A Conservative MP has been condemned for his behaviour in the House of Commons after he was caught laughing out loud during the debate over the Chancellor’s package of £4.4bn cuts to tax credits.
Kwasi Kwarteng, Conservative MP for Spelthorne, has been criticised over his actions during the debate, in which he appears to be sharing a joke with a colleague sat in front of him.
The laughter was loud enough to interrupt Alan Mak’s speech as he attempted to speak in favour of the cuts, much to the anger of those watching.
Despite MPs voting in favour of the cuts, Chancellor George Osborne had faced strong opposition to the proposals in recent days, with the Institute for Fiscal Studies claiming the changes to tax credits would hit “hard working families,” while Tory MPs spoke out against the measures.
Conservative MP Heidi Allen joined the attack against the Chancellor by using her maiden speech to warn that the “poorest and most vulnerable” would be hit by the cuts, with many families being forced to decide whether to spend money on heating their homes or making ends meet.
On Question Time a mother was reduced to tears while discussing the impact that cuts to tax credits would have on her family, ending her impassioned speech by shouting “Shame on you!” at Energy and Climate Change secretary Amber Rudd.
The cuts to tax credits are thought to make three million families poorer by around £1,300 when they come into effect.
