she insisted.
