A Christian MP has told Premier that she is behind a group of MPs that want George Osborne to postpone his plans to cut tax credits for 12 months.
Emma Lewell-Buck, Labour member for South Shields, told Premier's News Hour that she believes these would have impacted poorer people the hardest: "If it hadn't have been for churches and faith groups across the United Kingdom then people would have been starving.
"They have really stepped up and filled that gap.
"But I don't think it's right that we have charities and faith groups filling a gap left by the state - the state has a duty towards its citizens to look after the most vulnerable and not to push people into poverty."
She was speaking after the Work and Pensions Committee said that the Chancellor must take time to rethink the policy.
The planned tax credit cuts risk families being worse off by £1,300 each year, according to critics.
George Osborne has now been forced to find alternatives to these changes following a defeat in the House of Lords.
Listen to Premier's Hannah Tooley speak to Emma Lewell-Buck here:
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Article by Hannah Tooley
Hannah Tooley is a multimedia journalist for Premier.